Reality May Start With A Long-Shot Dream
A major turning point for American women is symbolized by Susan B. Anthony. Legal equality has progressed since she stood on city streets with her suffrage groups and lectured. Anthony was proud of, and believed in, all womanhood. Her humanity was reflected by her support of anti-slavery. After the victory that resulted in constitutional amendments which vested black men with the right to vote, she was unstoppable in finding a similar avenue for women. As a co-publisher of "The Revolution" she used the power of the pen to demand equal treatment for women and spent more than a couple of nights in jail because she attempted to vote -- just like the guys. We know the rest of the story is that women came to embrace that right through our nineteenth constitutional amendment, but Anthony never saw her dream accomplished. Still, our world is fortunate that she dreamed so outlandishly.
It is less often now when we are confronted by the unyielding rationale that a woman can't be an effective leader only because she is a woman. Or another way to put the same principle is to reference that a particular woman is an exception because she is successful. Perhaps the entire world will continue to relax the time-worn concept and allow it to dissipate back into nothingness. How "Anthony" it would be to know that a woman is welcome to serve in the government of Saudia Arabia or that no living person could recall gender bigotry. Preposterous!
A humorous perspective was given by Texas' beloved Ann Richards at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. "After all, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."
A few weeks ago Pratibha Patil was elected the first woman President of India. That is impressive because she is both a woman and seventy-two years old. When most folks are thinking about kicking back and licking a lifetime of wounds, Madam Patil brings to mind the Energizer Bunny. She just keeps on going and has now emerged herself in a new career. In fairness, however, it should be mentioned that she is twelve years younger than the male missile scientist whom she ran against.
Female leadership is not new to India. Indira Gandhi was the first woman Prime Minister. She followed in her father's political footsteps and had been greatly influenced by Mohandas Gandhi who taught non-violent resistance. It was common for her to visit him in prison. Motivated in part by her own imprisonment, she pursued her life as a political leader.
Prime Minister Gandhi brought controversy, nothing new to India, and was not one to be toyed with. She maintained her position through four terms before a court decreed she had occupied it by violating election law. Unbending, she refused to heed the judiciary, declared a state of emergency, and suspended all civil liberties. She then methodically imprisoned those who had spoken against her reign. Her near twenty year rule ended when she was assassinated.
In her own kitchen Golda Mier destroyed barriers by serving high ranking political officials using her casual, no nonsense hosting style. Golda was foreign born but reared in Wisconsin. As a young adult she immigrated to Israel where she began her climb and eventually served as prime minister.
These women are not exceptional as women but are extraordinary people. They seem to have in common the drive to speak and be heard as well as the skill to do so. Each of them appear to have learned a great deal from their worthy opposition.
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, the first Nicaraguan female president carried her political torch through her family-owned newspaper. She ousted President Daniel Ortega who has since been re-elected and is the current leader.
In 2005, Dr. Angela Merkel was elected as the first Chancellor of Germany. She also has now headed the G8 summit, only the third woman to do so, which represents approximately sixty-five percent of our world economy.
Women in politics has become a more common topic both within and outside the United States and it seems only the sky is the limit. Han Myung-sook, the former Prime Minister of South Korea, resigned a couple of months ago. There is speculation she will announce her presidential candidacy this coming December. Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for U.S. President. One hundred and thirty-five years later Hillary Clinton sprints for the same goal.
It is the right to compete that calls for the celebration!
© Coninc., TheDownsideUp.Com 2007
It is less often now when we are confronted by the unyielding rationale that a woman can't be an effective leader only because she is a woman. Or another way to put the same principle is to reference that a particular woman is an exception because she is successful. Perhaps the entire world will continue to relax the time-worn concept and allow it to dissipate back into nothingness. How "Anthony" it would be to know that a woman is welcome to serve in the government of Saudia Arabia or that no living person could recall gender bigotry. Preposterous!
A humorous perspective was given by Texas' beloved Ann Richards at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. "After all, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."
A few weeks ago Pratibha Patil was elected the first woman President of India. That is impressive because she is both a woman and seventy-two years old. When most folks are thinking about kicking back and licking a lifetime of wounds, Madam Patil brings to mind the Energizer Bunny. She just keeps on going and has now emerged herself in a new career. In fairness, however, it should be mentioned that she is twelve years younger than the male missile scientist whom she ran against.
Female leadership is not new to India. Indira Gandhi was the first woman Prime Minister. She followed in her father's political footsteps and had been greatly influenced by Mohandas Gandhi who taught non-violent resistance. It was common for her to visit him in prison. Motivated in part by her own imprisonment, she pursued her life as a political leader.
Prime Minister Gandhi brought controversy, nothing new to India, and was not one to be toyed with. She maintained her position through four terms before a court decreed she had occupied it by violating election law. Unbending, she refused to heed the judiciary, declared a state of emergency, and suspended all civil liberties. She then methodically imprisoned those who had spoken against her reign. Her near twenty year rule ended when she was assassinated.
In her own kitchen Golda Mier destroyed barriers by serving high ranking political officials using her casual, no nonsense hosting style. Golda was foreign born but reared in Wisconsin. As a young adult she immigrated to Israel where she began her climb and eventually served as prime minister.
These women are not exceptional as women but are extraordinary people. They seem to have in common the drive to speak and be heard as well as the skill to do so. Each of them appear to have learned a great deal from their worthy opposition.
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, the first Nicaraguan female president carried her political torch through her family-owned newspaper. She ousted President Daniel Ortega who has since been re-elected and is the current leader.
In 2005, Dr. Angela Merkel was elected as the first Chancellor of Germany. She also has now headed the G8 summit, only the third woman to do so, which represents approximately sixty-five percent of our world economy.
Women in politics has become a more common topic both within and outside the United States and it seems only the sky is the limit. Han Myung-sook, the former Prime Minister of South Korea, resigned a couple of months ago. There is speculation she will announce her presidential candidacy this coming December. Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for U.S. President. One hundred and thirty-five years later Hillary Clinton sprints for the same goal.
It is the right to compete that calls for the celebration!
© Coninc., TheDownsideUp.Com 2007
Labels: EglPress
posted by KKHC | 7:21 AM
