By Paul Hogendoorn
Friends have asked me why I sometimes write for Women’s Post. In short, it’s because I think that women are still, by and large, the “silent majority.”
Sure, I know there are many prominent women in politics these days, and sometimes these particular women’s voices are every bit as loud as their male counterparts. What of the average woman? What about those who don’t have a public profile? Many of my friends are women, and many would fall into the category that I would call “the silent majority.”
They have strong opinions, and great insights, but they don’t believe that their opinions or insights really matter to anyone but themselves. They vote, but they don’t try to exercise their influence or share their opinion with anyone else. I have asked a couple of my friends why this is, and the answers are usually “I don’t really know anything about politics,” or “I’m not up on healthcare/education/social issues (pick a topic) that they are talking about these days.” And it’s this last answer that really has me motivated to try to encourage this silent majority to participate in helping choose the best governments for the jobs at hand.
All our politicians and political parties are trying to create policies to navigate this province and country through very difficult situations and problems. These are certainly daunting challenges and they require our absolute best and most experienced minds. Who knows more about health care than a woman who is (usually) the first one to tend to scrapes and bruises, or the first one to take a day off of work to stay home with a sick child?
Who knows more about taking care of an aging parent in a compassionate and respectful way than a daughter that makes it her responsibility to do so? Who knows more about educating a child than a mother who spends hours helping her child with homework every week, or who persistently challenges and motivates a teenager to attend all their classes and complete their homework? And who knows more about balancing a budget and making finances work than a woman who not only manages the home, but who works a full-time job, too.
Yes, I know, there are men that fit these descriptions, but by and large, I believe there are more women doing these things than men. And it’s these women that I call the “silent majority” – it’s these women that I believe we need to help form our next government(s). They have rich, real-life experiences – not theoretical or calculated plans and strategies. They have managed to accomplish the near-impossible, often at times when they weren’t sure they had all the resources to get the job done. At these times, I don’t think we need theorists, or strategists, or pontificators, or spin doctors. We need people that actually know how to get the job done. We need the silent majority. We need them not just to vote their single vote, we need them to speak from the strength of their experience and exercise their influence too.
And Women’s Post is one way to reach the silent majority. If you are one of them, this country and province, needs you now more than ever.
Paul Hogendoorn invites you to share your stories. Read Paul's blog here. And the message on the graphic: My lips are tied. My heart is not. Courtesy of Francisca Ulloa, Creative Commons.
Comments
I also agree that often we women are too busy to involve ourselves in the larger issues of the day.
In fact, I have been trying to find time to respond all week. You see, this past week I have had a visitor in my home - a well-educated, well-well read, contemplative older woman abreast of current issues. It was my wise mother whom I have been listening too all week!
Publically - I think we do experience women in the political/public forum...more of them all the time. But can we accept what they have to say? Do we value their perspective...Elizabeth May comes to mind here. And even if we do align ourselves with what they have to say, do our votes count when they are counted when we don't have a 'representational' system in place?
I guess for me, I don't always 'get' the rhetoric or feel I have the energy to affect political change. Instead, it is those conversations around the dining table -- those I do need. It is listening to my mother that I find invaluable.
And it dawned on me that we have to ask ourselves WHERE are women most influential and to whom? Not ..'are they speaking' because they are. But who's listening?
I appreciated your article. You are bang on about women being more practical and having a get-er-done attitude. I see it at work every day.
The problem is, because women are so busy doing all the things you mentioned, a lot of us do not have the time to get involved in politics. Working long days, then coming home to do ditto at home doesn't leave much leftover energy or hours. Then you try to squeeze in volunteer work, family committments, and heaven forbid some fun with friends....
I guess it's an easy excuse.. if I really cared I would work less and make time to get involved... the truth is I probably get more satisfaction from work than I could hope to get from politics..and I'm way too impatient to play any of those political games.
Post new comment