Women from the inside: Politics on Bonaire more hostile to people than to women
KRALENDIJK – Is politics on Bonaire hostile to women? That question gained new relevance in recent weeks after former commissioner and interim chairwoman of UPB Jolinda Craane opened the discussion in several radio interviews about the position of female leaders within Bonairean politics.
For Bonaire.nu, those remarks provided the impetus to put the same question to women from across the entire Bonairean political spectrum. For this survey, former commissioners, current and former island council members, an independent council member, Craane herself, and candidates from various parties were approached.
The outcome turns out to be more nuanced than the recent public discussion might suggest. Virtually none of those interviewed describes politics on Bonaire as straightforwardly hostile to women. At the same time, several respondents do describe a political culture in which women are sometimes judged differently than men, or in which female leadership can encounter extra resistance.
Former commissioner Nina den Heyer belongs to that latter group. She does not describe the Bonairean political environment as hostile to women, but does call it “still a man’s world”. According to her, female politicians are more often addressed on their appearance or character than on the substance of their views. “Women are more quickly attacked on the basis of their appearance or character than on the content,” she says. Remarks that a woman is “being emotional again” or that “it must be that time of the month” are, according to her, not uncommon. At the same time, Den Heyer emphasises that she sees this as a broader social phenomenon that does not occur exclusively within politics.
Former commissioner Anjelica Cicilia also sees room for improvement. According to her, women who adopt a businesslike and direct approach are more quickly labelled as arrogant or emotional than men. She speaks of a macho culture, but at the same time places emphasis on the attitude of female politicians themselves. “I don’t even leave room for the idea that women have less to offer,” she says. “I am simply equal. Full stop.”
Former commissioner and current interim chairwoman of UPB Jolinda Craane nuances the question further, but takes a different angle. According to her, the discussion is not so much about whether politics is hostile to women, but about whether the political culture genuinely makes room for female leadership. She argues that women are generally accepted as long as they fulfil a connecting role, but that resistance grows as soon as they want to set the political course or challenge existing power structures. “It is not that politics on Bonaire is by definition hostile to women, but that our political culture still seems to struggle with women who don’t just want to participate, but also want to determine the direction.”
UPB council member Simeona (Yona) Chirino-Felida goes a step further. She sees local politics as part of a broader macho culture in which women still have to fight harder for recognition and regularly face subtle forms of obstruction. Notably, she does not place that responsibility solely with men. “Women too are part of the group that stands in the way of female politicians,” she says.
In contrast, a majority of those interviewed do not endorse the label hostile to women.
Gianni van den Heuvel-Guerrero, who stood as a candidate for the Democratic Party (DP) in the last island council elections, sees women as an asset to politics. According to her, they often bring a more direct style of governance and make less use of political games. “Women in politics are more direct and make less use of manipulation than men.”
Also Esther Bernabela, for many years the number two on the UPB candidate list and now active for MPB, sees no evidence that women as a group are disadvantaged. She points out that women are nowadays clearly represented on candidate lists, in the island council, and previously also in executive councils. Any hostility she attributes more to political or personal dynamics than to the gender of the politician in question. “Politics on Bonaire hostile to women? No.”
M21 faction leader Désirée (Desi) Coffie agrees. According to her, politics is a tough environment for everyone and she has never linked the resistance she encountered during her political career to the fact that she is a woman. “Politics is tough for everyone.”
Perhaps the most fitting summary of the survey comes from psychologist and former council member Renata Domacasse. She says she did not experience politics on Bonaire as hostile to women, but rather as “hostile to people”. According to her, politicians are quickly no longer seen as human beings once they take on a public role, and personal attacks are not shied away from. “No one is spared.”
Independent island council member Salma Serberie likewise sees no meaningful difference between men and women within Bonairean politics. According to her, the work of politics demands the same resilience and integrity from everyone. She believes attention should be directed less towards political strife and more towards serving the community. “The focus should be on working for the people and for the community.”
DP council member Rolanda Hellburg-Makaai largely echoes that view. According to her, the position of women in Bonairean politics has grown stronger in recent years, though room for further growth remains. She points to the concrete composition of the island council: of the nine seats, four are held by women and five by men. “Women are well represented in the island council and make a valuable contribution to the development and governance of Bonaire,” she says. Hellburg-Makaai sees no evidence that female politicians are treated differently from their male colleagues. “I do not believe that women in local politics are treated differently than their male colleagues.”
The survey by Bonaire.nu thus shows that the discussion among female politicians is considerably more nuanced than the public debate of recent weeks might suggest. Virtually no one speaks of a structurally hostile environment for women. Yet several respondents do point to a political culture in which women are sometimes judged differently or in which female leadership can provoke more resistance. Most agree, however, that Bonairean politics is above all a tough environment for anyone who chooses to engage publicly.
