What do women need to know before they think about becoming politicians?
Why are there so few excellent women in politics today?
The answers are not simple. To enter politics in North America there is no legal barrier but many social ones are brought to light when the topic is opened. If there is a partner, how will it affect the relationship between them? How will the work at home be taken care of when the elected politician is not at home to organize and carry out the household tasks she usually looks after? In theory, household and child minding tasks are shared responsilities but in reality it still falls somehow to the female partner to at least coordinate things at home if not actually do them.
That is the first hurdle to entering politics. This is before all the practical ones of campaign financing, winning party nominations and the challenging campaigns come.
Developing resilience seems to be key to overcoming the electoral journey challenges. I would love to hear from people who are in the process of preparing for politics and those who are there - let's share our resilience secrets and put many more women into government.
The answers are not simple. To enter politics in North America there is no legal barrier but many social ones are brought to light when the topic is opened. If there is a partner, how will it affect the relationship between them? How will the work at home be taken care of when the elected politician is not at home to organize and carry out the household tasks she usually looks after? In theory, household and child minding tasks are shared responsilities but in reality it still falls somehow to the female partner to at least coordinate things at home if not actually do them.
That is the first hurdle to entering politics. This is before all the practical ones of campaign financing, winning party nominations and the challenging campaigns come.
Developing resilience seems to be key to overcoming the electoral journey challenges. I would love to hear from people who are in the process of preparing for politics and those who are there - let's share our resilience secrets and put many more women into government.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Debra Tyson on -
It is a known fact that women can multi-task. We can juggle home, personal and professional like on one hand. I am ready to take the path of local politics. I need secrets, suggestions and a mentor to get me to where I need to be. Your family is the support line of any endeavor that you want to pursue.
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Permalink Reply by Leonora Grace Siodora on
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Women and Mothers are usually very good administrators, accountants (living within an austere budget for the home),and problem solvers. We focus on solutions rather than on the differences, thus good leaders. We are trained to think realistically, as we are left on our own to tackle most emergencies while the spouse is away. We have the sense of "worst-case scenario',thus we are mostly prepared and forward-looking. Yet,we are able to delve into introspection and see beyond the smokescreen of politics in human relations.We can understand the language of women,and kids without utterances,hear their groanings from afar as we are familiar with every pain and sacrifice. And most of all, our navels connect us to our children's umbilical cords literally, so that every step we take, every decision we make, will always be with the best interest of our kids' future in mind.....And whatever is best for our nation's children will be the best for our country too.
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