EXPLORING THEORIES LINDA K.

RICHTER
OF FEMALE LEADERSHIP
ARGUMENT OF THE PAPER
South and Southeast Asian women have generally
come to power in ways historically more distinctive and
exceptional than leadership routes for men – as a
result of assassinations, coups, sudden death of the
previous leader or by moving to the forefront of the
opposition against nondemocratic forces.
WOMEN BECOME LEADERS BECAUSE OF…

ideology of patriarchy female lifestyles

familial ties the historical context
martyrdom prison experiences
social class electoral arrangements
PATRIARCHY, FAMILIAL TIES, &
MARTYRDOM
Public sphere: male; Private sphere: female
Political posts are open because of familial ties to
prominent male politicians
Women are accepted when they are filling a political void
created by the death or imprisonment of a male family
member.
SOCIAL CLASS & LIFESTYLES
Add the name recognition of their families, wealth, and
education beyond that afforded 99 percent of their sex,
and one can well explain why these women were able to
transcend their gender.
High level of female administrators in India at Philippines
due to household roles assumed by other women
Political acceptability of women
ASSOCIATION WITH
INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS
Women in Asia are more likely to be active politically if their
country has experienced a long struggle for independence.
Even not involved in the struggle per se, women with
relatives involved in the independence struggles are
politicized
Post-independence: women are involved in social and
cultural work, not political power.
STRUCTURE OF THE
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
Utilization of proportional, multi-member districts rather
than single-member districts
Proportional representation is assumed advantageous for
women in much the same way it is for smaller parties and it
is assumed that because less than majority support still
results in proportionate gains, parties may be more willing
to list women among their nominees
DISADVANTAGES &
ADVANTAGES
Women leaders have lacked institutional bases.
Women as temporary leaders; symbols for the opposition
to rally around.
Explicit bias for democratic rule
Religious orthodoxy thwarted leadership and discretion
Compassion, uncorrupted, public spirited, and less hungry
for power
IMPACTS & PROSPECTS
Women are more likely to operate with "a different voice"
and style than their male counterparts.
The evidence of policy impact is then mixed and
inconclusive, but the example of talented, female
leadership is clearly important as a role model for others in
those societies
The conditions bringing a few women to political power are
sufficiently exceptional and tragic that they scarcely
portend greater general female political power.
SOME QUESTIONS…
Can the same be said for LGBTQ community? Can the
same variables be applied to explain developments in the
electoral arena (first transwoman legislator in the country;
defeat of Ang Ladlad Partylist)
25 years since the publication of this article, did things
change for women in SEA (Megawati, GMA, Yingluck, Leni
Robredo)?
Rise of neo-nationalist/deglobalizing forces, what is the
prospect for women and LGBT leadership in SEA?