AS A BARBADIAN woman who grew up in a single parent household where tasks and chores were not distributed by gender, my brother learnt how to cook and iron, and I was expected to sweep the yard or wash the family car as the occasion demanded.
While there were admonitions about what was acceptable as “ladylike” or “manly” behaviour, there was never any discrimination attached to the opportunities or possibilities that life had to offer.
We were simply expected to do our best at whatever we chose to do, and to be honest and compassionate in dealing with other people.
To this day I am always amused by the reaction of some Bajans when they see women performing what they consider to be non-traditional jobs and by the media hooplah accorded to women who reach the pinnacle of professional success, especially in politics.
I really enjoyed your editorial Women Qualified To Lead.
It should be required reading for all Barbadians. We may soon have the opportunity to choose whether a man or a woman leads our beloved, but troubled country.
I hope when that time comes that Bajans will judge the contenders on their ability and not the old sexist notions of reproductive capacity.
There is no difference between the male and female brain (with apologies to MESA), but there could well be a difference in individual visions for our country. Stay tuned Barbados.
OCTAVIA HEADLEY
