By Colleen O’Connor
Jacinda Ardern
Why can’t a man lead more Like a woman, specifically, like the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern who announced her resignation Thursday.
Remember the classic My Fair Lady stage and film rendition with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn where he tried to turn a flower seller of the streets into a cultured gem (all in an attempt to win a bet)?
Tragically, the NZ Prime Minister since 2017, has left as one of the most admired, energetic, conscientious, and noble of world leaders.
Her explanation for leaving office by February 7:
“The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple”.
The decision was my own. Leading a country is the most privileged job anyone could ever have, but also the most challenging. You cannot and should not do it unless you have a full tank, plus a bit in reserve for those unexpected challenges.”
Imagine that… to know when to leave.
Summing up world leaders’ opinions to Ardern’s shocking resignation, Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister since 2022, tweeted on Thursday morning that Ardern had “shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength.”
Her final words: “Hope I leave New Zealanders with a belief that you can be kind but strong, empathetic but decisive, optimistic but focused… that you can be your own kind of leader, one who knows when it’s time to go.”
Why can’t America’s former former president, current Speaker, etc. “be more like a woman” and know when to leave?
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
“As one of just a handful of female world leaders, Jacinda Ardern was dogged by sexist and ageist remarks from reporters, online commentators and fellow politicians during her time as New Zealand’s prime minister.” Washington Post
“In office, Ardern formed the most diverse government in New Zealand’s history after a landslide election victory in 2020, with more women, people of color, LGBTQ and Indigenous members of Parliament than ever before.
Last year, New Zealand became the first advanced industrialized democracy to have a majority-female legislature.”
What a loss to humanity, let alone New Zealand! Think of her exit amid the “hanger-oners” in this country.
She’s young enough that certainly she’ll return to New Zealand politics.
We might not ever know why she decided to make that decision. I think she was a very great leader . Too bad she wasn’t born here…
I also was quickly comparing her resignation with politicians in the US Congress who hang on when it was time to leave long ago and allow new blood into our legislature and administrative branches!!
It’s a sad state of the world where having high moral standards and doing the right thing come with life threatening consequences, but unfortunately that’s the current normal. https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/20/jacinda-ardern-speculation-that-abuse-and-threats-contributed-to-resignation
Then there’s the flip side of the political coin; too many women politicians are all about the campaign funding from the wealthy who own the corporations and ‘prove’ their worth by showing they can be just as vicious and venal as men. As just one small example, PM Thatcher was Reagan’s doppelganger who was just as awful as he was. That is demanding ‘equality’ in the worse way.
The New Zealand PM is an oddity. She won’t follow the rules of Capitalist, war-based elite wealthy-owned social constructs so of course she’s going to be forced out. She shut down and quarantined during Covid which did NOT endear her to the conservative wealthy in that country. Her government even refused US billionaire Peter Thiel’s demand to build a bigger mansion and bunker on his NZ property. Imagine that happening with Biden? Not likely! But I’ll bet that pissed the right wing wealthy zealot off immensely…and he’s got the money to cause havoc for her in that small country. Look who he’s funding in the US as an example…
The reality is that most women who get to higher status are like ‘Education Sec’ Besty Prince-DeVos the sister of murderous Blackwater Mercenary founder Eric Prince, or the openly Fascist new leader of Italy, and that San Diego MAGA insurrectionist and former MP shot dead in DC storming Congress, or failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake of AZ who is still suing to overthrow the election she lost. Or Hillary Clinton’s quarter million dollar 20 minute speeches to the wealthy Wall St. banksters that was released showing just what a crook she is in her own words.
Women can be just as disgusting as men, it is not just a freaking gender thing but social indoctrination, so let’s drop the blatant sexism in the title of this piece!
I’ve heard a lot about this PM from Kiwi Kevin Hester, we’ve had a number of conversations about her over the last few years. She’s been a pretty good leader and yep she would NEVER be elected in this country. She wouldn’t be allowed to even run…sort of like Ralph Nader.
All we get are wealthy corporate neoliberals like Biden, Obama, and Bill Clinton or wealthy corporate neocons like Trump, Wbush, and HWbush. It’s the society not the gender.
And Chris, what you said… has always been ‘the normal’ for our species throughout written history I’m sorry to point out.
Disclosure: I’m the major article link contributor to the climate site KevinHester.Live
sealintheSelkirks
“And Chris, what you said… has always been ‘the normal’ for our species throughout written history I’m sorry to point out.”
You’re not wrong. Perhaps the hardest pill to swallow is that all of us who breath air have come culpability.
She was a bright spot on the world stage for a few years. Her success in NZ was impressive and gave hope that sometimes the “good guys” can win. But often the brightest lights burn out the quickest. I don’t see any backup for the assertion that she will return to public politics, but I reckon she’ll continue doing some real good for quite a long time.
Another couple of points, 1) Do any of you/us remember the name of any other NZ (or even AUS) PM ? And, 2) I gotta point out my negative reaction to the headline; besides being a great woman leader; she was (and is) a great leader.
Good article about her in the Guardian UK/.
Seems like the Kiwi form of our ignorant violent GOP anti-vax pro-gun types are getting their way…
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/20/jacinda-ardern-speculation-that-abuse-and-threats-contributed-to-resignation
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sealintheSelkirks
I posted this very same article who posts up from this.
Two, not who.
Ron Klein, superlative WH Chief of staff….now following Ardern and Pelosi exiting job in February, telling friends he “is exhausted.”! Kudos to him, but again, sad for the country. Perhaps others who should exit might go now.