Thursday, October 24, 2019 ~ NATIONAL
EDITORIAL: by Mary P Brooke, West Shore Voice News
This morning in Ottawa an example of the ugliness against women in politics (also often experienced by women in business and in the role of media) was seen again. Newly re-elected Liberal candidate/MP Catherine McKenna has again been targeted. An anti-woman slur word was found painted on the exterior of Catherine McKenna’s campaign office today. See: https://www.cbc.ca/…/catherine-mckenna-vandalism-office-1.5…
It happens locally as well to various degrees, and as media we say this has to stop. Sometimes it’s overt (including catty remarks in social media), more often it’s insidious (a sociological systemic problem). Holding women back from full participation in democracy and business is something many of us thought was finally a thing of the past. It appears the struggle continues.
The reasons are largely systemic, including that many women remain entangled in the patriarchy for their economic survival. For some men and women — in business, politics and community — there remains an incentive to hold women back, out of fear their position or their structural control will be compromised. But in Canada, there is no room for discrimination against any sector of our society, whether by bullying or subtle exclusion. If someone is fearful, they should use their respectful communication skills to work toward a solution.
In a timely fashion, our article on recent Green candidate Lydia Hwitsum this week (Cowichan-Malahat-Langford) includes her views on women in society and politics: https://islandsocialtrends.ca/lydia-hwitsum-raised-green-…/
Here is our comment as posted on Twitter today in response to the McKenna incident: “Absolutely abhorrent how #WomenInPolitics and also sometimes in #media are sometimes treated by people who dwell in a lower qualitative realm. Sometimes it’s even women who are behind #bullying antics against women in power, fearing their reliance on #patriarchy is challenged.”
WSV readers can always count on the West Shore Voice News editorial stance of speaking up against bullying in whatever form it takes.
======= COMMENTS:
> Comments as posted on Facebook in response to this editorial statement:
Doug Willoughby “It’s incredibly sad and irritating that this continues in all areas of life, politics, business and personal life. It quite frankly pisses me off to hear this!!!!!” (October 24, 2019)