America the Great Equalizer?

Political Peeve of the Day

Kudos to Germany on their first female Chancellor. While America is still debating the viability of a female president, countries around the world have elected or appointed women to the highest political office. (Update, Sunday Nov 27: TV Talkers the McGlaughlin Group debated this very point today. When asked about the likelihood that a woman would be elected President of the United States by 2050 - 11 elections from now - panelist estimates varied from a dismissive 1 in 10, almost no chance, to the token liberal's optimistic 9 or so. Pat Buchanan and Tony Blakely didn't feel there were enough qualified female candidates available to make it happen at this juncture-even given another 45 years!).

Before the blue staters starting blaming red state fundamentalism, I have to say that no, we can not simply blame America's religiosity for this. Consider that Ireland, a highly, some would say infamously, religious country no doubt, has had not one but TWO female heads of state, including the current one. What's more, so have two predominantly muslim countries-- Pakistan, and Turkey; and one Hindu country too -- India. But the United States still thinks it’s at the vanguard of human rights and equality. Tell me why again?

Since the 1970s women have been leaders in democratic countries around the world. This list includes countries in Europe, Central America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean (yay).
A partial list of countries with women as highest elected official – President or Prime Minister:

• Dominica
• Finland
• Germany
• India
• Ireland
• Israel (1969!)
• Liberia
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua!!
• Norway
• Pakistan
• U.K. (1979)

And, no, this is not the first time America has lagged behind in gender equity. In the United States, women only received the right to vote in August 1920 when the 19th amendment was ratified. The U.S. was the 27th country in the world to do so! And, just so you know, North Carolina was NOT among the 3/4ths of American states that voted this into law. Gotta love Dixie.

FYI, Portia Simpson is the most popular politician in Jamaica right now so we may not be far behind. Anyone care to weigh in on the probabilities of a woman being the Head of State in either the U.S. or Jamaica by 2050? Despite Tony and Pat, I'm wholeheartedly convinced this will happen in both locales, perhaps sooner rather than later.