The female of the species is more deadly than the male is a well-known poem by Rudyard Kipling which has also been put to music by various recording artistes. In essence the poet was referring to cobras and bears compared to their male counterparts. It is also recorded that early Jesuit missionaries in North America were more frightened of native American women than male warriors. Some insects such as the praying mantis, black widow and redback spiders eat the male equivalent after they have mated which might be deemed abhorrent. Thankfully that is not the norm amongst humans.
Another example is the Biblical story of Samson and Delilah a Philistine woman who betrayed the strongest man by seducing him when she discovered that his strength lies in his hair and had it cut off. Such a beguile approach shows the power of a woman should never be underestimated. One can also think of Eve at the beginning of creation using her charm to convince Adam to eat the apple from the forbidden tree and he fell for it as one would say ‘hook, line and sinker’.
Edith Clarke’s groundbreaking work from 1966 entitled ‘My Mother Who Fathered Me’ looking at family life in Jamaica is another case in point of the significant role that women in society have played in the nurturing of not just their off spring but other children that they have fostered, adopted and literally cared for without those terms being used.
A matriarchal society and the strength, resilience, power and versatility to multi-task come to the fore and it remains of paramount importance that women’s rights are respected, acknowledged and continued to be fought for. Some used to be dismissive of the women’s liberation movement which made great strides in getting society to accept that this is not as some would think a ‘Man’s World’.
Equity, equality, diversity and inclusion must be valued, promoted, encouraged, celebrated and recognized and not end up being a token gesture, lip service or in essence a glass ceiling. Birmingham City Council has learnt to their peril under the Equal Pay Act brought as a case in the High Court not to discriminate after it was discovered that for several years female employees were paid less than their male counterparts doing the same job. It is now costing that local authority a fortune to put it right and the knock-on effect is residents are seeing major and essential services being cutback along with a massive increase in council tax.
I would argue if there were more women leaders across the world the threats of wars would diminish as they are better at being skillful negotiators and not warmongers like some past and current world leaders too numerous to mention. Conflict management and conflict resolution would be their modus operandi instead of resorting to endless fights/battles with their weapons with no one winning in the end.
I will never forget watching an interview on British television in 2016 when Angela Leadsom one of the contenders vying for the position to become the next leader of the Conservative party and prime minister had the audacity to state that Theresa May would not make a good one because she was not a mother!!! What a ghastly thing to say about another woman. Of course, she has since apologized. One must also never forget stepmothers who have played a vital role in taking on their responsibilities when asked to do so.
Mother’s Day sometimes referred to as Mothering Sunday in some parts of the world, celebrated today 10th March and only two days earlier on the 8th International Women’s Day renders the month of March very special. It is also my birth month and the official start of spring (Vernal Equinox) in the Western hemisphere so yet more dimensions to consider.
I recall whilst studying William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar for GCE ‘O’ levels the famous saying ‘Beware the ides of March’, 15th March with the warning given by the soothsayer about the assassination of Julius Caesar by Brutus and Cassius on that date.
We all know there is no such reference to Father Nature as it is indeed Mother Nature for the very reason it is the female species and women in the animal, human and plant world who procreate and give birth in one form or another. We speak of Mother Land, Mother Country and Mother Earth for the same reason and Mother Church.
Maternal instincts, motherhood, showing care, love and attention to other children which most women do naturally even when they are not blood relatives, should be celebrated not only for two days in March but each and every day.
So, whether you call the mother in your life as a term of endearment; mama, mum, mummy, mom, mommy, mother, ma, mumma or madda let us cherish them and include also the memories of those who are no longer with us.
Wishing everyone who is observing this special day a Happy Mother’s Day.
London born Tony Kelly of Jamaican parents grew up in Jamaica and returned to live in Birmingham in 1979.
He is a graduate of Mico Teachers’ College and taught in Kingston high schools prior to working for 30+ years as a middle manager in central and local government with an emphasis on equity, equality, diversity and inclusion. He has a masters’ degree in socio-legal studies from the university of Birmingham.
For over a decade Tony has volunteered as a diabetes ambassador firstly for Diabetes UK and now for the National Health Service - Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group. A multi-award winner doing a yearly average of 150 health and well-being events, locally, nationally and internationally focusing on type 2 diabetes. He was diagnosed with this medical condition 18 years ago. However with a combination of physical activity and diet he has never taken medication thus proving with the right mindset and discipline it can be achieved.
As a diabetes advocate/activist Tony will continue delivering the message of healthy options to readers of CaribDirect.com .
