Of power and revolution

Culture Matters

THINKING about women today. Thinking about the concept of power. Thinking about power and the need for a revolution that would allow women to speak their truth. A revolution that would allow them to receive love, respect and be safe. One that would address toxic male behaviour and systems that subtly encourage it.

As artists, we already know what to do. The poetry, plays or thought-provoking dances have been created and performed. Women have held on to us and bawled, uncontrollably. We have heard stories birthed in nightmares – abuse, neglect, prostitution. We have been able to reach some of them, but it is not enough. Our poetry, our pain is still. Not. Enough.

Thinking about power. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is true that many women have it; at their place of work, in their homes. They are creative and run their own businesses. But what of the other women? In a global dialogue on the imbalance of power, several words consistently surface. Violence, barriers, harassment. In 2021, the issues of violence and power are now framed against the backdrop of the new normal forced on women by covid19.

Experts remind us that “health emergencies do not impact men and women in the same way,” that women work in industries most affected by the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. That, in addition to their other responsibilities, the pandemic has increased the amount of chores and at-home care they are required to do.

Indeed, data is emerging to show that a significant proportion of women are removing themselves from the workforce in order to look after children and manage responsibilities at home; what is called unpaid work. It is estimated that “before coronavirus, for every one hour of unpaid work done by men, three hours were done by women. Now, that figure is higher.”

Significantly, the dropping out of women from the workforce is not a phenomenon being experienced only in the developing world. Information from the US indicates that some “865,000 women dropped out of the labour force compared to 200,000 men.” In the current global dialogue on women and the challenges they face, several words consistently surface. Frontline, burden, crisis.

On Monday, the world will turn its attention to the challenges and triumphs of women with the commemoration of International Women’s Day. The chosen theme for 2021 is “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a covid19 world.” Embedded in the theme is the issue of power. Anita Bhatia, deputy executive director at UN Women, has warned that imbalances created by the coronavirus could see a reversion of the roles of women to the gender stereotypes typical of the 1950s.

"Everything we worked for, that has taken 25 years, could be lost in a year," she said in an interview with the BBC.

My own experiences confirm the struggle for power and preservation of self. They confirm a never-ending battle with no respect for intelligence or professional ability. They also prove that our systems urgently need to be repaired. No, revolutionised. It is true, I have watched powerful men collude, mislead and lie to maintain their supremacy. But we should not distort the discussion into a one-sided focus on the behaviour of men. I have also watched women lean their bosoms into the faces of powerful men. Perhaps, in order to survive the system. I have also watched them collude, mislead and lie to maintain their power. Perhaps, to maintain their balance.

The dysfunction in the workspace is mirrored across society. As artists, people feel safe to share their deepest fears and difficult experiences with us. What they say confirms that power imbalances reach deep into the centre of our communities. This week a woman was beaten to death; people knew what was happening to her for years. Someone always knows.

The system is broken and women are teetering on the edge, reaching out as it crumbles. How can we fix it? Leadership with clear vision and purpose is key. Leadership that is balanced along gender lines, with women who actually support women. Generations of powerful matriarchs allowed me to never equate my bosom with power. Protected me from being included in global statistics. Without Ida, Eintou, Jennifer or Josephine you would not be reading this.

Thinking about women today, but I am also thinking about men. About the revolution that needs to happen to pull women back from the edge and ultimately keep us all from falling. How will you use your power today?

Dara E Healy is a performance artist and founder of the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN

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"Of power and revolution"

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