Dear Editor,
There have been a
lot of letters and articles about who should lead the Free National Movement in
2015 and beyond. Some of them are nice and supportive and some are tinged with
a bit if dirt-throwing, but despite all that, the beauty of this upcoming
leadership campaign is that a woman is running! And whether she wins or not I
am so proud that my party is the first to have a women do this.
In today’s Bahamas
women are still classed as second-class citizens in legal terms as we do not
have equal rights for our children or husbands. It’s a sad fact that successive
governments have not changed this as of yet. But, despite this and the
negative comments made by some men and women when equality for women is brought
up, I have not seen anyone say that
Loretta Butler- Turner SHOULD NOT RUN BECAUSE SHE IS A WOMAN. Of this I
am very proud!
Entering
“politricks” - as it is often called- is not for the faint of
heart. For the amazing women, within any party, who have already done
this I am in awe and totally impressed by their fortitude, but I am thrilled
that the first woman to stand for leadership has been in the FNM.
Sure a few men have
started a negative conversation with me with, “Sarah it’s not that Loretta is a
woman,” - which I feel is an unfortunate
sign that the issue could be just that - but no one has actually said she
should
not run. And in Grand
Bahama, the stalwart men of our party all agreed that she has the right to
address our party, as the current leader did recently. Working in the FNM
since the 1990s I have always felt embraced, no matter my colour, my sex or my
opinion on a subject. Of this our party should stand so very proud.
Sure I want Loretta
to become Leader as I, like many thousands of Bahamians, men and women, are
keen followers and admirers of her tenacity, style and love for our
country. But no matter how everything plays out, I think all of us have
won already as on November 21st we will make history for women in The Bahamas.
And of that I am
TRULY proud!
Sarah Kirkby
Marco City FNM
GB FNM Women’s Member
Disclaimer:
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his/her
private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of
TheBahamasWeekly.com
