After reading the Opinion section of the March 3 Gazette, I found it interesting to find that the article on the Baha’i community’s International Women’s Day Awards immediately followed Samantha Clyde’s honest and significant letter.
I am a former recipient of the youth award and considered it an honour to be alongside other such incredible women from St. Albert — all of whom have faced considerable trials and adversity in their lives. It incited a sense of sympathy, solidarity and strength for the women of our local, national and international communities.
Samantha and her current hardships embody the struggles that women have had to face throughout history. However, not only has she spoken out for herself but she represents a vast group of women who may be unable to find their voices. I support her as well as the ideas she has expressed and find it fitting that her letter happens to sit next to the International Women’s Day coverage. The reasons Samantha stated in her letter are exactly why the International Women’s Day was first created by the United Nations.
Cassandra Durksen, St. Albert
