‘Tough, Tenacious’ Minnette Doderer Fought Tirelessly for Iowa Women

Minnette Doderer was a trailblazing politician who served in the Iowa Legislature for 15 years, working on laws that ultimately improved Iowa women’s legal status.

Born in 1923, Doderer was born in Holland, Iowa, and graduated from East High School in Waterloo.

Women’s rights at forefront

She was first elected in a 1964 special election, representing Iowa City.

Doderer served in the Iowa House from 1964-1968 and then again from 1981-2000. She served in the Iowa Senate from 1969-1979, and while there served as the President Pro Tempore from 1976-77.

At the time, it was the highest position ever held by a woman in the Iowa Legislature.

While in office, Doderer worked to reform rape laws, the federal and state Equal Rights Amendment, child care, juvenile justice and in revising inheritance taxes. The result was more equality for women in Iowa.

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‘What the media does to women’

Twice, Doderer ran for lieutenant governor, and wasn’t afraid to challenge how the press treated her differently as a woman. Female politicians were rare at the time, and she was the first woman to run for the position.

She noted how women were rarely referred to by their titles in print and said she was once asked at a press conference, “Well, how is it to be a woman?”

Doderer told reporters she only wanted female politicians to be treated the same way as male politicians.

“Let’s get to what the media does to women,” she’s recorded saying to reporters in 1982. “I want to say at the onset that most of that is unintentional, too, but nevertheless it sets the tone for the fact that women in public life are freaks.”

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Called ‘tough, tenacious fighter’ by Harkin

After her work in politics, she was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame in 1979 and received many other awards and honors in her life, including:

• Reproductive Rights Award, 1998;
• Business and Professional Women Woman of Achievement Award, 1997;
• Citation from The American Academy of Pediatrics for sponsorship of legislation for post-delivery benefits and care of Iowa’s infants, 1996;
• Friend of Nursing Award, 1996;
• Feminist of the Year Award, 1996;
• Gold Seal Award, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1995;
• ERA Tribute, 1992;
• Friend of Education Award, Iowa City, 1986

In September 2005, the month after her death from colon cancer, Doderer was honored on the floor of the US Senate by Sen. Tom Harkin.

“Some people run for public office to be somebody,” he said. “Senator Doderer ran in order to get things done. She saw injustice, discrimination, and sexism, and she fought it with tremendous skill and courage. Above all, she made a practical difference, especially for women.

“Minnette Doderer was passionate about her family and her friends,” Harkin continued. “She was a tough, tenacious fighter for what she believed in. She cared deeply about justice and fairness for ordinary people. Most of all, she was a good, decent, humane person—the kind of person that makes Iowa such a special place.”

Nikoel Hytrek
3/23/23

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