Having gone through the history of presidents of the United States of America, in the list of 44 presidents from George Washington elected on April 30, 1789 to Barack Hussain Obama elected on January 20, 2009, I found that no single woman president has yet been elected by the USA. This Gender discriminatory treatment in political culture is the substantial question mark on itsoldest modern democracy that why it has failed to elect a women president when various other even developing nations have elected a women leaders.
Under the United States Constitution, the president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States. As chief of the executive branch and face of the federal government as a whole, the presidency is the highest political office in the United States by influence and recognition. Regrettably, no female has ascended to this highest political rank. However the USA claims to be firm upholder of human rights and gender equality, it seems that the claim is merely empty rhetoric aimed at earning fame and popularity in the world.
Hillary Clinton is not the first woman to run for United States president but here is a long list of the female presidential candidates which begins with Victoria Woodhull’s campaign for the president in 1872. None of them has been elected the US president. The civilized American society showing resistance to female leadership has manifested misogyny prevailing in the political culture of the country. However, so many countries such as Turkey, Ireland, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Canada, France, and England have embraced women presidents and prime ministers. Despite being the hub of human rights violations and gender disparity, Pakistan has got credit to elect a woman prime minister twice.
SHAIKH ABDUL RASHEED,
Sindh, April 7.