Letters

There is no better time than Mother’s Day to share our profound gratitude for the women who comprise our Southampton Village community. Not only as mothers but as daughters, teachers, businesswomen, politicians, coaches, and more, the women of Southampton have made indelible contributions to village life. Our female community deserves to be uplifted on Mother’s Day as well as any other.

In that spirit, I am writing to express my concern regarding Mayor Jesse Warren’s treatment of his female colleagues.

Two female employees of Village Hall have come forward, alleging gender discrimination and harassment. These allegations demonstrate the mayor’s pattern of sexism, and I encourage women voters in the village to take a stand against such behavior.

Forty percent of the Southampton Village Board of Trustees is female, and Village Hall’s staff counts numerous women in its ranks. Mayor Warren’s repeated disrespect toward his female colleagues represents not only a moral failing but also a concern of practicality: How can our government get anything done if the man at its helm disregards women’s opinions?

Our village is already mired in petty drama, most of which was incited by the mayor himself. If we want to see an end to Mayor Warren’s circus, we cannot continue to condone his sexist behavior.

The mayor has created a hostile environment for the women who work daily to keep our village afloat. This sets a profoundly negative precedent for the next generation of local politicians.

Simply put, sexism is on the ballot this year. I urge you to vote against it.

Keri Medio

Southampton Village