Dear Editor,
The note from the UG Students Council captioned ‘Male, not female’ (SN, July 4) reflects a certain tragedy about the lack of progress in gender equality in Guyana. The UG Students’ Council might have missed an opportunity to promote gender equality on the campus, and to empower the men especially who believe that being called ‘female’ is an insult as well as those university students who see it as causing pain if any man is mistaken for a woman.
The UG Students’ Council might want to consider telling the male students especially that there really is nothing wrong with being female; to be a female is a good thing so being mistaken for a female should not be a bad thing.
If any male student is scared to picket or protest or stand up for what he believes is right, because he might be mistaken for being female (or female student for being mistaken for a male), then the UGSS has a lot of work to do to in terms of liberating the students from the gender shackles which would hinder the progress which the University of Guyana and Guyana are seeking to achieve. Many women who have stood up for their rights have had to deflect and ignore the aspersions cast on them about their gender identity and sexuality; no man should be afraid to stand up for justice because others might mistake him for a woman. The systems which create the injustice are very often the same ones which reinforce gender inequality.
Yours faithfully,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
