Bhutanese men- be it ministers, elected members of the Parliament, government secretaries or other important post holders in the government– are entitled to wear Patang or a ceremonial sword. The Patang is considered a symbol of authority.
Women, unlike men, are not entitled to a Patang even if they are ministers, members of the Parliament or government secretaries.
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After the first parliamentary elections in 2008, there were discussions among women parliamentarians not being given the Patang, but nothing came of it. The same discussion has cropped up again, especially, with Lyonpo Dorji Choden being the first woman minister.
Divergent opinions emerged after an article by Kuensel, raising questions about the Patang being a mandatory symbol of authority and if women in important positions must have something equivalent to the Patang?
