Image: Tambako Surprise! We've come top in something! The great British lion roars again! And he's roaring: "Alright sweetheart, show us your tits!" UN special rapporteur on violence against women Rashida Manjoo has been on a 16 day fact finding mission, travelling across Britain to examine the state of violence against women. And hey! Rashida's been to Algeria, Bosnia, Italy, India, Croatia, Azerbaijan and more but we, us, the UK can lay claim to being the most sexist! FIST BUMP! It's not just how sexist the country is but how we parade it, Rashida says: "Have I seen this level of sexist cultures in other countries? It hasn't been so in-your-face". Are we surprised? Well, yeah. Even those who have experienced high levels of sexism, even avid readers of Everyday Sexism and Edwina Currie expressed surprise and even doubt.
Edwina Currie suggested the UN rapporteur go visit countries where it is illegal for women to drive, as though Rashida Manjoo of the UN was basing her findings on a two week caravan holiday in Wales, rather than comparing the UK to the multitude of countries she has visited. You know, because she works for the UN.
Writing in the Telegraph comedianAva Vidal pointed out that until we brought freedom to Iraq women could access six months fully-paid maternity leave, equal rights for women was part of the Iraqi constitution and in the 1990s female literacy rate was the highest in the region, wrote: "Mrs Currie displays the kind of binary thinking that is prevalent in Western countries. There is a level of arrogance that tends to believe that we are so much better off than those poor people in 'developing' countries that have such difficult lives".
Writing in the Telegraph comedianAva Vidal pointed out that until we brought freedom to Iraq women could access six months fully-paid maternity leave, equal rights for women was part of the Iraqi constitution and in the 1990s female literacy rate was the highest in the region, wrote: "Mrs Currie displays the kind of binary thinking that is prevalent in Western countries. There is a level of arrogance that tends to believe that we are so much better off than those poor people in 'developing' countries that have such difficult lives".
| This isn't just about what we experience in Westminster or on public transport, in offices or the court room (but how short was your skirt?) when it comes to sexism in this country. Women constantly cry right to banter. It's just bantz! Put up and shut up and if you can't take it, go home. | Oh, Britain is sexist, we had no idea. What's frustrating is...you do know. |
No, our ears should prick up when Ms Manjoo says that she was denied entry to Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire by the government, even though it was part of her brief to monitor the conditions of women in detention. Particularly alarming after the sudden death of a 40 year old woman, Christine Case, from a cardiac arrest in the centre last March.
But what of this peculiar culture in which - I hasten to add I'm not talking cool girl feminism, I'm talking about women who say their sisters who complain are oversensitive and need to get on with it. Who deny their right to report sexist abuse. On the same day people were denying sexism in Britain BBC Radio 4's Today programme aired a report by Sima Kotecha that the British Army was failing to tackle violent sexism against women. Women described shocking incidents of sexism only to be dismissed by a female veteran who said "it was just banter".
Currently Nigel Evans is reigniting the call for anonymity for defendants on trial for sexual offences and we still do not have a safe, approachable system for those who wish to report a sexual offence.
Oh, Britain is sexist, we had no idea. What's frustrating is...you do know. People are aware. Every time a man tells me he'd hate to be a [hetero/bi] woman on a dating site (if I were more suspicious I'd think: 'why, what have you done?') or that women in Westminster have a tougher time or asks me to let him know I got home safe he is recognising that this is a sexist society.
But that's not enough.
Squeamish Kate
But what of this peculiar culture in which - I hasten to add I'm not talking cool girl feminism, I'm talking about women who say their sisters who complain are oversensitive and need to get on with it. Who deny their right to report sexist abuse. On the same day people were denying sexism in Britain BBC Radio 4's Today programme aired a report by Sima Kotecha that the British Army was failing to tackle violent sexism against women. Women described shocking incidents of sexism only to be dismissed by a female veteran who said "it was just banter".
Currently Nigel Evans is reigniting the call for anonymity for defendants on trial for sexual offences and we still do not have a safe, approachable system for those who wish to report a sexual offence.
Oh, Britain is sexist, we had no idea. What's frustrating is...you do know. People are aware. Every time a man tells me he'd hate to be a [hetero/bi] woman on a dating site (if I were more suspicious I'd think: 'why, what have you done?') or that women in Westminster have a tougher time or asks me to let him know I got home safe he is recognising that this is a sexist society.
But that's not enough.
Squeamish Kate
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