An honest look at being a woman in politics
On Oct. 19, 2021, the day after the municipal election, reporters asked me, “How does it feel to be one of the first non-white women elected to City Hall?” My feelings were mixed. It felt exuberant to be elected into this role. I am here because of the work of so many before me, and was proud to be supported in both of my campaigns by a team of predominantly women. After years of panels, discussions, workshops, training, and learning - it felt like the hard work had paid off. At the same time, I felt tremendous pressure. We are a Council that is younger, with the majority being newly elected and for the first time in Edmonton history, the majority of Councillors being women (in Canada, less than 30% of council seats were filled by women in 2018 [1]). We were seen as a largely progressive Council, with many members running on platforms aligned with community, economy, and climate, like myself. This meant high expectations, which are sometimes unattainable, on every decision we made and continue to make. And if we make the “wrong” decision by someone’s definition, we are at risk of being vilified, degraded, or even “kicked out” of certain spaces we have fought hard to earn a seat in.
Over a year into this job, these mixed feelings have only amplified. I look around me, and am proud that with so many female Council colleagues at the table we have managed to change the discussion in positive ways. We are kinder, more thoughtful, bringing diverse lived experience to the table, scrutinizing reports and budgets line-by-line. We bring in and welcome our children to the office, and donuts to celebrate the little and big achievements, and remind each other to do more self-care. We modified our council schedule to accommodate parents and encourage online participation in case we have home-bound duties so that everyone can fully participate in all of the important aspects of our lives. And we make good decisions - sometimes split as we have unique viewpoints, but generally with strong, at times passionate, debates that dissect every issue to its core.
And yet, even with a Council that is applauded for its gender parity, the critiques continue to grow on all fronts. Attacks against women in politics are harsher and more frequent - sadly this has come to be expected. Politics is messy and complicated. We speak up, but also need to consider each move, each decision, each word and the credibility we may gain or lose. We tread carefully, but also make mistakes sometimes. We pose for pictures, with so much left unsaid underneath. We insert ourselves in circles we otherwise wouldn’t be at, and navigate between mainstream society and diverse communities. And at the end of the day, reconcile with the fact that the patriarchy is everywhere, no matter the circle.
I am deeply appreciative of the relationships I have developed with many of my colleagues and peers in elected office, and the support many have shown. I’ve learned a lot, not only about policy and constituency issues, but also about relationships, and egos (oh the male egos!). I am thankful for mentors, especially many of the strong female elected officials and community leaders that I have connected with and continue to learn from.
Jacinda Ardern recently resigned as New Zealand’s Prime Minister, stating “I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice.” Those words are sobering for me. We’ve come far as women, and today is a recognition of this. It’s also ok to slow down and reflect on our accomplishments, while reckoning with how far we still have to go.
Happy International Women’s Day - to all of the beautiful and powerful women leaders of today and tomorrow, you inspire me.
[1] Toward Parity in Municipal Politics - https://fcm.ca/en/programs/women-in-local-government/toward-parity-in-municipal-politics
