Women politicians face 'too emotional' label, says Flax-Charles

Former legislator Shereen Flax-Charles has highlighted a double standard she says women in British Virgin Islands politics face when they speak firmly about public matters.

Appearing on the Talking Points show, Flax-Charles said women can be labelled "too aggressive" or "too emotional" in ways male politicians are not. "They would never say that to a man," she said.

Flax-Charles also raised broader concerns about how ideas are handled within government teams. She described instances where people with proposals are prevented from implementing them, sometimes by colleagues on their own side. She gave an example of how an idea might be blocked simply because of who proposed it, rather than on its merits.

Flax-Charles acknowledged being accused of not being a team player, but disagreed with that characterisation. She said she felt obliged to speak up when she opposed a proposal during her time in the House of Assembly with the Virgin Islands Party.

The former Territorial At-Large representative lost her re-election bid in 2023 after leaving the Virgin Islands Party to join the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement and contest the Ninth District seat. She indicated she hopes to seek an At-Large candidacy with the National Democratic Party, subject to the party's selection process.

Looking ahead to the 2027 election, Flax-Charles called on voters to consider representation across the territory. She noted that the House of Assembly has historically been predominantly male and urged the public to think about "balance and what is best for the country" when deciding how to vote.