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Recently in London, the Fawcett Society, which is the UK’s leading campaigner for equality between women and men, held a throwback protest. The Society organized hundreds of demonstrators to hit the streets of London wearing rubber gloves, headscarves and full-skirted frocks to protest against government cuts which they say are hitting women disproportionately hard and risk setting the battle for equality back decades. Similar rallies in other cities, including Coventry, Bristol and Manchester, are said to culminate in “tea parties.” Even in Oxford, a 1950s-themed “flash mob” is to take place: the most committed participants were urged to come in handcuffs with which they can chain themselves “to the kitchen sink.”
OK. Whew. So, I’m all for protests, and actually I’m for the 1950′s-themed look. It sends a good message. I also get that the Fawcett Society is trying …
… to make a point, but I’m just not sure I agree with it. See, what the Fawcett Society is trying to say, is that they feel these jobs cuts might be aimed primarily at women. More than half (65%) of the cuts will affect women over men, so maybe the British government is doing it on purpose. Now, if that is true, than that is complete crap and I think you should take it to the streets, men and women, and give the government a good talking to.
However, the problem I’m having with this protest is that the Fawcett Society has taken the 1950′s and deemed them anti-feminist. I will agree that it was a harder time for women, as they were expected to stay home and raise babies, and if they worked they made less than men, etc., but this wasn’t the 1800′s – we weren’t bought and sold. We looked fabulous, men held our hands and asked to kiss us … I guess, to me, the 50′s were actually kind of romantic, right? This was also the time that the first feminist movement wave happened. So, maybe they’re saying we have to restart the wave—and anyone that’s been to a football game knows you get one good wave and the second one just falls flat. So maybe that’s the worry? I’m not sure … I’m actually really confused as to where they’re going with it.
Regardless, what I’m not confused about is that it is complete garbage that 500,000 people will be put out of work and that 350,000 of those will be women. I mean, even child centers are also on shaky ground with their funding being pulled. I guess maybe the Fawcett Society should stand their ground and instead of sending themselves back to the kitchen, they should take to the streets as modern day women, who are a force to be reckoned with!
