When I talk about women and leadership, I refer to the Ellen Johnsons of yesterday, today and
tomorrow. I refer to Sahle –Work Zewde, I refer to Ilhan Omar, I refer to Michelle Obama and
last but not least! So close to home! Kenyan first female major General Fatuma Ahmed
Gaiti.This women have broken glass ceilings that most thought were impossible goals for
women to achieve.
They didn’t do it overnight that’s for sure but the courage, the perseverance, the name calling
and shaming they must have endured during their rise to success must have been alot.Some of
them are still in the game and some are out of it but not completely out of it.This brings me to
my main reason of putting it down in writing. My main question is, have women been fully
accepted as worthy opponents for their male counterparts in different professional fields? I
don’t want to come out sounding like us women are crying over our seat at the table. At this
point and time, we are not crying or being nice to get what we deserve and have earned but we
are asking for our seat at the table, that which we have worked for.
I know that last sentence in that last paragraph might follow up with sneers from some people
but hey, it’s time people, not only women but also men stood up for what they believe they
have rightfully achieved. Recently when I was having a bit of a discussion with my colleagues on
women in power and their journey to where they are right now, made me realize that men are
still not ready for women in power. Saying it as it is. I can’t blame one of my colleagues for his
ignorance because the society that we are brought up in and that which we are living in right
now, has portrayed the girl child mostly as someone who seeks favors from men because of
their gender.
The perception that people have when a woman is in power is different from that which they
have when a man is in the same position. Quoting Rita Kavashe, Isuzu East Africa MD,who says
she was being mistaken at first for being the MD’s secretary and not the MD during her first
days as Isuzu MD, goes a long way to clearly bring out the fact that people still don’t consider
women as ‘worthy’ of some positions as they do men. The only thing that some people can
think of when they see women making it professionally is that they got there through shrewd
means .This not only disrespects those women who have earned their place at the table
through their own sweat, but it also demoralizes our women!
Its’s time we start bringing up the young generation with better values and ideologies. It’s time
we strengthened both sexes for them to know that claiming what they have worked so hard for
is not a crime neither is it a favor. Women should not cower in fear of people’s perception of
their limits. Be limitless; strive to concur what you set your heart in. As Oprah puts it, ‘Be the
one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only
people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment, own
it.
About Dorothy
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