Voices Blogs Beacon Backroom Local legislator sees firsthand the challenges facing women voters, candidates in Iraq | Local legislator sees firsthand the challenges facing women voters, candidates in Iraq |
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| By Jo Mannies, Beacon Political Reporter | |
| Posted 3:08 pm Mon., 03.08.10 | |
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Despite dodging bullets and bombs, Missouri state Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal says she's enjoying the experience of a lifetime as she helps to monitor the elections in Iraq and to encourage women to take part. Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, also has witnessed the stark reminders of how women are viewed in that war-torn country, and in many parts of the Middle East. Such as? On Sunday afternoon, as she sat in a polling place, Chappelle-Nadal watched men instruct their wives at the polls on how to vote. The legislator said in a telephone interview late Sunday (her time) that she wasn't sure whether the men were explaining how to cast a vote -- or telling the women for whom to vote. In any case, Chappelle-Nadal said she was struck by the fact that when she asked the women about their choices (in general, not specific), none admitted to voting for any of the women candidates. By law, women were to make up 25 percent of the candidate choices.
She also got to meet a couple of the women candidates (pictured) who exemplified Iraq's secular-religious differences. One candidate wore a tightly bound head scarf to cover her long dark hair, while another candidate wore no scarf, and sported hair that was cut short (by local standards) and died red. The woman was accompanied by her husband, and told Chappelle-Nadal that he approves of her apparel and lack of scarf. Overall, though, Chappelle-Nadal said her many interviews with Iraqi women has underscored that "they have opinions and they do express themselves." |
Although Chappelle-Nadal was part of an official election-monitoring group, some men objected to any questions posed to their wives or other women relatives.
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