In 1997, Bessie Chronopoulos ran for the mayoral seat of DeKalb because she wanted the presiding administration out. The former 5th Ward council member of 22 years beat incumbent Greg Sparrow and became the third female mayor in DeKalb history.

She said some people embraced her and some did not understand why a teacher and a woman was in the mayor’s office.

“You’re very fortunate; the daughter of immigrant parents, first to get a college education, you just have this desire to give back to the community,” Chronopoulos said.

Becoming mayor was not part of her original plan, she said. However, she wanted to do something about the Sparrow administration.

“He had to be stopped, he simply had to be stopped,” she said.

She felt she was in the position to do something because she was on the city council, she had name recognition and a lot of respect from the community.

Many people did not think she could do it, but she surprised everyone, even herself, Chronopoulos said.

Despite an increase during the last few decades of women in politics, women still do not hold half of public offices.

NIU political science professor Barbara Burrell said getting women into politics is a slow process, which recently has stagnated.

And people in general are not running for office, she said. Nationally there are very few contested races at the local level.

Women do not want to be involved in politics because it has become so nasty and personal, she said.

Holding public office at the local level used to be voluntary, housewives would do it while their children were in school or after they left the nest, but now many women have jobs, Burrell said.

“You can be a mother, and you can be a worker, and OK – you can also run for and be in public office. Well who can do three jobs?” she said.

Traditional roles are another reason for the underrepresentation of women in politics. The political world is part of the public sphere, where many stereotypes are still preserved.

Chronopoulos said it is still hard for women to break into the political world. However, as time passes it is becoming less of a man’s world and more of a “people’s world.”

Chairwoman of the DeKalb County Board Ruth Anne Tobias, the first female Chair of the board, said some women are not used to thinking of themselves as leaders.

Many women are used to their roles as caretakers of the home, sometimes not even thinking to ask people to do things for them, she said.

Another female county board member had similar views.

“Society has not geared women toward politics,” said County Board Member Eileen Dubin.

One student had her own views of women in politics.

“We have a right [to hold office] and we should exercise that right,” said Emily Rollins, a senior English major.

Editor’s note: This is part of a weekly series examining the status of women in DeKalb County