Politics and Feminism

People like to get emphatic and overwhelming demonstrations about theories. It’s ok. I can do it. My theory: When women are in power they need to be in charge. Because when women dictate policy, they are much more favourable to women, to children, to the elderly. They tend more to fight climate change and poverty. They spend more financial resources in education and other social policies. They are more compassionate, with migrants, with refugees. They are more inclusive, with different racial and religious communities, with aboriginals, with the LGBTQI populations. They have managed better the response against COVID in their countries. Jacinta Ardern. She is the proof of my theory. She is the practice of this very truth.

She arrived in power supported by men. I understand. They have always been in power and without their support nothing could have changed. But they were progressive. They chose her as the Leader of the Labour Party, not without her own merits. She was already a member of the Parliament since 2008. When she won the first election as Prime Minister in 2017 she was pregnant. She had opposition. Some journalists asked how someone who needed maternity leave was going to be able to govern. They were rapidly silenced by the overwhelming support. Unfortunately, these things only happen in New Zealand.

How far is that country. Geographically. In ideals. And here we are, celebrating like there is no tomorrow because women in our countries are in politics. Yes, this is a great achievement. But they are all adjoint. What a tricky and condescending little word. Adjoint is not in charge. Adjoint means next to (i.e someone). For example Kamala Harris. The first Indo-American woman to be named Madam Vice President. The first, but not the last, as she said it herself. We are still drunk with that victory. When we get sober we still need to pay attention. The duties of a Vice President although conciliatory do not represent much power. It is important to conciliate, of course. Conciliate, agree, concede. They seem all so feminine words. We are depending on Joe Biden to extend her duties and to not let her as a decoration item next to him. Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren and the next female candidates to the Presidency of the United States. They still have to overcome the last obstacle and certainly the most difficult one. The sexism.

And not. I do not believe that a woman has to be elected to lead a country just because she is a woman. A woman of war policies, of patriarchal support, of religious fanatism should not be elected to be in power. It is time to make place to inclusive and beneficious policies for all society. Those are the feminine policies. It is time to protect the minorities of every country that always have been left behind in order to protect the overwhelming majorities. Even when they are wrong. When someone governs in a democracy, he or she should do it correctly or otherwise step aside and leave the space to the one who lost so they can have the opportunity to do it better. And like that successively. The Jacintas Ardern of the world are waiting their turn.

Luz