Sometimes I Just Have to Comment
May. 7th, 2007 01:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meddowWhile I don’t talk about politics a lot because I live and breathe politics and this journal isn’t for that and so many others write about these sorts of issues far better than I do, I've decided to comment today.
Anyone else a bit disappointed that Royal lost the French presidency not only because it was the leftist candidate who lost out, but because she was a woman? I was just so looking forward to the prospect of having more than one female leader of a powerful nation at once. Wouldn’t it just have been so cool to have a photo of Ségolène Royal shaking hand with Angela Merkel?
I know I’m preaching to the converted here, but I just really really don’t get the whole question of whether women run a country. Particularly because I’ve had lived in two countries and under five Prime Ministers in my life, and three of those Prime Ministers have been women and both the two longest running and most memorable have been women. I would have been five at the time Thatcher left power, but I remember Margaret Thatcher and I remember that day. In a similar vein is Helen Clark. While she hasn’t left power yet, I’m pretty sure her 8+ years as Prime Minister are going to be remembered. In fact it was only last year that the top four constitutional posts in New Zealand – Prime Minister, Governor General, Chief Justice and Speaker of the House – were all held by women (we’re down to three out of four these days). That’s five if you count the Queen.
So I don’t think women can run a country, I know women can run a country. And I know that there will be many reasons people vote against a female candidate and what their political views are way more important and I’m sure only a few idiots still wonder whether women should be in positions of power. I’m just frustrated that we’re not going to get that photo just yet.
Anyone else a bit disappointed that Royal lost the French presidency not only because it was the leftist candidate who lost out, but because she was a woman? I was just so looking forward to the prospect of having more than one female leader of a powerful nation at once. Wouldn’t it just have been so cool to have a photo of Ségolène Royal shaking hand with Angela Merkel?
I know I’m preaching to the converted here, but I just really really don’t get the whole question of whether women run a country. Particularly because I’ve had lived in two countries and under five Prime Ministers in my life, and three of those Prime Ministers have been women and both the two longest running and most memorable have been women. I would have been five at the time Thatcher left power, but I remember Margaret Thatcher and I remember that day. In a similar vein is Helen Clark. While she hasn’t left power yet, I’m pretty sure her 8+ years as Prime Minister are going to be remembered. In fact it was only last year that the top four constitutional posts in New Zealand – Prime Minister, Governor General, Chief Justice and Speaker of the House – were all held by women (we’re down to three out of four these days). That’s five if you count the Queen.
So I don’t think women can run a country, I know women can run a country. And I know that there will be many reasons people vote against a female candidate and what their political views are way more important and I’m sure only a few idiots still wonder whether women should be in positions of power. I’m just frustrated that we’re not going to get that photo just yet.
