Interview with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

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Marianne Schnall interviews Kirsten Gillibrand, US Senator (D-NY) and creator of Off the Sidelines, an initiative that encourages women and girls to make their voices heard on the issues they care about. In this insightful interview, the senator shares her thoughts on sexism in politics and corporate America, why she feels we need 51% women in Congress, and the rewards of a career in elected office. She also speaks highly of the bipartisan efforts of the women in Washington, saying that they are able to “leave their egos at the door, leave their political parties at the door, and really move forward on real, substantive ideas”—something she says is evidenced by the fact that she’s had help from “strong Republican women” on every bill she’s ever passed.

Washington is certainly broken, but the one area of exception, in my opinion, is among the women…Those women in the Senate and, I think, in other places as well, really do find the common ground and make Washington work in a very different way. So I really believe the presence of women at decision-making tables is overwhelmingly impactful and can make the difference between reaching the right result and reaching the wrong result.

Marianne Schnall is a widely published writer and interviewer whose writings and interviews have appeared in a variety of media outlets including O, The Oprah Magazine, TIME.com, In Style, CNN.com, EW.com, the Women’s Media Center, and many others. Marianne is a featured blogger at The Huffington Post and a contributor to the nationally syndicated NPR radio show, 51 Percent: The Women’s Perspective. Schnall is the founder and Executive Director of Feminist.com, a leading women’s website and nonprofit organization. For nearly 20 years, Feminist.com has been fostering awareness, education, and activism for people all across the world.