PLAIN TRUTH: Character before gender

I must start by saying that I live for the day the corporate gender gap will close. I want to see more women smash glass ceilings, more women take up public offices, more women at the top.

That said, I refuse to get behind the idea that women must vote for and support women just because they are women. You know the notion that if you are woman, you should vote for the female candidate at the elections or support female artists because of their gender, even if you are not sure of their talent or you do not resonate with their work?

It’s become a worldwide call to action, the idea that women should always the female over all other candidates. It is why it became news when 64 per cent of non-college educated women voted for Donald Trump in contrast to only 35 per cent who backed Hillary Clinton in the recent American presidential elections. ‘How could women not support one of their own?’ was the silent question.

I think it is a misguided notion. I agree that women must stick together. We must support each other out there in this big bad world. But women should also be able to exercise their right to choose without feeling guilty or feeling the need to apologise about it. You do not owe anyone your support. It is supposed to be earned. You should support the person who you think most deserves it. If this person turns out to be a woman then that’s great.

YOUR CHOICES MATTER

I think we got carried away somewhere along the way in our fight for equality with men. We forgot to look at other important character qualities in our race to secure gender parity. How about integrity? Values? Strength of purpose? Vision? Ethics? Supporting a woman because of her gender is saying that our gender is the most important thing about us – that your sexual organs trump your hard work, intelligence or talent.

Your choices and the right to exercise them matters. By allowing societal expectations to lead you to support another just because they have the same gender as you is to let another person take this right away from you. Being able to choose is what growth and maturity is about. It is about being able to question things before making your choices.

It should be okay to support the male artist who is in the same industry as a female one. It should be okay to vote for a man who is running against a woman at an election if you feel that he is a better candidate. Being able to objectively examine your choices and throw your weight behind the person you think is best suited for a position or a gig – even if they are of the opposite gender – now, that is gender equality.