There are very few women in leadership positions who would allow anyone to speak for them

Feb 19, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor:

Guyana, I believe, is keeping apace with the rest of the world in supporting women in leadership positions in every field whether it be political, legislative, business, cultural, religious, education or the social services. In fact, we have admirable women doing excellent work in all these areas and, each year, many girls are the top performers in our schools.

I was, therefore, both dismayed and very surprised to find a letter published in every newspaper penned by the husband of a woman – a strong, articulate, educated woman – who is speaking out in her defence. (Letters February 18, 2022)

The husband is Mr. Kit Nascimento and he states in his published letter: “My wife responded ….”; “My wife, however, disagreed ….”; “She argued ….”; “…responded to my wife’s letter ….”, etc.

His wife, Ms Gem Madhoo-Nascimento, is a well-known personality in the field of theatre and has earned her place in Guyana’s cultural canon through her talent, dedication, and hard work. She is surely an example for our women, especially our younger women, to emulate and follow.

But what is the message she is sending? That a woman has to have a man/husband to defend, protect, and speak on her behalf even when she is knowledgeable about the respective topic and can hold her own with anyone?

The engagement of the letters was particular to the cultural prejudice against the Indian Guyanese community and the lack of Indian cultural centres. Ms. Madhoo-Nascimento’s views are important to the discussion. Unfortunately, we do not now know what is her full position on this issue.

By handing over her response to her husband, she appears to be conceding that the lack of just such cultural institutions does undermine the voice, presence and confidence of Indian Guyanese and Indian Guyanese women in particular, and continues to promote the notion that it is the Other who has the education, confidence and influence to speak for us.

Until more recent years, this was the status quo, with Other voices feeling they had the right and the cultural superiority to speak on our behalf. That, however, is not the case today and there are very few women in leadership positions who would allow anyone to speak for them. They would find the very proposal of such a thing irritating, demeaning, and prejudicial in the extreme.

Sincerely
Ryhaan Shah
Editor’s Note: Mrs. Nascimento has made her position known on the subject in these pages. Her husband’s views we assume, are aimed at lending support to those arguments.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News