Dear Editor,
Women make up 37 per cent of our Parliamentarians and represent all political party positions, beliefs and values of our Guyanese society. As Parliamentarians, they serve as potential role models for all Guyanese women and girls. Additionally, being women, they are also sensitive to the dangers of unchecked misogyny, made visible in the high per capita number of wife/female partner murders and mutilations in our country.
We ask them to take off their political party hats and offer solidarity and support to the female journalists who are being subjected to a torrent of male denigration, abuse and vitriol on social media. At its best, the Fourth Estate holds a mirror up to our society, journalists ask the probing questions that are at the bedrock of democratic societies. Female journalists in Guyana excel in their calm, polite yet penetrating interventions in the often-rough-and-tumble world of political engagement. Anyone who is uncomfortable under the Press queries should engage with their questions, not cast aspersions on their bodies.
We know that the socially fractured nature of our country is mirrored in the National Assembly. But for the sake of our country, we ask our women parliamentarians to use the power of their legislative positions to stand with female journalists. We strongly urge them to: (1) Tag on Facebook all offensive pages/posts that are sexist, racist, and misogynist against Guyanese (2) issue a strong statement deploring public expressions that target the bodies of women and that so often lead to violence; (3) privately work with their respective political parties to raise the tenor of public discourse.
Sincerely,
Alfred Bhulai
Andre Brandli
Janette Bulkan
Darshanand Khusial
Joe Persaud
Mike Persaud
Ganga Ramdas