North Central College in the News
North Central College political science professor featured in The 19th and other national outlets
Apr 28, 2022
Suzanne Chod detailed why retiring from politics is more complicated for women
Over the past couple of years, there has been a stream of reporting and rumors about the mental capacity of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who at 88, is currently one of the oldest members of Congress. Most recently, multiple colleagues told the San Francisco Chronicle that they no longer believe Feinstein is fit to serve, with one saying the senator forgot who they were multiple times during a conversation.
Most Americans who continue working past the traditional retirement age of 65, when people qualify for Medicare benefits, do so because they cannot afford to stop. In an AARP survey of older adults from 2018, money was cited as one of the most common reasons respondents put off retirement.
Suzanne Chod, professor of political science at North Central College, interviewed with reporter Sara Luterman of The 19th, where said Feinstein choosing to stay in the Senate well into her 80s could be making up for lost time in the political sphere.
“Women in politics have historically started their careers later than men,” said Chod. “The gendered expectation is that you need to be home with your children. Women in the Senate have a lot they want to accomplish. By the time they get in and they’ve worked a few years, get reelected and develop institutional memory, by the time they build up seniority, they’re going to be older.”
Click here to read the full article in The 19th.
The article published in The 19th was also repurposed in the following publications:
