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Women ’s Issues â€" A Male Perspective A Speech Delivered to the Ninth National Convention of the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada The subject which I agreed to with your President for this presentation was Women and Economic Develop- ment. as your program correctly notes. The reason for selecting that subject was a random observation that occurred to me one day. that although 40% of the labour force is now female. 3]- most 100% of the initiative for eco- nomic development is provided by males That apposition intrigued me and I wanted to explore the underlying rea- sons for this lack of female initiative with this broadly representative wom- en‘s organization. Why, despite all of the contribution which women have made to agricultural development over the years 7 to farm productivity and farm management ~ why is leadership in farming organizations and in major farm issues so exclusively male? I wanted to examine this situation, and also the possibility of new leader- ship roles for women in the area of rural economic development, and in- deed in economic development general- ly. But two considerations discouraged that pursuit: the first was that my preâ€" liminary enquiries indicated very little research has been done on this subject, and I was faced with the need to do an original paper with very little time for original research on my part. The second consideration has to be stated very gently. so gently that I think I will keep it to myselfforawhile until I create a climate for my speech M): Green is a former Deputy Minister with the health, education and racial ser- vice: sector in Prince Edward Island. In I 971, work on a response to the Report on the Royal Connuirsion on the Status of Women "opened his eyes" to women's issuer. l‘) Fredericton, N.B., June 14, 1982. by John Eldon Green which will enable you to understand my hesitation. I am not sure why I was invited here, but let me tell you why I came, and why I can feel comfortable talking to a convention of rural women about feminist issues 7 of which economic development is only one. In 1971 I was given responsibility to assist the PEI government to respond to the Report of the RoyalCornmission on the Status of Women, and had to take on the entirely unwelcome task of reading the Commission Report. I had no interest whatever up to that time in the Status of Women, as long as my meals were on the table and my home was maintained as homes were meant to be. But I did my duty and read the Report and it was not until I finished reading that-l realized for the first time in my life â€" and I was then 44 years old 7 the different world which my three daughters would inhabit by comparison with my four sons, and that when I told people I had four boys and three girls I was describing much more than sex dif- ferentiation. No matter if the girls were bril- liant by comparison with the boys, or more industrious, more ambitious. with better character and better qualities of judgement, there would be nothing they could do to fully offset the disâ€" advantage of their sex. Many of the professions and career options available to the boys would not be accessible to the girls, in practical terms, unless they clearly excelled all candidates. They would make less money, not have the same access to social and recreational activities and so on. And so, in defence of my daughters 7 and possibly my granddaughters e I became a closet feminist, enjoyii .the company of and promoting it in. terests of women, although me. times at a risk to my reputation and to theirs. Now here is where I must dr on your Mary Stewart Collect for a‘ and courage. that I may state my ews “straight-forward and unafraid for you must permit me to be franl ind must tolerate my frankness. I an on» sidered to be an intelligent, 1; wt edgeable, and insightful man â€" i am- inent in my field, Well moth red. and fairly well respected. That‘ ’iUl very modest, but its honest, 3110 in. And if what 1 have to say at no seems tough to swallow, accept 113 a male insight from within a s_\ can of thought and action which is im- inated by male thought, opinions. .ws and prejudices. Worse still, of the lien you will encounter in Governmei or in positions of authority genera, .1 may well be among the best ll: my perception of women and wor n‘s issues. So accept what I have it a) with that understanding, and it us start from there. When I adverted to problems all my first theme, the second prot cm was my realization that this may 11 be an appropriate audience for a few llsl type of speech, because there Mr possibly a wide variety of vie“ iil Women's Institute branches acros: he country concerning feminism did women’s issues generally. One doe: lDl associate W.I. with definite fem-iris: causes, and While it may not be a “all or accurate perception, the imag: 0‘ W1. is that of a fairly cortservarwe body whose orientation at the $455 roots has had little to do with 95155 roots, or any other issne pertaining