For our March 2023, “Dare to Believe,” I selected Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland and instead of one man, I selected the United Nations initiative, HeForShe, a solidarity movement for the advancement of gender equality. HeForShe is a controversial choice.
The reasons this choice is controversial illustrate our need to stop the “us against them” mentality that plagues discussions about gender equality.
Mary Robinson receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
Mary Robinson (May 21, 1944, to present) - Before becoming the first female president of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, Robinson was a senator and a councilor.
She fought for the decriminalization of homosexuality, enabling women to sit on juries, the legalization of divorce, the legalization of contraception, and securing the right to legal aid in civil legal cases in Ireland.
Early in her presidency, Robinson was prevented from leaving Ireland by the government because of a provision in the Irish Constitution stating the government must consent to a president leaving the country. Robinson was scheduled to deliver the BBC Dimbleby Lecture. Her topic was to be the position of women and the family in Ireland. The decision to prevent Robinson’s speech was based on her position as a feminist and human rights lawyer.
Robinson was praised and criticized for her willingness to meet with leaders who held opposing viewpoints.
After her presidency, she became the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Robinson was the first UN High Commissioner to visit Tibet. She was also openly critical of the failings of the “war on terrorism.” In 2001, she chaired the Asian Regional Preparatory Meeting for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and related intolerance. The event was held in Tehran, Iran. Robinson was criticized for wearing a head scarf at the event and not opposing the exclusion of representatives from the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, a Jewish group, and the exclusion of the Baha’i International Community. According to Robinson, refusing to cover her head would have played into the hands of religious conservatives.
After resigning her post at the U.N., Robinson became the first female chancellor of the University of Dublin, a position she’s held since 2002.
Robinson was a founding member of “The Elders,” a group made of esteemed world leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Former President Jimmy Carter, Kofi Annan, Desmond Tutu, Graça Machel, and others.
Her memoir, Everybody Matters, was published with Hodder & Stoughton in September 2012.
Sources for this article:
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/ireland/articles/the-11-famous-irish-women-you-need-to-know-about/
The United Nations initiative, HeForShe, a solidarity movement for the advancement of gender equality, is a global effort to involve men and boys in the process of promoting gender equality.
Gender inequality is a problem that affects all people, socially politically, and economically.
The initiative was launched in 2014 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Women Global Ambassador, Emma Watson.
Since its launch, millions of men and women have committed to gender equality including former and current world leaders, celebrities, and CEOs from around the world.
Some notable advocates include Harry Styles, Kiefer Southerland, Forrest Whitaker, Matt Damon, Former U.S., President Barack Obama, Logan Lerman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emma Watson, and Jennifer Lawrence.
Emma Watson’s address at UN Headquarters in New York City went viral and has over 3.8 million views on YouTube to date. Watson’s impassioned speech was heartfelt and factual. According to Watson (in 2014) it will take several lifetimes to close the gender gap unless something changes. The change she advocated was for men and boys and girls and women to become allies not adversaries.
Watson’s plea for unity was met with mixed responses. Several feminists criticized her for supporting an initiative they claim is tantamount to asking men to save us instead of insisting we have the right to save ourselves. Other critics objected to the name because it was not inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community and it excluded marginalized men and boys. She was also criticized as a woman of privilege speaking for marginalized individuals instead of allowing them to take the lead and speak for themselves.
After listening to her speech, (I posted the YouTube video of her speech, please listen to it carefully) I feel the criticisms are unfounded. She spoke with great candor about her own privilege and the negative effects of gender stereotyping on all genders. She was not asking to be saved. She was inviting all genders to become part of the solution.
Part of the criticism of this initiative is its name which many feel is not inclusive. I understand the need for all people to feel valued and included, but I’m more aligned with Watson’s words, “If not me, then who? If not now, then when?”
My questions to anyone reading this article are, “Should we let semantics keep us from moving forward? Will we let ‘perfect be the enemy of good,’ or will we embrace this opportunity to forge an alliance to benefit us all?”
Sources for this article:
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/27-famous-men-proud-to-be-feminists/