The Massachusetts State House in Boston. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- It's been the butt of jokes and double entendres on Beacon Hill for years--and now, one lawmaker is taking it on.
The General Hooker Entrance, which allows entry into the Massachusetts State House from Beacon Street, is named after Union Army General Joseph Hooker.
But state Rep. Michelle DuBois of Brockton, who represents the 10th Plymouth District, stirred up a discussion after tweeting that the General Hooker entrance plays against women's dignity.
Rep. DuBois told WBZ-TV that female staffers do not use that entrance because the sign is offensive to them.
"It's just a little semantics and a little wordplay that some people find very charming and funny, but I find can be hurtful," she said.
She would like to see General Hooker's first name, Joseph, used in the sign, and doesn't plan to file legislation--but thinks a change is something that should, and will, happen.
"I have one bill to include 'Gender' as a protected class in the states hate crime law; another outlawing NDAs in harassment contracts; & one terminating parental rights of convicted violent rapists. This was just a tweet," she said of the General Hooker suggestion in a follow-up tweet.
Gov. Charlie Baker was asked about the issue at an event Thursday and said that, if the legislature thinks there should be change, he's willing to talk about it.
“I think many people consider [General Hooker] to be part of the team that delivered freedom for slaves in this country,” Baker said. “But the name over the building itself obviously carries with it a connotation that, if the legislature and others think is an appropriate thing to change, that’s certainly something we’d be willing to talk about.”
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker reports