Reporter’s Notebook -- Lolita Harper

Imagine a stately gentleman, sitting comfortably in his oversized

chair presiding over a City Council meeting. Let’s call him Mr. Prestige.

Mr. Prestige is dressed in a dark suit and his hair -- slightly salted

with gray -- is combed neatly to the side. He sits tall on his post and

listens intently to the comments from his constituents. He takes copious

notes and addresses familiar faces by name.

When speakers need more time to make relevant points, he usually

allows it. But when they get out of line, he stops them. When council

members want to say their piece, he affords them the time. But when they

go off on tangents, he reels them back in.

Nobody seems to complain because he is the boss. It is his job to set

the tone of the meeting and keep people on task. Mr. Prestige is truly in

control -- the quintessential example of an authoritative leader.

Back to reality. We all know there is no Mr. Prestige, and if there

is, he is certainly not on the Costa Mesa City Council. No, the majority

of this city’s governing body -- including its highest ranking position

-- is filled by women.

Heaping criticisms have been lauded at Mayor Linda Dixon and former

Mayor Libby Cowan in regard to their attitudes on the dais. People have

said the “women council members” (as if their gender makes a difference)

are treating the residents with disdain and being downright rude. One

reader went as far as to call Cowan a bully in a recent letter to the

editor.

As the City Hall reporter, I am present at every City Council meeting

-- barring serious illness or the occasional vacation. I witness the same

incidents that residents later complain about, but I am never floored by

the rudeness of any one council member.

What is the difference between my fictitious Mr. Prestige and Dixon or

Cowan? Note the prefix: Mister.

Aside from the peppered, side-combed hair -- and obvious differences

in anatomy -- Dixon and Cowan display the same authoritative attitudes as

my fictitious character.

I can’t help but wonder if people are truly upset that a council

member would have the audacity to cut them off mid-sentence when their

three minutes of public comment ran out -- or if they are bothered that a

woman cut them off.

A very common saying goes like this: If a woman displays an attitude

of authority, she is considered a (enter that nasty “B” word here). But

if a man does the same, he is a leader.

I know that nobody likes to be labeled a sexist. And I understand that

the knee-jerk defense to my observation is that rude behavior is rude

behavior regardless of gender.

Still, I can’t help but think that the reason feathers are being

ruffled by the unapolagetically-opinionated female members of the Costa

Mesa City Council is simply because they are women.

“Some people are really still bothered by the fact that women chose

roles in society outside of being barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen,”

one councilwoman said. “And I think that is really sad.”

I have seen Councilman Gary Monahan jump in the middle of discussions

and quickly put an end to them. Nobody calls him a bully. Councilman

Chris Steel has also been known to interrupt a public speaker when he has

an immediate question about the topic, or a point to make. Still, no

letters flooding the editorial mailbag about his callous attitude.

Are Monahan and Steel boorish for those actions? No. But Dixon and

Cowan should not be labeled as such for similar behavior.

I have no qualms with anyone who wants to attack a politician’s stance

on an issue or a policy vote. Scrutiny of public officials is a crucial

element to democracy.

When comments are based on character, I challenge Dixon’s and Cowan’s

strongest mudslingers to question whether the demeanor in question would

be as egregious if the offender were a man.

The answer may be the same, who I am to say?

But when a critic feels it necessary to point out a council member’s

gender before launching their attack, it only proves the critique is

somehow rooted in a sexist attitude.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .