White House Works on Shedding Boys Club Image with New Blog Post

Based on a recent blog posting to the White House website, it seems the administration is trying to shed the image of a boy's club at the White House.

The Obama administration has been criticized for sticking to an old Washington stereotype that at the highest levels, the president only surrounds himself with men.

Friday they released on the White House blog a posting with a photo gallery titled, "Women and Girls and the Obama Administration."

The posting by Jenny Kaplan, deputy director of the White House Council on Women and Girls, noted they created a special photo gallery and one line in particular, struck as a bit defensive, "We see how often the first family and other administration officials are working with on behalf of women and girls - and we wanted you to see that as well!"

The photos include things like lighting the White House pink for Breast Cancer Awareness month, Obama talking to an 18-year-old female student during an unscheduled tour of the East Garden Room at the White House, the president in the Oval Office with Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagen, and Obama speaking to an older woman at a health care event last year.

The talk of the boys club initially started from a Sunday New York Times story from October 2009 titled "Man's World at White House? No Harm, No Foul, Aides Say" noting the president is a guys' guy and that because of his sports knowledge - both following professional sports and playing golf and basketball with mostly men - give males in the administration an advantage, mainly access and face time. While the president at times has brought a female golfer to his numerous golf outings, and has played basketball with his daughters, his regular sporting activities still largely involve men.

The White House is always quick to point out the first bill the president signed was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act as an example of the president's focus on women's issues.

The highest profile female official currently is Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett, a long-time Chicago family friend of the Obamas, who is expected to stay in her post for as long as she wants, perhaps surpassing the typical two-year out that many officials take after the grueling daily grind of working in an administration. She often spends both professional time and personal time with the Obamas, even going on vacation with the first family. The president and first lady spent dinner at her private home last weekend.

The key, tight-knit circle around the president for at least his first two years was largely held by Senior Adviser David Axelrod, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, and Chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. They're all out, but their replacements thus far, are male.

New White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley is reportedly seeking a female White House press secretary to replace outgoing spokesman Robert Gibbs, in part to try to get rid of that boys club perception.

Former White House Press Secretary under President Bush, Dana Perino, told FOX News last week that the White House should put down those reports, so that it's not perceived the future replacement was a token choice.

"The White House shouldn't let that sit out there, because if they do choose a woman, they don't want to diminish her accomplishment right out of the gate with some who'll think she was chosen just because of her gender."

Dana Perino is also a FOX News contributor.