Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee. My name is Shal Marriott. It is my pleasure to stand before you today and speak on a subject that I believe is of the utmost importance in politics today, and that's the barriers that actively face women.
I wish to make it clear that the perspective I'm speaking from is not one that's grounded in empirical facts and figures, nor do I profess to understand the intricacies of every opinion that every member of my gender has. Rather, they are personal opinions grounded in my having spent time on the Hill, in various internship programs, and in political activism. It is the position I have as a daughter, a sister, a loving partner, and a young political science student. That being said, I hope that you will find what I have to say to be thought-provoking and that it will aid in a greater discussion on the barriers women face when considering to enter and upon entering politics.
Although there is much to be said on the subject, I wish to narrow my focus to what I perceive as the greatest issue actively facing women in politics today, and that is the rhetoric around the issue itself. I will elaborate on this point by looking at how there is a lack of honest conversation around what it means to be a woman in politics, how there is an emphasis placed on the masculine virtues—in essence, politics being a man's world—and how there are distinct limitations on women holding independent political opinions without those being directly associated with their gender. I will conclude my remarks by making brief recommendations as to what women who are presently in politics can do to confront the rhetoric around the issue, as well as what men can do, and how the role that government as an institution ought to play on the subject should be less than it's already doing.
Turning first to what to expect upon entering politics, it is all too tempting to overlook the small differences and expectations that men and women have, yet these are the most important to discuss since doing so would allow an honest look at what being a woman in politics means. The example I always like to use is the fact that a man will never have to worry about the colour of stilettos he's wearing to work, whereas for a woman this is almost always a daily concern. Although it seems silly, this is a fraction of the expectations that precede women in their roles working in politics.
It doesn't stop at shoes. If we want young women who are interested in politics to feel comfortable in the world they're about to be a part of, we have to be honest about what that entails, which means having difficult conversations around such topics that have been brought to light, especially recently, around sexual harassment and workplace dynamics. In allowing and encouraging this honest discourse, we can create an environment where women have a realistic understanding of what to expect of the political world.
Now let's consider, for a moment, whom we view as great women in politics, shall we? Too often we associate their virtues with masculine virtues. The first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher, was thought to only be successful because of her ability to act like a man, both in the House of Commons and within her own party. I think this is a commentary on her ability to be assertive and to dominate the conversation, yet why is this considered masculine? When we think of encouraging young women, why shouldn't we be teaching them to be assertive, to take charge, and to express their own mind? I think we give men too much credit and women too little credit when we simply say that these are masculine virtues.
Furthermore, why do we not actively discuss the roles that our considered feminine virtues can play? Empathy, for example, can play an important role in politics. In fact, I would go so far as to say you become a better member of Parliament when you can empathize with the constituents you're representing. Yet instead of highlighting this, we call it womanly and we shun it and say it has no place in politics. This needs to change. Instead of telling women to be more like men, we ought to be telling them to utilize their perspectives and capabilities to the best of their abilities and make their own way in politics—essentially, to be independent and free-thinking.
This leads me to my final point, which I consider the most important, the idea of women speaking their minds. In political rhetoric today, there is a tendency to classify opinions that women hold as either supporting or acting against their own gender and essentially what it means to be a women. Simply, there are correct and incorrect political opinions to have, and if you have an incorrect political opinion, then you're not really representing women. Each time a woman speaks, she is thought to be speaking on behalf of her gender. An example of this, I think, can be seen in the abortion discussion, where women who are pro-life are slandered as anti-woman and ostracized because of their opinion.
This tyranny of the opinion of women is not brought about by men who have the luxury of speaking independently for their gender; rather it is the habit of women themselves who place obligations on the entirety of their gender and who are all too willing to dismiss views that run contrary to popular opinion as incorrect and in opposition to the very fundamental notion of equality for women.
This has even developed into having correct or incorrect opinions on the barriers facing women in politics, the subject of our discussion today. If we want to genuinely encourage women to become more involved in politics, which is the first step to having women in politics, we have to listen to what they have to say. We cannot tell them there are right or wrong answers to political questions, and we have to support them, regardless of whether we agree with their opinions or not, viewing them as individuals and not merely as women.
I hope I have expressed my concern about the negative impact rhetoric has as a barrier to women in politics. Much can be done to improve this. We can host networking nights where the focus is on what it is to be a woman in politics. Women in politics themselves can draw on personal experiences and perspectives to encourage women with an active interest in politics and talk about what they can expect and the honest difficulties they will face, providing them with role models they can aspire to.
But we need to empower women so they can be successful, not because they are women but in spite of being women. Rather than continuing to classify them based only on their gender, we need to look at them as individuals.
As you're a government, I would encourage you to do nothing on the subject of women in politics. I do not believe any policies can be implemented that would shift the attitude about women in politics today. Rather, change must take place on the individual and societal level by first shifting the very way we talk about women in politics.
Thank you.