The Rural Voice, 1985-01, Page 29ONE MAN'S OPINION
Judge by qualifications,
not sex
When political parties were choos-
ing candidates before the last elec-
tion, one potential candidate practis-
ed affirmative action and stepped
aside to give a woman a chance at the
candidacy.
One of the policies of the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture deals with
women's unequal treatment by socie-
ty.
I believe that a majority of farmers
agrees that it is unjust that farm
women managers/partners are con-
sidered by some male tradesmen and
banks as less capable than men. The
anomaly of this kind of thinking
becomes apparent when the banker,
who knows that the farm wife does
the bookkeeping and generally knows
most about the financial status of the
farm, still will insist on the husband
alone making financial decisions.
The law also disallows women
from making business decisions if
they have a husband.
I fully agree that laws should be
changed and that financial institu-
tions and supply firms should better
train their representatives in recogniz-
ing the equality of women in most
matters. Before any concerned
women jump on me for the word
"most," let me explain that in some
matters women are superior and in
other cases men are. People should
therefore be judged by personal
qualifications instead of by what sex
they happen to be.
Having said all that, I disagree with
the OFA's demand that "affirmative
action programs are needed to pro-
vide equal opportunities for women
in agricultural jobs," just as I
disagree with the action of the
political candidate mentioned above.
Affirmative action programs de-
mand that equal opportunities be
created regardless of qualifications.
That is insulting to women. I don't
quite understand how the OFA ex-
ecutive, half of whom are women,
could agree to present such a demand
to the provincial government. The
three women on the executive of the
OFA are there because of their qual-
ifications and not because they repre-
sent 50 per cent of the membership.
The woman candidate of the pol-
itical party in question is a very
capable person in her own right.
She, and the OFA executive mem-
bers who are women, would feel in-
sulted if anyone suggested otherwise.
Yet, unless these three women were
overruled by the males on the ex-
ecutive, they declared themselves in-
secure in their qualifications by agree-
ing to the demand for affirmative ac-
tion.
Molly McGhee can write in her
report that women are anxious to
"discard the stereotype of farmer's
wife and helper," but no affirmative
action law will establish equal part-
nership within her marriage. That is
something she will have to do herself,
just like the urban wife and helper.
That laws should be changed to
remove the impression that women
are unable to think is only right, and
it should be done immediately.
That drop-in centres for battered
women should be available for rural
areas, is unquestionable.
Women should educate their daugh-
ters not to be satisfied, when married,
to play second fiddle to her spouse.
The way to equality begins in child-
hood. Great strides toward equality
have been made in the last ten years.
More is needed, but to force employ-
ers to hire on the basis of sex regard-
less of abilities is asinine and the OFA
should rethink their policy in that
regard. LI
Adrian Vos, a regular columnist with
The Rural Voice is a freelance writer
from Huron county.
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