Woman President Bad 4 Chile?
Only 35% of Chile's workforce is made of up women, the lowest in Latin America. On top of that, they make between 20% and 50% less than men. Out of 125 countries, Chile is the 110th worse in women's access to high ranking positions, according to the latest Global Competitiveness report conducted by the World Economic Forum, reported here (I've been meaning to get around to this) in an introduction to a desperate flurry of feminist policies just now being launched by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet in an attempt to save herself.
Up to now, it seems, the only progressive thing about her presidency has been her gender, and the gender-balancing of her staff, which only count for a couple dozen people out of Chile's millions-strong workforce. I won't extrapolate, as some do, that having a woman at the helm really inherently does anything for women's rights in Chile. It might. If anything, though, it'll just show Chileans how rich, well connected women are just as capable of hating the poor as are their male counterparts, and so we shouldn't judge based on gender.
Which seems obvious enough. But Bachelet has had low approval ratings for most of her time in office, and it is common for men to casually cite her gender as the cause for her failure. Which brings us to the first of the two reasons why electing a female president in Chile might not have been such a good thing after all.
Sexism
One man at a bar in Santiago told me, "this is the last time a woman will be president of Chile."
Referring to Transantiago, Michael recalls the words of one Chilean man:
A quick BTW for Michael, who said
Well, my job is to observe and reserve comment.
well, a more despicable, LatinAmericanist attitude I couldn't -- okay, I'll hold back myself because I have no idea what "job" Michael is referring to, and there could be legal requirements for not deriding sexism. It's hardly explained so I shouldn't really be reacting, but Michael's attitude strikes me as one of a North American expert here to observe the savages and how they are, not intervene, just collect anthropological data. So it's the design of the discipline, perhaps. Or some might call this a sort of "backpacker's diplomacy," - I call it a flagrant dismissal of Chileans' worth as human beings to be confronted in the same way one would confront someone from the "first world". (Disclosure: I didn't confront that guy in the bar on his sexism only because I'm a wimp, and wouldn't do the same in a US bar. But since I'm writing this big 'ol, self-righteous paragraph about it, I'm gonna commit confronting people when I remember, and when physical danger isn't a factor and I'll try not be be whiny about it, but rather semi-violent and chest-puffy just so the situation doesn't become dull).
Okay, on to the next reason:
Powerful Image
A female president in Chile might actually be worse for women's rights, because it creates a misleading impression that because a woman could make it to the top, that gender equality can't be so bad overall.
Yeah, sure, it's good to break down the stereotypical barriers and give young girls a role model, the Image is powerful, and a Woman Leader is a powerful Image, etc. I concede to that point. So barring the effects of above-mentioned sexism (or fuckit, flying in its face), having a Woman President could send a good message to Chilean women, on a domestic level.
But the Image people have of Chile from the outside, based on the fact that a female president could be elected, is misleading. Since nobody really gives a shit about Chile, you'll see this country pop up on people's pet lists of "countries that are more advanced than the United States because they have women presidents". Find me a woman who would prefer to be in Chile, rather than the United States, on a Sunday Morning after being knocked up unintentionally. Yes, Chile has a woman president, but its reproductive rights place Chile in the 14th Century.
The measures being implemented do nothing to address reproductive rights, because that's God's decision, not a woman's, but at least they do shoot for equality in the workplace. I hope they work, although the suggested nature of it all again seems symptomatic of chronic unaccountability, similar to a suggested Ethical Salary - a chance to look good without having to face the consequences of opposing big businesses. That said, according to the article Bachelet seems to be following the policies of an international summit, and there seem to be some businesses jumping on board, as it's good for PR.
Up to now, it seems, the only progressive thing about her presidency has been her gender, and the gender-balancing of her staff, which only count for a couple dozen people out of Chile's millions-strong workforce. I won't extrapolate, as some do, that having a woman at the helm really inherently does anything for women's rights in Chile. It might. If anything, though, it'll just show Chileans how rich, well connected women are just as capable of hating the poor as are their male counterparts, and so we shouldn't judge based on gender.
Which seems obvious enough. But Bachelet has had low approval ratings for most of her time in office, and it is common for men to casually cite her gender as the cause for her failure. Which brings us to the first of the two reasons why electing a female president in Chile might not have been such a good thing after all.
Sexism
One man at a bar in Santiago told me, "this is the last time a woman will be president of Chile."
Referring to Transantiago, Michael recalls the words of one Chilean man:
The other day someone told me that they hope Hillary Clinton wins the election next year so that we “estadounidenses” can understand what Chile has been suffering…Those who are so undisguisedly sexist can't be that intelligent, but they can vote. The failures of Bachelet's presidency could be the rationale for many not to vote woman in the future, in the Chilean society that many describe as heavily machista.
A quick BTW for Michael, who said
Well, my job is to observe and reserve comment.
well, a more despicable, LatinAmericanist attitude I couldn't -- okay, I'll hold back myself because I have no idea what "job" Michael is referring to, and there could be legal requirements for not deriding sexism. It's hardly explained so I shouldn't really be reacting, but Michael's attitude strikes me as one of a North American expert here to observe the savages and how they are, not intervene, just collect anthropological data. So it's the design of the discipline, perhaps. Or some might call this a sort of "backpacker's diplomacy," - I call it a flagrant dismissal of Chileans' worth as human beings to be confronted in the same way one would confront someone from the "first world". (Disclosure: I didn't confront that guy in the bar on his sexism only because I'm a wimp, and wouldn't do the same in a US bar. But since I'm writing this big 'ol, self-righteous paragraph about it, I'm gonna commit confronting people when I remember, and when physical danger isn't a factor and I'll try not be be whiny about it, but rather semi-violent and chest-puffy just so the situation doesn't become dull).
Okay, on to the next reason:
Powerful Image
A female president in Chile might actually be worse for women's rights, because it creates a misleading impression that because a woman could make it to the top, that gender equality can't be so bad overall.
Yeah, sure, it's good to break down the stereotypical barriers and give young girls a role model, the Image is powerful, and a Woman Leader is a powerful Image, etc. I concede to that point. So barring the effects of above-mentioned sexism (or fuckit, flying in its face), having a Woman President could send a good message to Chilean women, on a domestic level.
But the Image people have of Chile from the outside, based on the fact that a female president could be elected, is misleading. Since nobody really gives a shit about Chile, you'll see this country pop up on people's pet lists of "countries that are more advanced than the United States because they have women presidents". Find me a woman who would prefer to be in Chile, rather than the United States, on a Sunday Morning after being knocked up unintentionally. Yes, Chile has a woman president, but its reproductive rights place Chile in the 14th Century.
The measures being implemented do nothing to address reproductive rights, because that's God's decision, not a woman's, but at least they do shoot for equality in the workplace. I hope they work, although the suggested nature of it all again seems symptomatic of chronic unaccountability, similar to a suggested Ethical Salary - a chance to look good without having to face the consequences of opposing big businesses. That said, according to the article Bachelet seems to be following the policies of an international summit, and there seem to be some businesses jumping on board, as it's good for PR.
posted by Chileno @ 10:07 PM
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2 Comments:
"Find me a woman who would prefer to be in Chile, rather than the United States, on a Sunday Morning after being knocked up unintentionally."
That's a pretty extreme example. Find me a woman who would prefer to walk down the street in Chile rather than in the US would've done just as well. The machismo in this country is really hard to deal with. My father in law LAUGHS hysterically everytime I get back from a jog or doing any form of exercise because he thinks it's hilarious that a woman exercises. Just taking classes in the universities here I realized that so many male professors totally belittle their female students on a regular basis that the Chilean students don't even notice. It's just part of their daily routine.
My point being, machismo is a huge issue in Chile from the huge women's rights issues like birth control and abortion down to the little things, like the right to walk down the street without being sexually harassed every. single. day.
>>>My father in law LAUGHS hysterically everytime I get back from a jog or doing any form of exercise because he thinks it's hilarious that a woman exercises.
His discouragement is but a ploy to fatten you up, my dear. The price of meat has gone up and fiestas patrias are near. Keep away from the grill, run hard, ditch the beer. (right? He doesn't laugh at you for drinking beer, which is as masculine as jogging, revealing a double standard if you ask me. Man, it's so obvious you are so doomed the second you put on a single pound. Watch out!)
Anyway, to make your life a little easier before you get bbq'd alive, let's just say it's inevitable that you'll be harassed you might as well go to La Vega and at least you'll be harassed with wit that hearkens to the quaint, pastoral beauty of Chile's disappearing huaso culture.
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