This is a tribute to the late Minnette Doderer, but it is also dedicated to the Women of the Iowa Women’s Political Caucus who changed Iowa and made history This is an appropriate moment for such a tribute, given the political situation currently faced by progressive Iowa women and feminists.

None of us anticipated a future where women were not in the forefront of efforts to better the condition of women and children. We did not contemplate a situation where we had a Governor like Kim Reynolds who just proposed taking away the leadership of blind Iowans, because she knows better what they need.

During the 1970s and 80s the leaders of the Caucus persevered. Critical to their endeavors was its first Chair, Roxanne Barton Conlin, who formed the organization in her Des Moines living room. There were others. Mary O’Halloran, a sturdy legislator from Cedar Falls, Elaine Szymoniak, who was First a Des Moines City Council woman and then joined the legislature. Joan Lipsky, in the House, was from Cedar Rapids; Peg Anderson led the
Caucus in critical years from Cedar Falls. Lynn Cutler was a Black Hawk County Supervisor. Peg Cass, Des Moines, was the Executive Director for many years.  Peg Anderson and Joan Lipsky were Republicans.

David Yepsen once said that Minnette Doderer was one of the most important people to serve in the Iowa legislature. Period. A room at the Capitol is named for her. Her own words in Louise Noun’s book, Strong-Minded Women noted her many struggles with the male power structure. Male legislators referred to her as ‘that damned woman.’

Especially retrospectively, the male power structure confronted by these women seems monumental. The energy required seems staggering. Yet these
women often prevailed. Women serving in the legislature were rare.  Joan Lipsky once commented that when she walked into the House, the
males there couldn’t be more shocked if they saw a giraffe. She laughed. I heard her make this comment.

Minnette was fiercely competitive, but she used her instincts to benefit  women and children. Clara Olson once commented that research
revealed ‘your tracks’ in the record. There was hardly an issue that she didn’t touch. Her son, Dennis, noted that during the interim she studied the issues. She was a quick study and mastered the information.

Minnette’s family lost their farm in the Great Depression and moved to  Waterloo. She graduated from West Waterloo High School. She took a job
at the John Deere plant which allowed her to commute to college in Cedar Falls. Her fair wages allowed her to pay her bills.

She married Fred Doderer and they moved to a Texas military base because he expected to be shipped overseas. They returned to Iowa in 1945 and
both finished their education at the University of Iowa. She majored in Economics, a subject not usually pursued by women. After graduation and
having two children, she became active in the League of Women Voters and The Johnson County Democratic Party. By 1952 she was a precinct chair and then a Vice Chair. She did much of the work of the chair. She encountered people who did not want women to have any power.

It is not a stretch to say that the term of Gov. Harold Hughes as a Democrat ushered in some reform proposals. Minnette won a special election to the House from Johnson County in 1964. She was soon heading an effort to divert public health activities back to the county level.

In 1968 she became Minority Whip and served in the House until 1968. She was finally President Pro Tem of the Senate during her tenure
from 1968 to 1978. She left the Senate to campaign to become the Lt. Governor but did not survive the primary. She was re-elected to  the Iowa House and held that seat until she retired in 2000.

In a hand-written note, she declared that was proudest of two acts. First was her leadership of juvenile justice reform. There is no readily available information on her role, but I remember her picture being in the Register. Currently the closure of state  Homes and the lack of services, particularly for girls in more difficult situations, indicates just how lacking the current regime is in attitudes/behavior designed to make government work.

The second was welfare payments. When she entered the House, she found out that if a family got extra money (for example, from a paper route)
welfare officials would deduct that amount from their welfare checks. learning this, she teamed with Joan Lipsky, a Republican moderate from Cedar Rapids. Together they changed that situation. Now the Legislature debates work requirements; child care?????

This is a noteworthy point. There were many times during that era when Democratics and Republican women cooperated on issues involving women and children especially. Presently there is little or no cooperation across the aisle. We did not retreat to our respective silos, but gradually cooperation ended.

To younger women, equitable treatment in insurance offerings seems like a no-brainer. But the male power structure did not easily give ground. This was, however achieved. Comparable worth is another accomplishment. This means that wages between men and women are based on skill, not on gender. The allied women’s groups were only able to achieve that for state government jobs, not for the private sector or city and county government. She also pursued equity education, insisting that the same courses be taught to males and females

TV coverage on the death penalty debate shows Minnette as one of the leaders, questioning the values brought to the House floor. This is a pertinent reminder, since rumors circulate suggesting that the death  penalty will be brought up again.

She became a feminist as a result of letters written to her by women. Some complained about their husbands harsh treatment during sex. Others wrote about lousy divorce decrees that favored men. One woman noted that her husband was left with a business and she was left with three children.

Although biographies and political essays, even those deliberately to bestow civic sainthood, can set out details in precise order,  this account or others like it cannot recall the spirit, tenacity, and resolve of Minnette Doderer. A room at the Capitol was not reserved for someone who tilted helplessly at political windmills. She got a lot done.

The Iowa Women’s Political Caucus served as the shock troops of the women’s movement in Iowa. Women of both political
parties advocated equality in those life situations governed by legislative action. Women were encouraged to run for office, especially at the local level, for school boards, city councils and county supervisors. Agendas of legislative proposals were approved at state-wide meetings. All these activities required time and money, including countless meetings, meetings, and more meetings.

This is only a bare-bones outline of the Caucus. This seems in retrospect like an innocent and trusting era. The cooperation across the aisle can be remembered as genuine, practical and enthusiastic. This is particularly the case for the earlier days of the Caucus. Our faith in a better future seems very innocent when compared to blatant grabs for power in the present era. The implicit assumption behind these endeavors was that women were nurturant creatures who wanted to help other women Colorful and memorable, they shine as symbols of our better Nature at a time when we really need them.