The shapeliest legs under the council table: Defining the feminist influence on women in British Columbia municipal politics, 1950--1980.

The complex relationship between politics and feminism in British Columbia between 1950 and 1980 is explored in this thesis, with an emphasis on the media's role in forming the identities of women involved in local government. The careers of Beth Wood of New Westminster, Carrie Jane Gray of Prince George, and Doreen Lawson of Burnaby will be used as examples of how women were expected to maintain a feminine appearance and still demonstrate an aptitude for work that had once been determined best suited for men. Newspaper portrayals of these women often accentuated the differences between women politicians and their male colleagues, making equality a more difficult objective to attain. Even though these women did not appear to advocate feminist causes, by today's standards, however, these women would be considered feminists because of their convictions and actions and by opening the doors of city hall for future generations of women.