Article written in dialect
Yo, leh we talk truth. Politics in Vincy full ah double standard and nobody really wah face it. Man could do all kinda wrong thing, get ketch in scandal, get accuse of serious things, but dem still get defend. Dem still get chance. Dem still get call “good leader.” But woman? One lil stain pon she name or even just guilt by association and dem warr write she off.
Politics in Vincy come like cricket. Man could swing bat, miss all kinda ball, and still get chance fu play. But woman? She haffu bat perfect. One wrong move and she out di game. Me bin dey round some big man talking politics and di kinda reasoning meh hear nearly mek me sick. A whole female senator get drag just because she go to di aid of a woman, who everybody and dey tanty know bin getting tump up by she man. Police an all never tek on de victim. Now dem wah act like de senator commit some big crime (because dem hear she war run next elections), when all she do is give the victim some backings and love. Plus the charges never stuck. Worse yet, anodda senator name call simply because she husband allegedly involved in some shady tings (and have ah past). Not she eh, he. But still, dem see she as unfit, like a woman must be spotless fi be respected but a man could be full ah scandal and still get support.
Meh haffi say, ULP ah really push woman leadership more dan anybody else, an’ dat is one ah di big reasons why me ah lean towards dem. Dem show dat woman could lead, dem put dem in big positions, an’ dat alone is a step forward. But even inside di party, di bias strong. Woman still haffu prove demselves twice as much, still haffu walk a straighter line dan di man dem. Di double standard alive an’ kicking, same way. If we really wah fairness, we cyaan keep moving di goalpost. We cyaan keep excusing man dem wrongdoing but turn roun and crucify woman for every little thing. If a woman capable, let she prove sheself.
Every election cycle, we does see it clear as day. Man in politics could get call out for alleged rape, domestic abuse, and extra-marital affairs, and what we do? We make noise for two days, cuss lil bit pon Facebook, then we move on like nothing happen. We does wash dem clean, and when campaign time come, dem back in di race like is just a lil mishap. We quick fu talk bout how people haffu separate personal life from politics, how nobody perfect, how we must look at di bigger picture. But when it come to woman, we doh have di same energy. She haffu be flawless, no scandal, no mistake, no kinda baggage, or else she cyaan be trusted. So what we really saying? That man dem could get away with anything once dem politically useful, but woman must walk pon water before we tek she serious? If we really care bout standards, leh we keep it across di board. Stop excusing man dem faults while crucifying woman fu every misstep. Politics supposed to be about leadership and service, not gender privilege. If we wah lift di standard, then leh we lift it for everybody, not just who convenient.
Me go love fu see di next Prime Minister in SVG be a woman, but ah sorry fu di battles she go haffu fight fu reach dey. It nah go be easy. But fu di women contesting elections dis year, come good, come real good, because di playing field nah level. People watching, people talking, and some ah dem same man who scrambling bout don’t really care bout people. Dem wah get elected fu what dem could get. Use wisdom. Learn sense. Don’t mek di petty talk bout di women distract yo. Di one ah meet really care bout people. Time go tell, because not every Vincy have book sense, but most ah we have common sense. Waiting fu time tell…..
