Bhutto ally named Pakistans first woman speaker

Shavon Pulley/March 19/ Gender Issues

Pakistan's new parliament elected the country's first female speaker Wednesday from the party of assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. Her name is Fehmida Mirza, a businesswoman and medical doctor elected to parliament three times. Fehmida Mirza resembles Bhutto a great deal and was nominated by her party the day of elections. She out lead her opponet by receiving 240 of the 304 votes and the opponet 70. Mirza stood to her feet and touched her forhead repeatly giving thanks, while the lawmakers greatly applaused her. Mnany of her achievements is modest compared to that of her late party leader Bhutto, who blazed a trail for female politicians with her two terms as prime minister and long leadership of the party until her assassination on December 27.
Bhutto's election in 1988 to the premiership made her the first woman to lead the government of a Muslim-majority country in the modern age.
I think this is an awesome article showing how this country can elect a female to run it's country. It is interesting that even after their current leader Bhuttowas assassinated, the lawmakers still wanted to keep a female in charge. They had the chance to change gender roles, but decided to stay with the female. If other counties can take the time to learn from countires like this, gender would not play the most important role of life. Looking at their qualifications and not the their gender is showing that you want whats best for your country and it doesn't matter the gender. The United States is facing a similar situation with the elections coming up. This will be the first time our country has had a female candidate to run for president. Some people are looking at the fact that she is a female, but many others are looking at her qualification and what she can do for this country .

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/19/pakistan.speaker.ap/index.html