Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Just the Facts, Ma'am

So I’m doing some research (work-related, for real!) and I stumble across a little interesting tidbit. Here it is, presented in a charming multiple-choice question format:

Q) What rank does Canada hold in terms of women elected to its highest legislative body?

a) 43rd
b) 1st
c) 5th
d) 24th

Hint - it’s the one that makes you cringe. And, as a follow-up question:

Q) Which countries are currently outperforming Canada in this regard?

a) Sweden
b) Wales
c) Rwanda
d) All of the above

Hint – see the hint above.

Yup – at a measly 21%, Canada is currently behind Sweden’s 45% (no surprise), Wales’ 50% (You go, land of my ancestors before being brought to Ireland, likely through slavery, centuries ago!) and Rwanda’s 48.8% (“Rebuilding from a horrendous genocide and promoting equitable gender practices – Ask me how!”).

Now, it may not always be clear from my ranting, but I actually really like Canada quite a whole freakin’ lot, and I really think that of all the times and places to be a woman, this is pretty much number one on my list (with Denmark a close second, although if I was a little more skilled in learning foreign languages…well, that’s neither here nor there. Whatev. Canada rocks yeeeeeaaaah!!!)

But, for all our awesomeness, we still lag behind countries like Pakistan and Portugal which, no offence to their ancient and rich cultures, but “equality between the sexes” isn’t really the first thing that comes to mind when I think of those two countries (incidentally – the first things that do come to mind when I think of those two countries are “Grade school report with lots of cut-out National Geographic pictures” and “foreign over-fishing/blatant disregard of NAFO quotas” respectively. And the second thing for the latter is “What the hell? Herb Dhaliwal!”, which is only funny if you remember Brian Tobin, the Turbot Wars, and are one of three people).

So if we’re so awesome in so many ways, why not this one? I’ve wracked my brains for the last five minutes and can’t come up with anything, so I’ve decided to blame the States.

Seriously though – Canada is pretty heavily influenced by our neighbour to the south (ooh – burn, Alaska), where the third-wave feminist backlash is well underway (“Girls Gone Wild”, anyone? No, I’m not linking to it. The thought that it even exists is painful to me…like, a century and a half of the contemporary women’s movement, and now there’s girls running around with shirts that say “I SHOWED MY BREASTS TO A MISOGYNISTIC CAPITALIST WHO VIDEOTAPED ME AND COUNTLESS OTHERS, THEN GOT RICH WHEN HE PACKAGED AND SOLD THE FOOTAGE TO HORDES OF LEERING PERVERTS WHO NEED CONSTANT REINFORCEMENT OF THEIR INSECURE NOTION THAT WOMEN JUST WANT TO BE OBJECTIFIED, AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT WHICH, INCIDENTALLY, I’LL TOTALLY TAKE OFF IN EXCHANGE FOR SOMETHING SHINY”).

Anyway – the long and the short of it is that it doesn’t seem like we’ve come that long a way from the “nice women don’t want the vote days” and honestly? We XXers have no one to blame but ourselves. ‘Cause we’re 51% of this country, bitches – and if we haven’t gotten our way by now, we’d better wake up and smell the arithmetic because better policies are ours for the making.

So – if you or someone who love are/is a woman, then check out this site and check up on when the next elections are coming to a town near you.

1 comment:

Courtney said...

So I'm talking with a friend of mine yesterday and she tells me about the annoying guy in her 4-5th year poli sci class. He decided to enlighten the class as to why women are on average still paid less than men. Well you see, women are just less ambitious than men! Ah, of course. Yes, I could apply for that higher paying job, but instead I think I'll go iron my husband's socks.