Women’s Suffrage Day: VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

Today, September 19, is Women’s Suffrage Day.  Women have had the vote for 120 years in New Zealand, and yet this is the picture of all the political leaders on offer in this election.

OR IS IT?  Metiria Turei, co-leader of the Greens, and Number 1 on their party list, and Laila Harre, leader of the Internet Party (co-leader of the Internet-Mana Party) have both been omitted by Grandpa NZHerald.

Even if they were included, the ratio would be 7:2 men to women – not even a third of our leaders are women – and after the election, it’s unlikely Parliament will have more than 30% women MPs.  As for the Cabinet – either Labour or National led?  Neother has an adequate record.

It’s time for every party to do as the Greens and Internet-Mana have done, and ensure that they have joint leaders- a man and a woman, and, like the Greens, women and men alternating on their party lists.  We women need to join the party of our choice, and ensure the issue is raised at every conference until change happens.

 And we all need to get out and vote for parties that model inclusion, rather than just talking about it. After all, that’s one way change happens – by using our right to vote, so precious and so hard won.

We can also write emails and letters and make phone calls to protest

EVERY TIME WOMEN ARE EXCLUDED FROM PICTURES AND ARTICLES ABOUT LEADERSHIP.

Anything less is collaborating in maintaining a PROFOUNDLY SEXIST society.