The new breed of Bahamian women

Mon, Feb 15th 2016, 11:22 PM

The status of women has enhanced greatly since the days that we were regarded as the chattel or property of men. In the same vein, the role of women in society and their contribution to the advancement of humanity as a whole is apparent for all to see. Women have been and remain an integral part of major movements and initiatives aimed at advancing social justice and prosperity in all nations around the globe. The Bahamian woman is not an exception, as we have been known to champion causes that are responsible for the democracy, political maturity and economic prosperity that our beloved country enjoys today.

There is no doubt that the ultimate mission of every generation of Bahamian women is identical in that it originates from a burning desire to see this nation succeed with all Bahamians regardless of race, creed, age, gender, social background or political affiliation afforded an equal opportunity to fulfil the Bahamian Dream. However, the struggle of each generation is unique due to the ever-evolving landscape and social dynamics of The Bahamas. A generation after our attainment of political independence, we pause to take a look at the new breed of Bahamian women.

Evolution of role
The traditional role of women particularly prior to World War I was for the most part confined to the maintaining of the home with additional chores relating to farms or vineyards. Generally, the perception was that men worked outside while women worked inside away from the prying eyes of the public. The main exception appeared to be related to the assistance rendered by women on farms. An important part of this history that documents the nurturing, management, organization and maintenance of the fundamental unit of our society by women of old is often not adequately recounted.

The role of women would evolve during and in the aftermath of the World Wars as women entered the labor force in large numbers due to the absence of men that had left to fight for their nations for the preservation of our freedom.
History records the transition of women from administrative roles to non-combatant jobs in the US armed forces. The shortage of labor to support and sustain the war effort during WW II called for greater involvement of women in production and the economy as a whole. The rest as they say is history as women developed new skills and their enhanced status gave birth to a new world with greater involvement by women and enhanced pursuit of true equality and independence for all.

Generations in our archipelago
Our foremothers' place in Bahamian history is secure and their fight to see a better Bahamas was just as intense as that of any movement recorded in human history. The oft-referenced work of the great women of the Suffrage movement is a testament to the fortitude and intellectual soundness of the Bahamian woman. Their aspirations achieved the right of women to vote and an increase in the relevance of women in our Commonwealth. The reasons behind their season in our history were tied to their purpose of emancipation for the Bahamian woman.

The generations that have followed have taken the baton and in running their laps of the race achieved much in raising the profile of women in all spheres of life in our country. In the current dispensation and with the passage of time, a new breed of Bahamian women has emerged in what has been labelled as "a man's world" even though James Brown rightly admitted that it would be nothing without a woman.

Balance in the midst of complexities
The success of the 21st century Bahamian woman could very well be responsible for her failure if she does not properly address the complexities of her world. In spite of her success, the Bahamian women of this age remain responsible for the building of the home and the family structure. Indeed the African saying that the good child is the father's child while the bad child belongs to the mother remains the sentiment of a large cross section of our community.

The new breed of Bahamian women is tasked with the important objective of successfully balancing her professional pursuits, relationship and community development roles. Should she be less than stellar in her performance of any of her multiple roles, she may not only be deemed a failure but the consequences could be far-reaching.

The Biblical reference to the virtuous woman notes that she has handmaids and the description confirms that she is a manager, entrepreneur and caregiver. Hence to assist her in this quandary, the Bahamian woman sometimes engages domestic help to assist in fulfilling some of her motherly roles. However, the Bahamian woman must never make the mistake of fully abdicating her role to another, understanding that the rearing of children is the full responsibility of parents, who should ensure that the foundation is laid for a child to follow the right path in life.

The women and the society
The fable that the social breakdown of our communities can be attributed solely to the working status of mothers and women must be dispelled. The responsibility for the family structure rests upon both men and women; after all the Biblical divine structure goes in the order: God, man, woman and children. The man is the head of the home although women have been forced to assume leadership roles in certain instances due to circumstances that are sometimes beyond their control.

It cannot be denied that the liberties and national successes we have achieved to date are products of the sweat, blood and tears of both men and women. Warren Buffet noted that America has achieved its current level of success with half of that country's talent; pointing to the underutilization of the female population. The Bahamas' case is similar as shown in how little women are represented in the upper echelons of the executive, legislative and judiciary arms of our government. The new breed will seek to change the status quo and will not be guilty of imposing limitations on themselves or doubting their abilities.

The creed of the new breed
And so the new breed must embrace their purpose to fulfil their destiny. While some of us have chosen and will choose to remain full time homemakers, we must never let our talents go to waste and must use them for the common good of our Bahamaland. We have a duty to educate ourselves and further the advancement of womanhood. We have an obligation to play our part in our country's economic prosperity and contribute our fair share to nation building.

We are the custodians of the conscience of The Bahamas and we must pledge to uphold her honor. In this sense, we ought not forsake our nurturing and domestic duties. The elegance of our feminism and respect for our male counterparts should not be lost in the fight for true equality. The ability to make a difference of the magnitude that we seek will also depend on the sustenance of our integrity and the quality of our character. In essence, it behooves us to be a new breed without greed.

Finally, our political leaders should be reminded that this new breed of women of diverse political affiliations and backgrounds places country over personal ambitions. More importantly, we will not play political games with our rights and the lives of generations yet unborn.

A notice is served on all that as God's children, we deserve to have equal rights as our male counterparts; anything less than that is simply unacceptable. It follows therefore that any referendum to make provision for what is rightfully ours should be merely a formality and not a fight in a 21st century Bahamas. Leaders and aspiring leaders will be wise to take heed and hear the voices of the new breed of Bahamian women.

o Arinthia S. Komolafe is an attorney-at-law. Comments on this article can be directed to a.s.komolafe510@gmail.com.

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