Jan. 24 — To the Editor:

The saga involving organizers of the Portsmouth Women’s March inviting, then disinviting, then re-inviting Congressional candidate Mindi Messer to speak only serves to shine a spotlight on exactly what women have been forced to endure for years. When I first learned Friday evening that Mindi had been disinvited from speaking, I was compelled to e-mail the Rockingham County Democrats expressing my outrage at the turn of events by calling out the male rival who complained about not being invited to speak at the Women’s March. To think organizers of a Women’s March would kowtow to any man implying he is being treated unfairly because a woman is being given a platform to speak about the work she is doing in the community as an environmental scientist is appalling. For far too long women’s voices have been silenced while men have been afforded every opportunity to speak and be heard. As Mindi said, “We hear from men all the time. This is time for women. Let us speak.”

Women must stick up for each other and speak out to empower one another, using whatever platform we have to do it. When women get elected to Congress, they change the conversation, prioritizing issues that have a direct impact upon women and their families. Women make up only 20 percent of Congress. Men outnumber women four to one, yet women make up the majority of the US population. We need more women in the House and Senate representing us.

As a woman, I am committed to doing my part to insure that we have a voice and that we are not silenced. Whether it be a town position or state representative or some other office, I encourage women to run for something. Empowered Women Empower Woman.

Jennifer Dube

Raymond