Women's rights champion Dr Glenda Simms has died
Published:Saturday | January 1, 2022 | 1:41 PM
Janet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Former executive director of the Bureau of Women's Affairs Dr Glenda Simms has died in Ottawa, Canada.
She passed away on New Year's Eve.
Simms, was reportedly ailing with Lou Gehrig's disease and dementia.
A renowned feminist, Simms catapulted to prominence in 1990 when she became the first black woman to be appointed president of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
She was also founding member and president of the Congress of Black Women of Canada, before convincing gender affairs minister Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller in 1995 that she had the ability to position the Bureau of Women's Affair as a more influential institution in the society.
During her tenure, the bureau reviewed 42 pieces of legislation, which Simms noted then were pieces of law needed to help remove systematic barriers that worked against women and girls.
In 2014, Simms was awarded the Order of Distinction in the Officer Class for outstanding work in gender development.
As Simms championed the rights of women, she will be remembered for her famous quote: “Feminism is when you can differentiate between yourself and a doormat”.
Simms, who was originally from St Elizabeth returned to her parish after and went into farming after leaving the corporate world.
She is survived by three children, including daughter Michelle with whom she lived.
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