Erste weibliche Bischöfin in der alt-katholischen Kirche

 

My Right to Vote

 

I voted today. I put my cross on an electoral list for the state election. No-one prevented me because I am a woman. I can vote because I live in a democracy where everyone has the same rights. But that was not always the case.

For a long time, women were denied the right to political participation by the legislative bodies consisting of men. As they were not going to give women the right to vote voluntarily, women had to demand and fight for their rights. Giving women a say in things would mean that men could no longer dominate the process. Giving away power was certainly painful. In Switzerland, one of the last European counties to give women the vote in 1971, the change still came about due to women’s activism, but most likely also because it was just embarrassing for a modern, democratic country to exclude women from politics. In a previous referendum, in 1959, Swiss men had voted by a clear majority against the introduction of national women's suffrage and women's right to vote. The male citizens had not wanted to share their power and thus denied their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters their democratic rights.

The fact that I was allowed to vote today is thanks to the women who stood up and fought for women’s suffrage over 100 years ago. They were told that their rights were well represented by their fathers, brothers or husbands and that they should keep quiet. Men thought women were not capable of understanding political matters. The laws passed by men were also unjust as far as family law was concerned. They were not satisfied with that because they saw the injustice every day. The suffragettes around Emmeline Pankhurst in England were beaten up, arrested and put in prison. The government tried to intimidate them, but they were not deterred by the threats and punishments. In prison, they refused food to enforce their last freedom with their hunger strike. Because the government could not allow them to die in prison, even violent force-feeding was used. These women were willing to put their health and lives on the line to get the right to vote and to be allowed to participate in shaping the laws.

What seems so obvious to us today was made possible in many countries by the sacrifices of women. The world has changed because of the commitment of women, but also because of the growing insight of men. We no longer live in the patriarchal society of our ancestors. Today, women no longer fight for their basic rights. Discrimination is much more subtle. It is hidden in the attitude of male arrogance that we see. Mansplaining. Many men still tend to treat women condescendingly. A woman still has to accomplish much more, be much more capable than a man, to be perceived as an equal. A woman who asserts herself and gets things done is often unfairly portrayed as aggressive. When will we finally get to the point where gender no longer matters for people to be treated respectfully?

I gave my vote to a woman today because I am convinced that we need more women in parliaments. We need the female perspective in politics to pass fairer laws for the general good of the population.

I can hardly believe that I relinquished my right to vote for 40 years because I live in a country where I was not a citizen. I could have voted in the elections of my native country by going to the embassy, but it was too much of a hassle. It would still not have made a difference in the country I was living in. Now that I have dual citizenship I could participate in both countries, but I am more concerned with voting where I am living.

This dilemma reminds me of the situation in my church. I have been a member of this church for 58 years but I have not been able to make my voice heard. In many churches, we still have a patriarchal structure. The male-only top leadership denies women full participation in the mission and ministry of the church. As the number of women in leadership positions is very small, women have practically no chance of making their voices heard in the decision-making bodies, and they are still dependent on the magnanimity of men for changes to be effectuated; let’s hope that it will become too embarrassing for these men soon. When will they realize that the female perspective is also needed in a church for the general welfare and sustenance of the church?