To : Mr Urquart (MLA), From: Female Reproductive Organs (B.Soc.sc., M.A.)

I hate it when people say that young people are not interested in politics. We are - we just don't necessarily participate in the same way as other (older) generations. Many of us may not chose to be card-carrying members of political parties, but we are certainly active by being activists, writing for school newspapers, discussing politics over a beer at the pub, and yes (dare, I say) post links on our Facebook pages. While I truly believe this, I have come to admit that we must also participate in traditional or convention forms of political participation, if we want to be spared the *sigh* Young people these days' monologues.


So, I had committed to writing a letter to a politician (and ideally, one of my political representatives) for while. But alas, procrastination and a busy schedule took-over, and it sat on the back-burner for a while, when EUREKA! Carl Urquhart used his Facebook profile to make a political statement : "Girls, we need more babies or we will never be able to support our future."


Heck, I was so inspired that I decided to start a blog where I'll post my letters to politicians. That's where you'll find my letter (warning: your French Immersion will be tested).


What Mr Urquhart told the "girls" (if that wasn't a red flag) of New Brunswick that:

1. Our (only? best?) contribution to the province is through our reproductive organs (oops, I guess I could have saved on student loans)
2. We must want to have children (or what kind of woman would we be?).
3. Men are not equals in reproduction and child-raising.

I am annoyed by posts like this one and comments linked to internet coverage of the event. This has nothing to do with political correctness, and everything to do with reinforcing sexist assumptions and institutions. Comments like Mr Urquhart's contribute to our socializing children that men have a natural ability to be powerful politicians, and women are born to be caring mommies. This is socialization 101 : "Je suis qui vous me dites, que je suis"...I am who you tell me I am.


Side Note #1 : See my friend Marc's post on the NB Human Rights Commission panel on Pay Equity in New Brunswick.


Side Note #2: Yesterday, a male building manager from where our workplace rents, called one of the VP's the non-profit I work for "sweetie". Afterwards, when I told her "I'm glad he said that to you, and not to me", she replied "Oh, that kind of stuff doesn't bother me". To which my thought is, but it should - you should make a point of it.

Ding, ding, ding...bring on the debate.