Her persuasive power was so undeniable that after an impassioned speech in favor of an eight-hour workday for women, one male colleague offered a now-famous, if gendered, compliment:

"She is the biggest man in the House."

This swift and effective entry into politics demonstrates a core aspect of her character. Hathaway was not there to be a symbol; she was a substantive, confident, and formidable legislator from the moment she took her oath.