Dear Editor,
As one with close familial ties to Kingston College and who advocates for the advancement of women's empowerment and gender equality, I note with concern a headline in the Sunday Observer of October 26, 2014: 'Anger as KC Old Boys' Association bars women from annual dinner'.
After so many years of advocacy on women's rights globally, and in our own nation, for such a stance to be taken in 2014 by the KC Old Boys' Association (KCOBA) is ludicrous and discriminatory.
I note that this has been a long-held practice of the KCOBA, except for 1975 when the then Prime Minister Michael Manley would not accept the invitation to be guest speaker if his wife was not allowed to attend the function.
The year 1975 was a watershed year for the global women's agenda. It ushered in a new era of consciousness of women's rights coupled with that of black identity and self-awareness for us here in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Quite significantly, the year 1975 was designated by the United Nations as International Year for Women and saw, for the first time, the recognition of International Women's Day — now celebrated each year on March 8. In Jamaica, we witnessed, inter alia, an institution to address policies on women being established and a raft of new legislation on women's rights being enacted with archaic ones amended or repealed. Since then, the situation of women and girls has improved significantly.
Kingston College was established by the Anglican Church with roots in the Church of England. It is, therefore, interesting to note that, in 1994, the Church of England for the first time ordained women to the priesthood, recognising the principle of gender equality. On Friday, October 24, 2014, the Anglican Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands held a 20th anniversary banquet to celebrate the ordination of women in the Province of the West Indies. The Rt Rev Ellinah Wamukoya, Bishop of Swaziland, was the guest speaker at this event.
It is against this background that I would appeal to the KCOBA to move beyond this old mindset to allow women entry to its annual dinner. This will, I am sure, facilitate an even greater social and intellectual enhancement of KC old boys.
I am pleased to see that many of the old boys are not in agreement with such a position and deem it, rightly so, important to have their spouses attend with them.
I do appreciate that there will be occasions when separate meetings for men and women would be required, and as such would not expect that women would attend KCOBA regular meetings, making administrative and other decisions. But to deny women/wives attending an annual KCOBA dinner smacks of sexism.
I believe that the time has come for the KCOBA to review, with a gendered lens, this outmoded practice and any such outdated aspect of their constitution. I trust that good sense will prevail and that the KCOBA, as leaders in their own class, will show genuinely objective leadership in this regard. I wish for you a successful and rewarding 2014 awards function.
Faith Daye-Webster
Kingston 20
dougfaithe@gmail.com
The time has come, KCOBA
-->
As one with close familial ties to Kingston College and who advocates for the advancement of women's empowerment and gender equality, I note with concern a headline in the Sunday Observer of October 26, 2014: 'Anger as KC Old Boys' Association bars women from annual dinner'.
After so many years of advocacy on women's rights globally, and in our own nation, for such a stance to be taken in 2014 by the KC Old Boys' Association (KCOBA) is ludicrous and discriminatory.
I note that this has been a long-held practice of the KCOBA, except for 1975 when the then Prime Minister Michael Manley would not accept the invitation to be guest speaker if his wife was not allowed to attend the function.
The year 1975 was a watershed year for the global women's agenda. It ushered in a new era of consciousness of women's rights coupled with that of black identity and self-awareness for us here in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Quite significantly, the year 1975 was designated by the United Nations as International Year for Women and saw, for the first time, the recognition of International Women's Day — now celebrated each year on March 8. In Jamaica, we witnessed, inter alia, an institution to address policies on women being established and a raft of new legislation on women's rights being enacted with archaic ones amended or repealed. Since then, the situation of women and girls has improved significantly.
Kingston College was established by the Anglican Church with roots in the Church of England. It is, therefore, interesting to note that, in 1994, the Church of England for the first time ordained women to the priesthood, recognising the principle of gender equality. On Friday, October 24, 2014, the Anglican Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands held a 20th anniversary banquet to celebrate the ordination of women in the Province of the West Indies. The Rt Rev Ellinah Wamukoya, Bishop of Swaziland, was the guest speaker at this event.
It is against this background that I would appeal to the KCOBA to move beyond this old mindset to allow women entry to its annual dinner. This will, I am sure, facilitate an even greater social and intellectual enhancement of KC old boys.
I am pleased to see that many of the old boys are not in agreement with such a position and deem it, rightly so, important to have their spouses attend with them.
I do appreciate that there will be occasions when separate meetings for men and women would be required, and as such would not expect that women would attend KCOBA regular meetings, making administrative and other decisions. But to deny women/wives attending an annual KCOBA dinner smacks of sexism.
I believe that the time has come for the KCOBA to review, with a gendered lens, this outmoded practice and any such outdated aspect of their constitution. I trust that good sense will prevail and that the KCOBA, as leaders in their own class, will show genuinely objective leadership in this regard. I wish for you a successful and rewarding 2014 awards function.
Faith Daye-Webster
Kingston 20
dougfaithe@gmail.com
The time has come, KCOBA
-->