SYDNEY, N.S. — CBRM mayoral candidate Amanda McDougall is making no apologies for expressing her opinion on how women are treated in the political arena.
The District 8 councillor, who is pregnant with an expected due date sometime in December, weighed in on the issue this week after Port Hawkesbury Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton went public with her experiences with what she called the “dark side” of politics.
Chisholm-Beaton released an essay in which she wrote about the abuse, both verbal and written, that she has endured since she entered politics four years ago. Her comments have started a conversation that McDougall is only too glad to keep going.
“I think that when you feel uncomfortable about something, when you feel like there is something so personal being used against you, that it’s usually an indication that a conversation has to be had,” said the 37-year-old Main-a-Dieu and Glace Bay resident, who is also helping to raise her partner’s son.
“It does hurt when I hear other candidates using the fact that I am a pregnant woman against me, I feel that is a really low blow that is outside of the etiquette of politics - it’s also quite insulting to be asked questions about whether I will be able to work and be a good mother at the same time.”
McDougall said that while she expected to be questioned on her ability to do the job, she was still surprised by some of the misogynistic attitudes she has encountered since she announced her candidacy for mayor in mid-August.
“It’s disappointing because I am not one who is going to use personal lives or how to use that against them during their campaign,” she said.
“I was also surprised by the number of women who questioned my ability to do this job – I think it might be a generational thing but I am willing to have those conversations.
“If you want to see change in your community, then be that change - I have the skills and ability to do the job and I am a person that is not typically what you would have seen in the past as a mayor but that’s a good thing, it’s a good thing to challenge the status quo.”
Author and Cape Breton University professor emeritus of political science Jim Guy said it is unfortunate that perceptions still abound that women are not as politically competent as men.
“There seems to be an embedded kind of chauvinism out there that women have to deal with,” noted Guy.
“But we are at the cusp of a sociological revolution and generally speaking the public accepts the fact that women need to be more in ascendency, but when it comes to pushing for it politically they tend to fall back to the waviness that surrounded this issue for so many years.”
Guy and McDougall agree that change is possible.
“However, you can’t change them all and you can’t change them quickly, but you can certainly challenge the erroneous assumptions that men make about women doing things - and that comes after thousands of years of male dominance,” said Guy.
“So, power to people in her position who take the challenge of dealing with the chauvinism that comes up against them every day.”
McDougall said she’s willing to keep challenging society’s stereotypes and has no regrets for speaking her mind.
“These tough conversations must be had and the more we have them the more we normalize those conversations,” she said, noting that she has been inspired by politicians including former colleague and current MLA Kendra Coombes who gave birth last year while she was a sitting member of CBRM council.
“We’re seeing changes happen not only on our island and in our province, but we’re looking at our environment differently, looking at the way businesses are run differently, and we’re looking at the role of community leadership and who we want to see in those positions.”
Nova Scotia’s municipal elections are set for Oct. 17.
