Power and its strategies

Transcription

1 Bulleti du réseau des femmes de la fédératio iterprofessioelle de la saté du québec vol 9 o 2 ov The Network i a utshell A meetig of the Wome s Network of the Federatio took place o November 13 ad 14, 2012 with the theme Power ad its strategies. I order to pursue the discussios ad reflectios that bega at the previous Network meetig o the subject of wome ad power, the members of the Network were ivited to a traiig sessio etitled The relatioship of wome with power, give by Lise Gervais, from Relais-femmes, ad by Daielle Fourier, retired professor from the École de service social de l Uiversité de Motréal. Everyoe was asked to share their persoal history with power ad become familiar with the differet cocepts of power ad their applicatio. Durig these two days, the members of the Network also had to aalyze differet scearios of power ad participate i a practical exercise to express their poit of view durig a democratic decisio-makig process. Despite the obstacles ad the challeges facig wome i the decisio-makig ad power structures, they were able to idetify potetial solutios that will certaily be useful i their role as uio activists. Power ad its strategies How ca wome s power be defied? How do we perceive it? What are the obstacles to wome beig ivolved i the decisio-makig ad power structures? At this Network meetig, Lise Gervais, from Relaisfemmes, ad Daielle Fourier, retired professor from the École de service social de l Uiversité de Motréal, demystified the relatioship of wome with power ad gave some strategies that may motivate wome to get ivolved. Several cotradictory feeligs co-exist whe there is a questio of the relatioship of wome with power. Certai experieces have resulted i progress, makig gais, obtaiig prestige, developig pride i actig or still i solidarity ad i supportig oe aother. Other experieces with power have made wome ueasy like cases of abuse, competitio, the impressio of ever measurig up, the feelig that the other must be crushed i order to measure up. Wome are particularly afraid of takig too much space, of prevetig others from beig successful, of deviatig from social orms ad havig to face the hostile reactios from me faced with the success of wome. The impacts of socializatio o the relatioship of wome with power The complex relatioship of wome with power is marked by persoal experieces, but it is also iflueced by socializatio. Accordig to Fracie Descarries, the cocept of socializatio refers to the process that itroduces a perso to her culture ad cosequetly teaches her to live i society ad to decode the ways of doig thigs, of actig, thikig ad feelig her eviromet. It icludes all relatioships, social iteractios ad the experieces i which idividuals, more or less cosciously, acquire ad itegrate the attitudes ad the skills ecessary to live i society.1 (our traslatio) CONT D P. 3

2 Bulleti du Réseau des femmes FIQ p. 2 Bulleti du Réseau des femmes de la FIQ, Vol. 9, No 2, November 2012 Political Officer: Michèle Boisclair, Vice-Presidet Writte by: Sophie Baillargeo ad Suzae Prévost, Uio Cosultats, Status of Wome Sector Revisio ad productio: Sara Lapoite, Uio Cosultat, Commuicatio-Iformatio Service Traslatio: Susa Millroy, Uio Cosultat, Traslatio Service Secretariat: Fracie Paret Graphic layout: Josée Roy ISSN (Olie) ifo@fiqsate.qc.ca Whe will there be parity betwee me ad wome? Power is ofte wrogly perceived as havig a egative cootatio. Wome are geerally less iclied to exercise power. I fact, a miority of wome hold positios of power, eve today. I her last book published by Éditios Staké last October ad etitled Les femmes au secours de l écoomie: pour e fiir avec le plafod de verre (Wome rescuig the ecoomy: to ed up with the glass ceilig), Moique Jérôme-Forget states that if we cotiue at the same pace, we will still have to reach age 72 for there to be a parity betwee me ad wome o the boards of directors of major compaies. Eve ow, me are still a majority i the world of politics. How to explai this state of affairs, despite the fact that for at least 50 years, wome have bee i the labour market, cotributig to the ecoomy ad participatig i societal life just like me? Must we deprive ourselves of the major cotributio of wome i the places where decisios are made o the major orietatios of our society, our workplace? I order to take our reflectio further ad demystify the cocept of power, the members of the Status of Wome Committee chose to make this the subject of the two etworks i This reflectio ad icreased awareess of the power that wome have are essetial for the society i which we live to evolve. I ivite you to take your rightful place as a uioized worker, as a woma ad as a healthcare professioal. News from the Status of Wome Sector Back to the 12 days of actio campaig The 12 days of actio for the elimiatio of violece agaist wome campaig took place betwee November 25 ad December 6. Wome are still victims of violece because they are wome, ad also because: we do t believe the wome, we make excuses for the me, we keep silet ad we spread sexist ad racist stereotypes was the theme for this year. To support this campaig, World March of Wome the Fédératio des femmes du Québec (FFQ) posted video clips ad published a call to actio i the major media outlets to elimiate this violece. There was a major rally o December 6 at the Palais de justice de Motréal to commemorate the victims murdered at the Polytechique. Source: FFQ O December 10, the World March of Wome orgaized a 24-hour period of femiist actios throughout the world to deouce the commodificatio of atural resources ad their impacts o wome. Despite chilly weather i Motréal, a rally took place at Place Ville Marie from 12:00 to 13:00. I the eveig, speakers from Québec, the Democratic Republic of Cogo ad Columbia ad a represetative from the Aborigial wome of Québec came to explai the differet impacts ad issues liked to the commodificatio of atural resources. Source: FFQ Michèle Boisclair, Vice-Presidet ad political officer for the Status of Wome Follow-up o motio M-312 O September 26, 2012, the miister resposible for the status of wome, Roa Ambrose, voted for motio M-312. Followig this vote which was at the very least surprisig, the Fédératio du Québec pour le plaig des aissaces (FQPN) lauched a campaig to educate Ms Ambrose. For eight weeks, the miister received lessos by letter, Fax, Twitter or Facebook so that she would be updated o the issue of freedom of choice or still to let her kow the importace of maitaiig free access to abortios. This campaig eded the week of December 10. The FQPN could reope the campaig after the holiday period i the evet that she has ot leared her lesso this time. Source: FQPN

3 Bulleti du Réseau des femmes FIQ p. 3 Power ad its strategies (CONT D) Power ad its strategies (CONT D) Here are the impacts of socializatio o the relatioship of wome with power: Lise Gervais, from Relais-femmes, ad Daielle Fourier, retired profressor from the École de service social de l Uiversité de Motréal A successful welcomig activity Upo their arrival at the Wome s Network, the participats had to reflect i order to aalyze their experieces with power i their persoal lives, their professioal lives ad i their commitmet. They had to create a picture usig the major facts ad evets ad their impacts. Several shared what their experieces with power have bee ad what they have retaied from them. It was very iterestig to see the various situatios i which these wome have take cotrol over their lives. What is strikig is that power is ofte see egatively ad that it eve sometimes causes fear but all these wome reported positive experieces with power. Like, whe power is used properly, how it ca be beeficial for us ad for others. Ad you, how do you see power? Par Patricia Lajoie, member of the Status of Wome Committee 1. Fracie Descarries La costructio sociale des différeces sexuelles: Du côté des petites filles Actes du colloque 2006 : De la criolie au strig, Motréal, Regroupemet provicial des maisos d hébergemet et de trasitio pour femmes victimes de violece cojugale et leurs efats. 2. Ibid. 3. Fraçoise De Bry. 2006, Les femmes das l etreprise. U problème de resposabilité social. [ A youg girl lears to: Be cocered with her appearace Cosciously give importace to how she is judged Liste to others, be sesitive to others Not over estimate herself, look to set limits To feel at ease i a restricted ad domestic eviromet Despite sigificat progress, stereotypes of the prescribed roles still exist ad cosiderably ifluece the way female leadership is accepted. The obstacles to the ivolvemet of wome at decisio-makig levels There are may obstacles to the ivolvemet of wome at decisiomakig levels ad power such as age, the distributio of tasks, the lack of kow-how i commuicatio ad the tesios i the male-female relatioships. As a example, family resposibilities hold back wome age 35 ad youger from holdig high-level positios. The glass ceilig, defied as a ivisible barrier created by behavioural ad orgaizatioal biases, must ot be forgotte as it prevets wome from havig access to positios of power. As for the glass wall, it cosists of ivisible barriers, but i a vertical fashio that keep wome i less strategic ad visible fields (huma resources, admiistratio, commuicatio, etc.). A youg ma lears to: Act without restrait Value himself ad feel appreciated for what he does, rather tha for what he is Believe it is importat to perform See few limits cocerig his possibilities ad, first ad foremost, to feel ready to measure up to ayoe Believe that the public area belogs to him 2 (our traslatio) The values expected ad ofte developed by wome beig cotradictory with those patriarchal that are valued i the power structures, it is ot surprisig that wome are disparaged whatever their relatioship with power: [ ] if they assert themselves ad directly exercise their power, they are perceived as aggressive, hard or rigid; if they do t do it, their ability to hold a positio of authority is questioed (our traslatio) Simoe Ladry, 1989 To combat these problems ad promote wome s ivolvemet i the power structure, there are several actio strategies that ca be used, such as diffusig iformatio, cosciousess-raisig, mutual support, public educatio, awareess, metorship, demads ad political pressure, etc. 3 (our traslatio) To fid out more about Relais-femmes: At the microphoe: Ridza Cléophat, Cetre de sois prologés Grace Dart

4 Bulleti du Réseau des femmes FIQ p. 4 A etertaiig deliberatio A etertaiig deliberatio At the microphoe: Huguette Forti, CSSS de Beauce The speakers at the Network had us experiece a mii Federal Coucil durig which the participats had to play the game ad take a decisio o the followig motio: That all healthcare professioals hold full-time positios. It was a pure delight! It was the first time at the microphoe for several, ad it allowed them to break the ice i a friedly atmosphere. Each perso was assiged a role, to agree, disagree or be idecisive about the motio. The, they had to express their opiios idividually ad argue accordig to the role they had bee give. It was to be a democratic process accordig to the followig six compoets: A climate where respect, listeig, opeess as well as acceptace of others choices reiged; The sharig ad uderstadig of the iformatio; The deliberatio; The decisio; Actio; Evaluatio for returig to the issue, actio ad the process i geeral. Here are some of the argumets heard, comical at times: The fors: The stability of the care teams; A reductio i idepedet labour; Better plaig of the family budget; Those who do ot have a full-time positio retire with fewer beefits. The cos: Take advatage of the summer to work less to take time for oeself ad the childre; The work overload is always there ad full-time work brigs about a icrease i abseteeism; I do t eed to work full-time, as my husbad has a good job; More time for the family. The idecisives: Experiece has made them happy with both choices; Suggestios were made: pilot project, impact committee, etc. Everyoe completely ejoyed doig this exercise. The smooth progress of the activity i a democratic climate, good listeig skills of the delegatio ad the argumets give made this activity very rewardig! I coclusio, it is o small feat that this mii Federal Coucil eabled the members of the Network to better uderstad the ifluece of their power ad the way to exercise it. By Marie-Ève Bertrad, member of the Status of Wome Committee 1 2 At the microphoe: 1. Josée Actil, CSSS de Motmagy-L Islet 2. Adriee Ouellet, Cetre hospitalier uiversitaire de Sherbrooke 3. Maryse Laflamme, CSSS du Haut-St-Fraçois 3

5 Bulleti du Réseau des femmes FIQ p. 5 Opiio questioaire o power Opiio questioaire o power Durig this Network, the participats were ivited to aswer a opiio questioaire o power, orgaized by the members of the Status of Wome Committee. This comical activity souded out their perceptio of the differet statemets liked to the relatioship of wome to power. The results ca be foud below. Statemet Yes No Maybe A woma questios herself more tha a ma o the rightess of her movig up to a positio of power ad o her ability to fulfill the madates that she is give. 71% 12% 17% 2. Eve if positios of power are ope to wome, it remais a ma s world. 86% 7% 7% 3. Power chages the relatioships betwee me ad wome. 81% 6% 13% 4. Wome are ot equipped to deal with coflict situatios. 3% 78% 19% 5. It is difficult to recocile family life with a political career for a woma. 50% 33% 17% 6. Oe must ot be too sesitive i positios of power. It is much easier for me. 28% 45% 27% 7. Wome must prove themselves doubly to be oticed i seior maagemet positios. 80% 7% 13% 8. Wome do ot always have a positive view of power. 49% 28% 23% 9. Wome today take more risks ad accept more challeges. 85% 10% 5% 33% 28% 39% 1. Source: Simoe Ladry «Le pouvoir, c est pas sorcier : il suffit d e avoir les clés», PratiCom, Presses de l Uiversité du Québec, 160 p. 10. Wome are geerally afraid of power.

6 Bulleti du Réseau des femmes FIQ p. 6 The FIQ, A strog voice, actios that cout The Network s favorites This small book from Simoe Ladry certaily met my expectatios. It is related to power, easy to read ad has a very detailed theoretical cotet. It cotais differet cocepts liked to power, such as the abuse of power, the relatioal aspects of power, the sources ad forms of power, the social determiats, the leadership styles, the strategies of ifluece, wome ad power ad, lastly, the fear of power. Are wome afraid of power? You might recogize yourself, as a woma i the followig statemets take from the book: Afraid of beig criticized, judged, blamed, of provokig hostility, of beig ridiculed, caricatured, of havig to fight, walk over others, of beig abadoed ad fidig oeself aloe at the top. (our traslatio) Although published i 1999, this book is still relevat. The author, Mao Tremblay was ispired by the may accouts of female members of parliamet i order to better defie how the presece of wome i the political world ca chage the way of doig thigs i the political process. I recommed this book to deepe your kowledge ad i referece to our two etworks. Ejoy the read ad make your mark! By Véroique Foisy, member of the Status of Wome Committee I additio to cotaiig differet statistics o the topic of female represetatio i politics, the author tells us about the differet visios that female members of parliamet have about the role that they must play, the meas at their disposal to carry out that role, the differet obstacles ecoutered. Lastly, this book also iteds to be a reflectio o the differet cotributio that wome ca have i the world of politics. For the author however, a critical mass of 30% of female represetatio must be reached so that they ca ifluece the way of doig thigs i the political process. As with everythig that affects wome, patiece ad especially perseverace must be show i order to be successful i brigig about chage. By Claire Alarie, member of the Status of Wome Committee This book writte by Pascale Navaro, Jouralist ad also a columist at Télé- Québec, is a little gem. We uderstad why wome represet a positive assest i the political world. Other tha to say that the govermet must be egalitaria with a 50% represetatio of wome, what do wome really brig to govermets? This book gives you the aswers. By begiig with a brief history of wome i politics, the to politics as a mother, the support that wome i power have had, what they thik of their power, the existece of wome i politics, female solidarity ad cocludig with the strategies for gettig more wome elected, the aalysis ad the iterviews with wome i power make this work more real ad very iterestig. I fid that this book makes us reflect o our power ad especially the commitmet we eed to have if we wat to chage thigs. I ivite you to read it ad leave you with this short phrase take from the book: Riae Eisler, a huma rights specialist i the Uited States says: the status of wome is a more reliable ad fair idicator of a coutry s quality of life tha its GDP. By Patricia Lajoie, member of the Status of Wome Committee