To be a Troublemaker
by VANEISA BAKSH
Ten years ago I applied for membership at Queen's Park Cricket Club (QPCC). It was the beginning of a long campaign to get the QPCC to allow women in. By October 2004, when the club finally voted to allow female membership, I was under no illusion that the vote was connected to anything but requirements to host ICC World Cup matches.
My first application had been rejected after three years, and after waiting the requisite six months, I'd lodged another in mid-2000. Last week, I received a call from the club advising me that my name was up before the Ballot Committee and I must attend a screening.
I chose not to attend and wrote a letter to the club explaining my rationale. In a nutshell, it had been brought to my attention that I had been branded a troublemaker by a senior and influential club member, whose view was that I should not be allowed in. The label did not bother me, they'd called me all sorts of things in the past -- one of their calypsos on me said I'd taken off my clothes at Kensington to chase Brian Lara! Imagine that!
What turned me away was that this person had discussed the issue of female membership with me several times, publicly and privately, and he had supported it, but had indicated that it was difficult and slow going to persuade the membership of the need.
I had been sympathetic, having heard the virulence of some of those opposed to letting women into their sanctum. The remarks now suggested that all else had been posturing and the hypocrisy of it made me unwilling to go near the club.
As for the screening, it seemed to me that they knew where I stood, and I indicated this in my letter, also reminding them that I had offered my services to them in the areas of research, writing, editing and archiving. I ended by saying that in light of the views expressed, it seemed the whole exercise would be a waste of their time and mine.
A friend said I should have attended, gone along with it, and when they rejected me then take them to task. Instead, he said, I had given them the opportunity to say they had invited me to attend a screening and I had refused. As yet, there has been no response, but I don't really expect any.
I thought about that and concluded that though I might not be adept at these strategic moves, I don't wish to be. I have seen enough of these games being played in public and professional spaces to find them an absolutely unattractive manner of conduct. In the case of QPCC and me, it has been ten years since I applied for membership, I have really had enough of the back and forth. I couldn't find anything to convince me that the exercise was not just a formality.
For me, the whole issue was not about my personal membership; it was the principle of removing gender discriminatory practices, especially from within organisations wielding as much power in national life as the members of Queen's Park do. The club is just past 110 years old; until 1981 it was the body representing T&T cricket on the WICB, and it did not give that up without a fight.
Its history has been one of exclusion of various sectors of society at different times. I may be wrong about the intent of the invitation, in which case I have burnt another bridge, but my instinct tells me otherwise.
In any case, they've agreed in principle to let women in. More than two years have passed without them actually doing so, but if they are ready now that is fine and they can let in as many women as they want. Even troublemakers.