Women can Win on their Own!

A number of friends have confided that we women just have to accept that if we want women leaders in the world, we should expect them to succeed their husbands or fathers as leaders because very few women can convince their country-persons to trust them on their own merits.

We have seen this theory carried out in the USA through much of its history.  Almost consistently when Americans saw a woman as a US senator, a representative or governor, there was a very good chance that voters chose her after her husband in many cases either died or had reached a term limit on how long they could serve.  Our first US female senator, Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, took office in the House of Representatives after her husband died.  Sonny Bono's wife was elected to his office after he died.  George Wallace's wife served as Alabama governor when  her husband had reached the end of his second term as governor.  And even though dead Missouri Senator Mel Carnahan (died before election) beat Attorney General John Ashcroft in 2000 for the senate seat, his widow Jean served in his place and still holds the office today.

Many American women had no trouble supporting Hillary Clinton, Many both men and women, thought she would be a shoo-in to get the Democratic Party nomination as its candidate to run for president in 2008.  In 2007 most people would have placed their bets on her, because, after all, she was former President Bill Clinton's wife.  He could no longer serve, but his wife could.  I, for one, wasn't impressed with Hillary's record or her integrity. Most of all however, I thought that we women could put a better candidate up for election....one who got where she was on her own credentials, not her husbands.

(And by the way, we do still have a woman running for the 2008 Presidential position.  She is former US Representative Cynthia McKinney from Atlanta, currently vying for the nomination from the US Green Party.)

My friends assured me that Hillary was her own person, perfectly capable of running the country.  Perhaps that was true, but I also know that she was very influential in her husband's administration.  So, if some of her policies were carried out by her husband from 1993-2000, again all the more reason not to vote for her.  Partners in marriage not always, but frequently share, common philosophies on how to run a country and what policies to promote.  She tried healthcare reform once and failed.  I didn't have confidence she would succeed on a second try. 

So I agree with many of my friends.  Our country DOES need a woman for president, but not just any woman.  Not a woman who runs like a man, who uses her power like a man, but we need a woman who intends to govern like a woman.  And women in other countries have governed with many of the best qualities that make their leadership right for where civilization is now.

Here are some examples (from www.womenshistory.about.com) of powerful women who led their country without any path being carved out for them by men in their lives:

• Golda Meir, Israel Prime Minister, 1969-1974.
• Margaret Thatcher, Great Britain Prime Minister, 1979-1990 (even though she governed like a man).
• Dame Eugenia Charles, Dominica Prime Minister, 1980-1995.
• Vigdís Finnbogadóttír, Iceland President, 1980-96. (First female head of state.  In 1975, led women on national strike that essentially shut down her country's function until the strike was called off.)
• Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway Prime Minister, 1981, 1986-1989, 1990-1996.
• Agatha Barbara, Malta President, 1982-1987.
• Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar (Burma) Her party won 80% of the seats in a democratic election in 1990, but the military government refused to recognize the results. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.(Although she followed her military father into politics, she modeled herself after Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.)
• Hanna Suchocka, Poland Prime Minister, 1992-1993 (Elected in a very man-dominated Solidarity government)
• Kim Campbell, Canada Prime Minister, 1993. (Short term, since her party lost control later that year.)
• Sylvie Kinigi, Burundi Prime Minister, 1993-1994.
• Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Rwanda Prime Minister, 1993-1994.(Assassinated)
• Tansu Çiller, Turkey Prime Minister, 1993-1995. (First female without family political connection to head Islamic country.)
• Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Sri Lanka Prime Minister, 1994, President, 1994-2005 (Who succeeded her mother: Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Prime Minister, 1960-1965, 1970-1977, 1994-2000. Her mother, however, followed her husband as Prime Minister.)
• Pamela Gordon, Bermuda Premier, 1997-1998.  Followed by Jennifer Smith, 1998-99
• Jenny Shipley, New Zealand, Prime Minister, 1997-1999.  Followed by Helen Clark, Prime Minister, 1999-Present
• Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Latvia President, 1999-2007.(Canadian professor, born in Latvia, who moved back to her native country, and was then elected president!)

So look up to these women.  These women are our heroines.  They were strong in their own rights.  And there are many more women like the smattering listed above.  Just because women happen to be married or to be fathered by famous men should not keep them from running for top offices themselves.  However, women without this extra boost can still make it to the top, and many women have proven this to be true, such as Golda Meir of Israel.  Maybe we need another woman as Prime Minister there once more.

So women strive to be tops.  We have skills that our world needs now more than ever.  No one woman will lead just like the woman in a neighboring country.  Yet, we women number more than half of this world's population.  It's about time our superior leadership skills be tested further.....and just perhaps make improvements for the planet in the process.

And we can share our recipes for apple pie with any man who wants it.  Let's give them a break as we lead the world our way for awhile. 

Our grand daughters are watching. 

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