Dear Editor,
As International Women’s Day approaches, I am embarrassed as I reflect on an injustice that continues to impact many Bahamian women, including some of my closest friends. This is an issue that cuts to the core of what it means to be a Bahamian woman and one that demands immediate attention and action.
Some of my friends, remarkable women who grew up alongside me from infancy to young adulthood, met their soulmates while studying abroad, married, and built families in other countries. These women—brilliant, compassionate, and deeply rooted in our indigenous Bahamian identity—have contributed to our nation’s development in countless ways. Yet, because they married non-Bahamians, they are denied the right to pass on their Bahamian citizenship to their children, simply because of an archaic and unjust law.
Their only fault? Falling in love with someone who is not Bahamian. And for this, our laws punish them. This is a grave injustice, not only to them as individuals but to their children—children who should have the right to claim the same Bahamian heritage, culture, and legacy that their mothers carry so proudly. It is difficult to understand how we continue to endorse a system that excludes these women from a fundamental right simply because of who they married. After all, they are Bahamian, and so are their parents, who have given their lives in service to this country and regularly fly over to visit their daughters and non-Bahamian grandchildren.
Moreover, it is important to recognize that many of the women impacted by this inequality have served our country at the highest levels in key roles and in top industries, representing our nation on the global stage. We can all name some of them, even if we struggle to pronounce their exotic surnames. The reality is that their contributions are invaluable and undeniable. They are mothers who have given so much to our country—yet, under the current law, they are still seen as less than equal in the eyes of the state. How can we celebrate their achievements and contributions while simultaneously denying them the ability to pass on their Bahamian citizenship to their children?
The truth is, a child is more guaranteed to belong to their mother than to their father. So if we are going to confer citizenship, it is only right that women are equally empowered to pass it on. There should be no distinction based on gender, particularly when it comes to something as fundamental as nationality. These women deserve the right to pass on their citizenship without restriction, just as their male counterparts can.
The time has come for this gender discrimination to stop. Let’s honour the contributions of all Bahamian women—those who serve our nation at home and abroad, and those who raise the next generation of Bahamians, regardless of where that generation is born.
A Voice for the Voiceless,
Sen. The Hon. Maxine Seymour
