Take a seat. Image: Ajari
The gender pay gap (currently - in today's money if you will - women earn 14 percent less on average than men doing the same job) is still hounding us and using examples that can best be described as exceptions to the rule; Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sheryl Sandberg they remain that. Exceptions to the rule. Women who didn't just rise to the top, but weren't afraid to do so.
The trick is, it seems, is to simply ask. Have you tried asking? See how well that went for little Oliver Twist. Please sir, can I have some more? No, that's not the way we are told. You don't ask, you see it, want it, take it. Smash and grab. Rude.
Even if it seems a majority of women have issues with simply asking or taking, maybe even talking, it doesn't explain a pay gap of 14 percent. Surely. Speaking on Woman' s Hour to promote her new book Be Awesome Hadley Freeman commented that Britain's women were the worst (or the best? Not sure) for self deprecation. We don't just fail to put ourselves forward we put ourselves down.
The trick is, it seems, is to simply ask. Have you tried asking? See how well that went for little Oliver Twist. Please sir, can I have some more? No, that's not the way we are told. You don't ask, you see it, want it, take it. Smash and grab. Rude.
Even if it seems a majority of women have issues with simply asking or taking, maybe even talking, it doesn't explain a pay gap of 14 percent. Surely. Speaking on Woman' s Hour to promote her new book Be Awesome Hadley Freeman commented that Britain's women were the worst (or the best? Not sure) for self deprecation. We don't just fail to put ourselves forward we put ourselves down.
If we aren't asking and we aren't taking and we are putting ourselves down a lot in jest (in which I am told there's truth) are we simply insuring we aren't seen? Yesterday in the Telegraph Cathy Newman wrote about Ed Miliband's possible reshuffle of his cabinet due to his top team being too invisible. Upon trying to sum up the identities of the Miliband top team Newman noted: "I'm sorry to say what I found was that the vast majority were men. So are the women even more invisible than the men and whose fault is that?"
I have to say I'm with Newman on this one, Yvette Cooper and Harriet Harman spring to mind immediately and after that it's a brow furrowing struggle to think up any more of Milly's Fillies or whatever it is we are supposed to call them. It's not the tabloid's failure to group them under a catchy name like Blair's Babes (though I fear that'll never be topped) that unfairly Stella Creasy who is rather active on Twitter doesn't pop up in my memory.
Perhaps it isn't even the women on the Miliband team's fault, Creasy cited the broadcasters who like to bag a "big hitter" who will happily try and outshout their interviewer. Creasy also recalled the Lib Dem minister Jeremy Browne saying she was "emotional." Browne if I could elect a robot to power I probably would, until then I expect MPs to be human and emotional.
I have to say I'm with Newman on this one, Yvette Cooper and Harriet Harman spring to mind immediately and after that it's a brow furrowing struggle to think up any more of Milly's Fillies or whatever it is we are supposed to call them. It's not the tabloid's failure to group them under a catchy name like Blair's Babes (though I fear that'll never be topped) that unfairly Stella Creasy who is rather active on Twitter doesn't pop up in my memory.
Perhaps it isn't even the women on the Miliband team's fault, Creasy cited the broadcasters who like to bag a "big hitter" who will happily try and outshout their interviewer. Creasy also recalled the Lib Dem minister Jeremy Browne saying she was "emotional." Browne if I could elect a robot to power I probably would, until then I expect MPs to be human and emotional.
| It's therefore clear that in order to help themselves women need to be helped by a culture change. It seems no male broadcaster is going to invite a woman MP to debate anything so the women may have to barge their way through means other than waiting around or doing a good job. | It's not the tabloid's failure to group them under a catchy name like Blair's Babes |
Instead of waiting for a Labour Leader to do them the honour of heading up a top team Wimbledon High School are giving their girls classes in putting themselves forward or 'blowing their own trumpet'. Wimbledon High School is a single sex private school, so I'd guess the girls aren't used to being shouted down by boys as those who went to co-ed comprehensives (I'd put my hand in the air but it never did any good) perhaps filling them confidence.
However once they get into the real world of the workplace where no-one puts up their hands waiting to be called upon to give the right answer, they need to learn how to draw attention to themselves. Headteacher Hannah Hanbury said of the lessons: "Within the world of work, women do find it hard to self-promote because they have this view that there will be a backlash; that being seen as too confident or vain will actually make people dislike them."
The classes will also involve celebrating peers' achievements, Ms. Hanbury hasn't commented on this but perhaps it is to counteract the stereotype of the sniping bitchy teen girl. Maybe they should give these classes to all newly elected woman MPs, although rest assured, the girls are encouraged -- but not too encouraged. "But Ms Hanbury was keen to make sure the girls did not exaggerate their success, and come across like self-obsessed participants on reality TV shows."
Ghastly! Phew.
Squeamish Kate
However once they get into the real world of the workplace where no-one puts up their hands waiting to be called upon to give the right answer, they need to learn how to draw attention to themselves. Headteacher Hannah Hanbury said of the lessons: "Within the world of work, women do find it hard to self-promote because they have this view that there will be a backlash; that being seen as too confident or vain will actually make people dislike them."
The classes will also involve celebrating peers' achievements, Ms. Hanbury hasn't commented on this but perhaps it is to counteract the stereotype of the sniping bitchy teen girl. Maybe they should give these classes to all newly elected woman MPs, although rest assured, the girls are encouraged -- but not too encouraged. "But Ms Hanbury was keen to make sure the girls did not exaggerate their success, and come across like self-obsessed participants on reality TV shows."
Ghastly! Phew.
Squeamish Kate
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