Welcome to the ninth in our series of columns under the title “The Gender Corner,” published every other week in collaboration with The Anguillian Newspaper. We are focusing on specific gender issues facing our island today. Through this publication we hope to provide thought-provoking and stimulating discussion that will translate into practical ways of effecting positive change. This week, as we celebrate Anguilla Day and the strength of our nation’s forefathers and foremothers, we consider how we can equip our boys to continue building the nation through a proper understanding of self and a spirit of service and leadership.
The Anguilla revolution displayed the vision and leadership of many Anguillians who had a voice that would be not be silenced. Several leaders, most notably the Father of the Nation, Mr. James Ronald Webster, were well equipped with a desire and passion for Anguilla to pave a strong path forward. This spirit was one of self-determination and personal influence in charting a course to ensure the stability and liberty of our nation. It was a period of challenge and a time of intense fear for many. Today, 47 years later, we celebrate that stage of liberation that was won. It was a political, economic and social shift that we are still experiencing the effects of.
Though the 1967 revolutionary battle was won, there is another kind of battle which must still be won. This battle is taking place in our communities and particularly in the hearts and minds of one of our most valuable assets: our boys. Young men of Anguilla face a range of tests as they figure out who they were created to be and make paths to “become their own man.” Our boys are influenced daily by media indoctrination that thug and gangsta life is the route toward money, success, video girls and ultimately what they are seeking in the first place; respect, purpose and love. How are we counteracting these false images and dead end dreams that constantly torture the minds of our boys? How are we teaching them to create true images of success that is community-focused?
In the search for family and peer acceptance, some boys run to the false comfort of a gang while others are forced into this lifestyle by the company they keep. Let’s realise that gangs offer a sense of home and belonging for the young man who is lacking true purpose. It is a fact that 10 times out of 10, this path of violence and illegal activity leads to destruction. We must ask ourselves, how can we combat the negativity that is battling to control our boys? There are opportunities for each and every one of us, male and female, to become a positive influence in a young man’s life:
1) Be a positive mentor. This includes taking a boy under your wing and providing him with a sense of home, a sense of belonging and the hope of a promising future. You are teaching him how to be grounded and building him into a strong man.
2) Engage him in conversation about how he is doing, offer him words of encouragement and show him that you care through various acts of kindness. You are teaching him self-awareness and building self-confidence.
3) Every family member, friend and community member can ensure that young men have supervised after school activities including sports, youth centre or recreational centre involvement, and trips to learn about the history and present state of our island. You are teaching him the importance of community responsibility and how to be a leader.
When we build our boys’ mental strength, self-confidence, leadership abilities and community responsibility, we ensure that they are change agents for equality and justice. Let us mould them to follow in the footsteps of the great leaders of Anguilla; battling against elements forcing our boys to believe that they are less than great. Let us encourage them to continue the heritage of Anguilla as a place of strength despite the obstacles, and perseverance in the face of challenge. Let us work to guarantee that our revolutionary leaders will be proud to know that Anguilla’s future is in the hands of boys and men who are willing to battle for what is right.
For more information and resources on ways to promote strong development for young men, contact the Gender Affairs Unit. We also want to hear about each and every one of your activities, events, or group conversations related to gender issues in Anguilla. Please contact Ronya Foy Connor, Gender Development Coordinator, Ministry of Home Affairs, The Valley, at Ronya.Foy-Connor@gov.ai or feel free to call us anytime at 497-2518. Happy Anguilla Day!
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
