Green Talk - Young Green Perspectives on Women's History Month.
Hello! And welcome to Green Talk!
A new series of blogs where we aim to discuss the perspectives of our Scottish Young Green National Council on various topics.
For the inaugural edition, we wanted to ask the following question.
What's something that's informed your perspective on Women's History, and how did it impact you?
So without further ado, here we go!
Welcome to…
Green Talk
Alyson Mackay (She/ Her) -
Co-Convenor of Scottish Young Greens
Answer: So much of women's history has been written by men. This is something we are starting to see an active movement away from, but it's still an issue. When I learned that almost all of the insights and advancements in medicine in the 18th/19th centuries were "discovered" by white men experimenting on enslaved black and first nations women it made me question everything about our medical understanding. I then went on to learn that women of colour are still regularly misdiagnosed or dismissed for medical issues than white women and men in the UK. This has perpetuated the intersectional feminism ideology for me in my work and personal life.
I try to create change in my own life by actively consuming media written by women, not just the famous ones though, so much of women's own accounts from history were destroyed so it can be a challenge to find what remains. Women of all backgrounds should be able to have themselves represented and appreciated in media. We've always been here and it's up to us to celebrate them and preserve them for future generations.
Heather Gilda (She/Her) -
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer of Scottish Young Greens
Answer: Growing up as a half-white girl in Malaysia, where gender inequality is relatively high and racial politics is rife, I have always been sensitive to how gender, race, and sexual orientation intersect and have viewed things through this lens. Many women of the Islamic faith (the largest religious affiliation in Malaysia) are often expected to have gendered roles separate to men. Being of the faith isn't truly a choice if you are born into a Muslim family; conversion is required if you were abandoned at birth, or marry into a Muslim family as stated in Sharia Law. If you happen to be a Muslim woman, you are expected to cover your hair and body, amongst the many religious rules listed in Sharia Law. Although state and police regulations aren't quite as stringent as in some Middle Eastern states, most Muslim women who choose to not abide by the Sharia Law can often be judged negatively for it in Malaysia and can also be punished by the Islamic morality police who are run by the federal states. And to this day, identifying as LGBTQ+ is punishable by the state. Sadly, those deemed 'sinful' or to have 'chosen the lifestyle' by the Malaysian government's anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric can be subjected to public caning.
As a straight woman, I cannot speak for LGBTQ+ voices, but what I can say is that it often did not feel safe to be a woman in Malaysia. Walking around the streets of Malaysia, it is common to be cat-called and harassed. National rates of sexual harassment, sexual violence, and domestic abuse are high. Furthermore, the support for women, and pregnant women in particular, is lacking due to the stigma and in turn, the shame of being discovered for having unlawful pre-marital sex. As a result, cases of baby dumpings are on the rise and are a serious concern in Malaysia (The Star, 2020). Women friends and acquaintances of mine have also been mockingly asked by police officers and potential employers during interviews if they are married and if not, when do they plan to get married. It is no surprise that women hold fewer executive positions in political, governmental, and corporate factions.
Cultural norms have exacerbated such occurrences and some extreme ideas have been promoted even by ministers and lawmakers. In 2019, the Ministry of Women and Family Development, released controversial advice on managing marital conflict for women, such as, "avoid nagging your husband and speak to him with a tone similar to Doraemon (a Japanese cartoon character), put effort into wearing makeup and dressing 'properly' while working from home" (The Asean Post, 2020). Mohammed Imran, a member of the then governing coalition's People's Justice Party said: "Men need to be protected, due to what women wear, we are seduced and end up breaking the country's laws and face prosecution" (NY Times, 2019). Shabudin Yahaya, a Barisan Nasional MP, stated it is okay for rapists to marry their victims, that "[the victim] will have a husband at least, and this could serve as a remedy to growing social problems", that some children are "physically and spiritually [ready for marriage] [...] some girls who are aged between 12 and 15 have bodies like 18-year-old women" (BBC, 2017). As child marriage is permitted in Malaysia, statements like this are incredibly dangerous and misogynistic, to say the least.
These horrific remarks and incidences are what motivate me to advocate for feminism and to stand in solidarity with intersectional feminism around the world. The Scottish Green Party’s support for a Feminist Foreign Policy is completely in line with this too. It is worth saying here that at the core, all religions including traditional Quranic values promote equality and love for all. However, extremist interpretations of certain passages dominate Islamic law regarding gender and LGBTQ+ issues in the Malaysian Syariah Court and federal states. If continued, progress in protecting our human rights would be hindered and frankly, unachievable in Malaysia. There are numerous examples of countries in the Islamic world where LGBTQ love is accepted (Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain…). Ultimately, open dialogue amongst ourselves about this and challenging injustice is crucial for change.
Although we have generally made significant progress in the Western hemisphere, especially when it comes to openly speaking about injustices over the last few years, there are still some who interpret the feminist movement as extremist. There are some who genuinely believe that gender equality is already a reality or even that women now hold more power than men, deeming the feminist cause to be unnecessary or even harmful to men. This gender blindness can be detrimental. By challenging gender blindness and discrimination in everyday life and in politics, I hope to help spread awareness about the harsh realities that women around the globe experience, to reiterate that the goal of feminism is not to favour women over men but to create a level playing field for all genders - be it in their professional or personal lives - and to disassemble gender, racial and class-based discrimination that are harmful towards us all in our everyday lives.
Tonight, I've been working on a post for Women's History Month and came across a quote: "If you see inequality as a “them” problem or “unfortunate other” problem, that is a problem.” by Kimberle Crenshaw. While it is certainly true that inequality is an 'us' problem and I believe that our ethics of care should be extended beyond geographical boundaries, it is admittedly a thought that often weighs on me. I often feel powerless when it comes to my ability to solve the incredibly entrenched and complex issue of inequality that exists as a part of the human condition. At times, I am not invulnerable to thoughts like: "How can I as a tiny individual do anything effective or long-lasting to dismantle such widespread systemic issues? Should I even bother trying when things seem to regress?"... I found my answer was yes and that being involved with the Scottish Greens has helped me find a sense of community and solidarity in the pursuit of social equity.
Personally, the matter is also a complex one for me, as I recognise my privilege as a fair-skinned, half-white woman who grew up in a financially stable background in Malaysia. However - and most half-white half-Asian people may be able to resonate with this - you're seen as the white person in Asia, but as the Asian person in "the west". It is strange to have both experienced the perceived privileges of this in Asia, where internalised racism and sexism is more commonplace, especially in the 90s and 00s, and to have also experienced veiled discrimination and micro-aggression for being a half-Asian woman living in Europe. (But that's a whole other story!). In any case, we no doubt have a long way to go when it comes to achieving gender and social equity. What keeps me going is seeing the tremendous resilience of the many women I've met in my life; as well as holding onto the hope that as long as we stand in solidarity with one another and work towards a better, more equitable future, there is hope for us furless bipedal apes on this pale blue dot.
Niall McGeechan (He/Him) -
Elections and Campaigns Officer of Scottish Young Greens
Answer: I think in history women are often painted as passive participants and there’s an idea that history is something that happens to them, rather than something they make happen. When I studied history in school and college this was one of the most important misconceptions to unlearn.
Votes weren’t just given to women they were won after years of campaigning by women, both peaceful and militant. Rosa Parks wasn’t just asked to move randomly, she was a long-time activist who sat at the front of the bus that day as a coordinated act of protest designed to launch the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The rent strikes, protests and confrontations with the police led by Mary Barbour in Govan won Scotland its first rent controls.
Women’s history is an important reminder to everyone to participate, to be activists, to work together to make things better, and to use a variety of methods, because that’s the only thing that works.
Sophie Brodie (She/Her) -
Co-Convenor of Scottish Young Greens
Answer: I think, for me, it was the moments that I stopped to look back and compare my experiences - stuff I thought to be normal - with that of my Mum or my Grans, and I realised how far we've come. My Mum now goes to a local workshop to do carpentry every week because girls weren't allowed to do woodwork at school, and yet that was a class that I felt totally at home in and couldn't imagine a time when I wouldn't be allowed to do that. Gender roles and the oppression they cause prevent happiness unnecessarily. I hope we can eradicate things like this.
Then, just last week we had our first woman First Minister stand down, and I realised this hasn't been the norm in history, even though it's been the norm within my life. And to see how many of Scotland's political leaders and representatives are women has taught me not to think twice about getting involved and putting my voice out there just because I'm a woman. Their examples have empowered me to the point where it feels totally natural for women to be in these spaces - as is our right. I can't wait for the day that this right is recognised in all countries across the world.
I remember, however, going through a diagnostic process and being unsettled and upset to learn that a lot of medical research is historically biased in favour of men. This needs to change and is extremely harmful. I see progress is being made, but I feel that this is one of the most pressing areas of inequality for women. Let's make it a historical issue as we move forward.
We hope you enjoyed this! And look forward to returning with another edition of Green Talk, the April!
Neil Watson (He/Him) -
Website and Content Officer for Scottish Young Greens