Its been
a strange week of personal bests at bootcamp and too many cocktails.
We have had a new temporary flatmate move in, I have met a friends
baby and wondered how on earth my nephew has just turned 9? Where on
earth have that 9 years gone? I finally have a few quiet moments to
write as I have a lemon drizzle cake in the oven, before I put on the
ritz and head out to a posh tea party, before heading to Ipsden
tomorrow to see some good friends for a birthday. I am really
looking forward to Greece, where I will lie on a beach in the sun,
leaving this torrential London rain behind.
There are
a few things that have caught my attention this week so here goes...
The first
gay marriages have occurred in my homeland NZ. Surprisingly, this
did not coincide with the world ending, the sun did rise. But also
there was not a surge of straight Christians filing for divorce, as
they felt that their marriage had been devalued now that we were all
equal. There is a saying that my fav radio DJ's have coined, which I
feel very appropriate – Worry about your own dick – I agree that
it should be made into a fridge magnet. One of my British friends
laughed for a long time when I said that to him, he thought it was a
very pragmatic kiwi way of looking at things. I just think when our
children look back at this time and we have to explain to them why
people were so outraged about gay people, and we stumble as to why
this happened in the first place, those who took to the streets to
march against gay rights are going to look rather foolish, similar to
how we now look at those who discriminated against black people in
South Africa and the United States. I am pleased that now my
numerous gay friends are a step closer to being equal and I can
attend a number of fabulous gay weddings.
Whilst we
are on the equality rant, why is it that as the rights of one group
rise, the rights of another are slowly being rescinded. It is a
worrying time to be a woman in the world. Very slowly the fights
that were fought decades ago, are having to be re won. Rights should
not be something that you have to renew every ten years and hope that
the patriarchs allow you to keep them. This week we have had UKIP
treasurer, Stuart Wheeler, state that woman are unsuited to be on the
boards of companies as they are not skilled in chess or bridge, so
are therefore unsuited to business. What the fuck? Whilst its easy
to dismiss these comments as the ramblings of an old bigoted white
man whose party are well know for their intolerance, it is not as if
he is alone in these thoughts. Its was only a few years ago that
woman in NZ were aghast when Alasdair Thompson, Trade Union rep said
on national television that he thought that woman were unsuited to
the workforce as they took more leave than men, due to their periods
and having babies. When he was asked to back up his claims with
actual figures he could not. Great so someone who is leading a trade
union is as biased as the people he is supposed to be fighting
against.
I have
noticed in the last few months, that a number of my favourite
television programmes seem to be buying into the stereotype, that
woman cannot have it all the way that men can. It pains me to say
that Suits – one of the best drama/comedies on UK television is
victim to this. The main women characters in this New York city
based legal drama, are either a cut throat or weak, no inbetween. We
have Jessica – the head of the firm who does not seem to have a
personal life at all, is just there trying to keep the men in line
and has made a point of stepping over other woman to get to her
position of power, we have Rachel, who at the end of season two was
left having to chose between her career and the man she loves, and we
have Donna, the secretary who is apparently secretly in love with her
boss, and again does not seem to have a life outside the career that
she has devoted her life and ovaries too. This slick drama that has
amazing plot lines, great costuming and wonderful one liners, could
be a great vehicle to show that woman can cut it with men, that they
are more than just decoration for the office and that we actually
have brains in our heads. I have high hopes that season three will
portray all of these and provide woman with amazing role models.
Thomas
Jefferson once said 'Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty'. In
a month where we have seen Russia legislate against being gay, where
its athletes have reinforced their stance by saying that in Russia,
people are normal, woman and men date each other and that is it,
where we have seen great debate over which woman should be on the £10
note, as it was decided it was time to update the notes and there was
a real danger that we would not have seen a woman on there at all, it
seems that we all need to be more vigilant than ever. Whilst I am
not necessarily in agreement that Jane Austin was the best choice for
the £10 note, I was appalled that we were facing the possibility
that there would not be a single female face other than the Queen on
the currency at all. Britain is full of woman who have helped make
this country great – even if was a picture of the women who helped
in the war effort it would have been better than yet another old,
white man on the currency.
The thing
is that normally I don't have a good rant like this, but I believe
that its about time that people stood up for what they believed in.
I recently saw an interview with the band Fun, who I quite simply
adore, they seem like nice decent human beings, as well as having
catchy songs and being brilliant performers. They said that this is
decade when people who are not affected by prejudice, will have to
make a point of standing up for those who are. They have actively
campaigned for gay rights the world over. I recently saw a post on
facebook where they were rejoicing the failure of the Defence of
Marriage Act in the USA. A number of people commented that it was
not for rock stars to make political statements and that they would
now be deleting their songs from their devices. I am proud of them
for using their power for good – unlike other 'stars' who use their
twitter accounts to promote the latest fashion or product, and charge
ridiculous sums of money for doing so. As far as I am aware Fun
campaign for free. I would rather live in a world where I knew that
my daughters (should they ever arrive!) were going to be paid the
same as their male counterparts, that they could travel the world
without fear of sexual abuse, and that if they wanted to love another
woman, that they would not be persecuted for it. And that my sons, will be taught that women are equal to them and deserve the same respect as men, that if they want to love another man that they have the right to do so, and if they want to enter a 'caring' profession that they will not be discriminated against for their choices. This is the world
that I want to pass on.
Right
rant over, back to the kitchen, where I chose to be, after a really
busy week where I worked as hard and was paid the same as the men in
my office. I am one of the lucky ones in so many ways. Hopefully,
where ever you are in the world, you are also as lucky.
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