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Nila Priyambodo
Editor in Chief
Michelle Bachelet, a single mother of three who was imprisoned, tortured and exiled under Chile’s military dictatorship, gives women around the world, including me, hope for the future and the equal treatment of women.
This past weekend, when Bachelet was sworn in for her four-year term, marked Chile’s first female president and first directly elected Latin American woman president who was not a powerful politician’s widow.
Chile is a country where women earn as much as 40 percent less than men in the same or similar jobs, where abortion is still illegal and where divorce was only legalized two years ago.
Having a woman president may be the next step toward the equal opportunity of women and the progression of women’s rights.
Bachelet’s 20-seat cabinet consists of 10 men and 10 women. She also promises to have the same number of men and women in the 300-decision making posts.
In addition to that, Bachelet is also planning specific legislation that would call for a certain percentage of women in the political parties’ list of candidates during municipal and congressional elections.
This is the first step for women’s advancement in the political and social aspects of life.
What Bachelet is doing is admirable and her practice should be followed by other countries, including the United States.
Maybe now women can be paid as much as men for equal work. Or maybe now female jobs, like teaching or child care can offer more pay for their workers. Or maybe now pediatricians, a more female-dominated job, can be paid as much as surgeons, a more male-dominated job.
There should be no occupational segregation by gender. There should be equal pay for equal work.
Bachelet’s presidential inauguration coincides perfectly with this year’s International Women’s Day theme, which is “the role of women in decision making.”
The March 8 global celebration and Bachelet’s presidential term is vital to the “advancement of women around the world and to the progress of humankind as a whole.”
If a conservative Roman Catholic and male-dominated country, such as Chile, can witness its first female president, the United States should have no problem witnessing its own.
And just like Chile, we should be promoting and encouraging women to have the same political or social power as men. We need to eliminate the patriarchal societal theology and recognize women’s abilities.
The United States is ready to have its very own first woman president. After 43 male presidents, it’s about time a woman took the wheel.
Bachelet’s presidential term should start the re-evaluation of women’s worth in society. Women should not be overlooked.
Women should have a say in decision making, whether it’s in the home, in social situations or in politics. We should fight for better conditions and for women’s power.
We were given the right to vote, the right to own property and the right to receive equal education among other things.
Now, we have been waiting too long to have the right to become president.
This is not only a win for Bachelet, but it is also a win for every woman around the world.
As Bachelet says, “Our strength will be the women.”
Nila Priyambodo, a senior journalism major, is editor in chief of the Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at npriyambodo@ulv.edu. |
