Andaiye's Letter on Feminition and Alcohol
This letter was published on 27 May, 2011 in Stabroek News
Dear Editor,
I write very briefly in support of Vidyaratha Kissoon’s call for
‘Feminition’ to be alcohol free. This is not because I don’t like
alcohol; I do. So what? Everyone who spends time with women who live
with or die from violence committed by men knows – whatever research
findings to the contrary anyone dregs up – that whatever causes male
violence against women, alcohol often fuels it.
What this means is that all these public events we organize to
celebrate ourselves whether as women or youth or on the basis of our
race/ethnicity should be alcohol free both to make a point to the
producers and sellers of alcohol, and to reduce the likelihood that
the moments of celebration will be followed – somewhere in Guyana – by
violence stoked by alcohol.
Priya Manickchand is reported as reminding us that alcohol is legal.
So are cigarettes but Leslie Ramsammy preaches against smoking every
chance he gets.
He doesn’t say, “I know you are a responsible person who can limit
yourself to two cigarettes.” He says, “I want smoke-free zones.” In
fact, if Minister Manickchand is being reported correctly she and
those whom she seems to be quoting are guilty of the worst kind of
manipulation of women’s demand to be recognized as equal.
Calling for ‘Feminition’ to be alcohol free does not suggest that
“women ought to be looked after and are lacking in independence of
thought and ability to make sensible decisions about their lives and
lifestyles.”
You might as well say that calling for events organized by ethnic
groups to be alcohol-free (as Kissoon also does) suggests that
Indo-Guyanese or Afro-Guyanese or Indi-genous people or any of our
other groups need to be patronized.
It reminds me of the argument from the right-wing in the United States
and England that government intervention to influence people’s conduct
in relation to cigarettes, alcohol or food is evidence of the
“welfare/nanny state” and a denial of fundamental freedoms.
‘Feminition’ is not my idea of how to recognize and celebrate women in
Guyana but leave that aside for the moment. It’s here, it’s about to
happen.
By being alcohol-free, it would have taken a step that is both
symbolic and practical to honour the lives of the women who live in
terror, as one told me, because “when Friday night come and he drink
he rum I does lay here, dying.”
Yours faithfully,
Andaiye
Red Thread
The Minister's defense of alcohol at Feminition was in the Stabroek News of 26 May, 2011.
Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand has said that her ministry
has “consciously” asked sponsors not to promote alcohol products
during the Feminition Women’s Expo, which is set to open tomorrow.
Minister Manickchand told Stabroek News that it was felt that the
companies who sell alcohol should be allowed to sponsor the event, as
they have a “moral obligation to help to repair and empower women in
whose lives damage may have been caused.” While alcohol products would
be available at the expo, she noted that organisers expect responsible
use.
Manickchand said the ministry’s position pre-dated a call by activist
against domestic abuse Vidyaratha Kissoon, who has said the event
should have been promoted as ‘alcohol-free.’
In a letter published in this newspaper yesterday, Kissoon, noting the
sponsors Banks DIH, DDL and Ansa McAl, said if the event was going to
be alcohol-free then it should be proudly advertised as such.
“It is shame that the Minister did not seek to make this event alcohol
free and honour the existing civil society organisations which are
also working to reverse the trends of alcohol consumption. Instead,
the alcohol industry appears to be honoured. If the event is going to
be alcohol-free, then it should be proudly advertised as such,”
Kissoon said in his letter.
He pointed out that the human service ministry itself has to grapple
with the problems caused by alcohol consumption, which he said has
destroyed the lives of many men and women in communities across the
country.
Manickchand, in response to Kissoon’s letter, pointed out that alcohol
is not banned in Guyana. She said that there was a detailed discussion
among the event’s organising team as to whether alcohol should be
available during the expo.
“In our team's discussion on whether alcohol should be available at
the event, the team, mostly comprising women, was of the firm view
that our participants, exhibitors as well as patrons, who we expect to
be mostly women, are very capable of using alcoholic products in a
responsible manner,” she said.
She further stated that it was also felt that any limitation of
products could easily “entrench the position that women ought to be
looked after and are lacking in independence of thought and ability to
make sensible decisions about their lives and lifestyles.”
Further, Manickchand told Stabroek News that a recent research
indicated that alcohol is not a driver of domestic violence. However,
she quickly pointed out that both she and those at the ministry are
themselves “surprised about that and even question the accuracy of
that finding.”
She continued that her ministry will pursue its course to empower and
inform women and expects that all will be on board this necessary
effort.
In his letter, Kissoon said there are faith-based organisations and
NGOs in Guyana who are now planning alcohol-free events, which are
successful. The government, in the National Domestic Violence Policy,
he further noted, has indicated that it would “join with civil society
to initiate community-based education programmes which prevent alcohol
and other substance abuse addictions, in view of the undisputed link
between alcohol consumption/substance abuse addictions and domestic
violence.”
He pointed out that it is easier to find a legal or illegal vendor of
alcohol than it is to find any rehab programme or education programme
to reverse the damage caused by alcohol use in the country. “The
alcohol control laws are flouted without any fear of reprisal from any
of the government agencies responsible for the enforcement of the
laws,” he said.
Dear Editor,
I write very briefly in support of Vidyaratha Kissoon’s call for
‘Feminition’ to be alcohol free. This is not because I don’t like
alcohol; I do. So what? Everyone who spends time with women who live
with or die from violence committed by men knows – whatever research
findings to the contrary anyone dregs up – that whatever causes male
violence against women, alcohol often fuels it.
What this means is that all these public events we organize to
celebrate ourselves whether as women or youth or on the basis of our
race/ethnicity should be alcohol free both to make a point to the
producers and sellers of alcohol, and to reduce the likelihood that
the moments of celebration will be followed – somewhere in Guyana – by
violence stoked by alcohol.
Priya Manickchand is reported as reminding us that alcohol is legal.
So are cigarettes but Leslie Ramsammy preaches against smoking every
chance he gets.
He doesn’t say, “I know you are a responsible person who can limit
yourself to two cigarettes.” He says, “I want smoke-free zones.” In
fact, if Minister Manickchand is being reported correctly she and
those whom she seems to be quoting are guilty of the worst kind of
manipulation of women’s demand to be recognized as equal.
Calling for ‘Feminition’ to be alcohol free does not suggest that
“women ought to be looked after and are lacking in independence of
thought and ability to make sensible decisions about their lives and
lifestyles.”
You might as well say that calling for events organized by ethnic
groups to be alcohol-free (as Kissoon also does) suggests that
Indo-Guyanese or Afro-Guyanese or Indi-genous people or any of our
other groups need to be patronized.
It reminds me of the argument from the right-wing in the United States
and England that government intervention to influence people’s conduct
in relation to cigarettes, alcohol or food is evidence of the
“welfare/nanny state” and a denial of fundamental freedoms.
‘Feminition’ is not my idea of how to recognize and celebrate women in
Guyana but leave that aside for the moment. It’s here, it’s about to
happen.
By being alcohol-free, it would have taken a step that is both
symbolic and practical to honour the lives of the women who live in
terror, as one told me, because “when Friday night come and he drink
he rum I does lay here, dying.”
Yours faithfully,
Andaiye
Red Thread
The Minister's defense of alcohol at Feminition was in the Stabroek News of 26 May, 2011.
Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand has said that her ministry
has “consciously” asked sponsors not to promote alcohol products
during the Feminition Women’s Expo, which is set to open tomorrow.
Minister Manickchand told Stabroek News that it was felt that the
companies who sell alcohol should be allowed to sponsor the event, as
they have a “moral obligation to help to repair and empower women in
whose lives damage may have been caused.” While alcohol products would
be available at the expo, she noted that organisers expect responsible
use.
Manickchand said the ministry’s position pre-dated a call by activist
against domestic abuse Vidyaratha Kissoon, who has said the event
should have been promoted as ‘alcohol-free.’
In a letter published in this newspaper yesterday, Kissoon, noting the
sponsors Banks DIH, DDL and Ansa McAl, said if the event was going to
be alcohol-free then it should be proudly advertised as such.
“It is shame that the Minister did not seek to make this event alcohol
free and honour the existing civil society organisations which are
also working to reverse the trends of alcohol consumption. Instead,
the alcohol industry appears to be honoured. If the event is going to
be alcohol-free, then it should be proudly advertised as such,”
Kissoon said in his letter.
He pointed out that the human service ministry itself has to grapple
with the problems caused by alcohol consumption, which he said has
destroyed the lives of many men and women in communities across the
country.
Manickchand, in response to Kissoon’s letter, pointed out that alcohol
is not banned in Guyana. She said that there was a detailed discussion
among the event’s organising team as to whether alcohol should be
available during the expo.
“In our team's discussion on whether alcohol should be available at
the event, the team, mostly comprising women, was of the firm view
that our participants, exhibitors as well as patrons, who we expect to
be mostly women, are very capable of using alcoholic products in a
responsible manner,” she said.
She further stated that it was also felt that any limitation of
products could easily “entrench the position that women ought to be
looked after and are lacking in independence of thought and ability to
make sensible decisions about their lives and lifestyles.”
Further, Manickchand told Stabroek News that a recent research
indicated that alcohol is not a driver of domestic violence. However,
she quickly pointed out that both she and those at the ministry are
themselves “surprised about that and even question the accuracy of
that finding.”
She continued that her ministry will pursue its course to empower and
inform women and expects that all will be on board this necessary
effort.
In his letter, Kissoon said there are faith-based organisations and
NGOs in Guyana who are now planning alcohol-free events, which are
successful. The government, in the National Domestic Violence Policy,
he further noted, has indicated that it would “join with civil society
to initiate community-based education programmes which prevent alcohol
and other substance abuse addictions, in view of the undisputed link
between alcohol consumption/substance abuse addictions and domestic
violence.”
He pointed out that it is easier to find a legal or illegal vendor of
alcohol than it is to find any rehab programme or education programme
to reverse the damage caused by alcohol use in the country. “The
alcohol control laws are flouted without any fear of reprisal from any
of the government agencies responsible for the enforcement of the
laws,” he said.
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