Published February 14, 2024

Nelson Sergerie

GASPÉ – A series of podcasts exploring the experiences of women in politics is being produced by the Gaspé Peninsula Magdalen Islands Round Table of Women’s Groups (Table de concertation des groupes de femmes). The series features interviews with women actively engaged in politics of social movements, aiming to shed light on their experiences in what is still largely perceived as a “man’s world”.

“We had the idea of highlighting women in politics and presenting the testimonies of those who are involved in politics but also women who come from social movements,” explains the women’s health development agent and host of Women and Politics, Léa Blouin-Rodrigue.

Additionally, “we also wanted to see what challenges they face in their work or their involvement.” Recent events, such as the resignation of councillors and mayors, prompted this initiative.

“Why do these women leave? There are various reasons. There are certainly advances being made, but also challenges that women face in the political sphere,” mentions Ms. Blouin-Rodrigue.

Gender parity is an ongoing concern in every election, yet achieving balance remains a challenge. “Women and men’s experiences in politics are shaped by their genders. Politics was made by and for men, making it difficult for women to find their place. Often, women are the primary caregivers of children. Sometimes it’s more difficult to reconcile,” says Ms. Blouin-Rodrigue.

The podcast addresses this issue. “They (women) must prove that they are capable of being a mother and a politician, questions that are not asked of their male counterparts,” says Ms. Blouin-Rodrigue.
“We don’t question women and men on the same subjects. It can be an additional challenge for women to have to prove that they are up to the challenges,” she mentions.

Ten episodes will be presented in this podcast series and the first two were presented on January 24 during a launch in Gaspé.

Former Member of the National Assembly and spokesperson for the Parti Québécois Mégane Perry Mélançon and Charlotte Guay-Dussault, a community organizer, solidarity activist and mother are the subject of the first podcast.

“We also want to highlight that the political implication is vast. It’s not just about running for office and then occupying an elected role. It can be volunteering in a party, organizing demonstrations, or uniting with citizen groups. There are lots of ways to get involved and we wanted to highlight them,” notes Ms. Blouin-Rodrigue.

The podcasts are available on various platforms for broadcast.

The Round Table will share links on social media directing listeners to the Autour de la table channel.
If there’s enough interest, there might be a phase 2.

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