Toward the end of the recent Republican debate, candidates were asked which woman they would put on the $10 bill. While moderator Jake Tapper called it a lighthearted question, it actually gave a lot of insight into the problems with the Republican candidates.
Carly Fiorina said a woman should not be put on a $10 or $20 bill because to do so would be rewriting history. Except it wouldn’t be. Currently, our printed currency is not representative of history. Since its first incarnation as the 13 colonies, the U.S. has always had icons that weren’t solely the wealthy, white men portrayed on our print currency today. As the years go on, the history of the U.S. becomes longer, and thus, there are greater figures to highlight on currency. Not only that, but Fiorina’s statement basically insinuates there were no great women around in the early years of the U.S., which is simply not true.
This is in line with her previous attempts to espouse the same anti-women rhetoric that seems to pervade the GOP from a woman’s perspective. Fiorina, in her attempts to be the "reasonable woman" who is GOP-friendly, is doing a disservice to advocacy for women’s rights. When she first announced she was running for president, part of her platform was if she were to win the nomination, she would take the "woman card" off the table. The people of the U.S. need a president who fully grasps gender politics rather than one who dismisses them entirely.
While Fiorina may be able to attract more women voters for Republicans, she demonstrates the same tone-deafness as the rest of them when it comes to women’s issues. She spits out internalized misogyny in the hopes women will say "Wow, now that a woman says it, it really makes sense." Giving Fiorina the role of vice president or a crucial secretary position does not absolve the Republican Party of its deliberate ignorance on women’s issues.
Ted Cruz replied to the question by stating Rosa Parks should be on the $20 bill, because Alexander Hamilton is already on the $10 bill, which he rightfully earned by being a Founding Father. But the fact that he was a Founding Father shouldn’t be the only reason he’s on the $10 bill. Although I can confidently say that I probably would not get along with any of the Founding Fathers, Hamilton at least personifies the American dream of social mobility even in the early years of U.S. history.
And then of course, there were the nominees who wanted their wives or daughters to be on the $10 bill. While sweet, it comes off as a little condescending. As in, "The best thing a woman can ever do is be married/related to me." Other candidates proved their ignorance of American history by picking a foreigner, as if it is hard to come up with a list of brilliant American women.
Putting one woman on the currency may not seem like a big deal, but it paves the way for a more visible demonstration of women’s accomplishments in history. While there is not a lot of time to come up with answers during a debate, the lack of relevant answers on the part of GOP candidates speaks volumes as to where they stand on issues related to gender equality in the U.S. As the GOP-majority House passed a bill this past weekend to defund Planned Parenthood, it is not unreasonable to be concerned with how the Republican slate of candidates views the legitimacy of a woman on our nation’s currency.
Nicole Dan is a UF political science sophomore. Her column appears on Mondays.
