Let Us Transform History – Break The Bias Against Black Women

Written by Talisa Singh-MacKay

“A woman can be who she wants to be despite it all or her position next to men. Women can be who they want to be and achieve what they want to achieve. You deserve to sit on the shiny pew, do not remove yourself from the shiny pew.” – Glenda Simms, “The Myth of the Superwoman” Strong Women Strong Men Series.

As we move through the early days of March, in Celebration of International Women’s Month, aptly entitled “Break The Bias”, Maama Watali recognises the late passing of Dr. Glenda Simms.

A woman of substance, Dr. Glenda Simms was recognised as one of Jamaica’s leading feminists, human rights advocates and gender experts. She advocated strongly for gender and racial equality; was a distinguished educator and a cross-cultural Psychologist.

Her strides and leadership as a feminist and a Black Woman, strongly voicing the importance of intersectionality in women’s rights, lead her to roles such as President and Chief of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women and a founding member of Congress of Black Women of Canada.

Dr. Glenda Simms recognized the disparity of how boys and girls were raised in Jamaica. Girls were raised to cook, clean and pick up after men while boys were encouraged to enjoy nature and play.

She overcame that mentality by reading, writing and the support of her grandmother who told her she had the right to be anybody she wanted to be.

Encouraging women to claim their own destiny, Glenda often presented her well known anecdote surrounding ‘the shiny pew’.

As a child living in the rural town of Malvern, Jamaica, Glenda and her Great-Grandmother attended the community Anglican Church. Attracted by the shiny pews near the chancel, she immediately approached it and claimed a seat. Promptly scolded she was told “These are for the White people.”

From then on, defiantly, she declared a spot in the prohibited pews. The lesson she learned from that experience was to direct her life. “I believe the shiny pews is the process of going where you want to be. I must always be in the shiny pew.”

We encourage you in the likeness of Dr. Glenda Simms, to take a feather from her hat and claim the spot which is yours, indifferent to the warped expectations of racism and patriarchy which surround us. Recognise what is yours and make that space your own.

“Black women don’t need to prove they are superior to others. You were not created to be less than, you were created to be strong, equal and achieve what you want to achieve. Black women today must realise that you can become the best and be the best that you can be.” – Glenda Simms, The Myth of the SuperWoman,

Glenda Simms, PhD

Born August 7th, 1939

Place: Malvern, Jamaica

Died: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ( December 31st, 2021)