This is a letter that I penned to the Cork Independent published today. It was in response to an article written in the previous week’s edition. This article reckoned that Feminism was no longer necessary.
Dear Editor,
I was prepared to have my blood boil by Sandra Murphy’s article (20/2/2014) casting Feminism Aside. However I thought rather than quietly fuming I would put pen to paper and caution ‘not just yet’ Feminism does get bad press because it tends to conjure up a shrill unattractive woman – believe it or not men can be feminists as well. Feminism actually means equality between the sexes. It means that women should have the same rights and responsibilities as men and vice versa. Now who can argue with that? However what Sandra seems to be arguing is that she will take the rights – to own her own business, to borrow money without her husband’s permission, to continue in paid employment if she so chooses but she wants someone else to be responsible for her welfare. My advice – be careful what you wish for.
We in the 5050 Group are a group of volunteers promoting 50:50 representation in politics. Women are half the population and therefore in a properly functioning democracy we should be half the representation. However for every six politicians in this state five of them are men. That is simply unfair and is unrepresentative. Women have different experiences to men and therefore as women we need to be at the decision making table. Our children and our grandchildren’s lives will be affected by the political decisions that are being made today.
In the upcoming local and european elections I would urge people to consider becoming active in canvassing for women candidates. Find a woman candidate that represents your politics and help them to get elected. Since 1992 the percentage of women elected to the Dail has gone from 12 to 16. We have had the equality rhetoric now we want action. The political parties have been forced to field more women candidates with the introduction of candidate selection gender quotas for the next general election.
The argument goes that politics is a man’s world and that women do not want to be politicians. Rather like Sandra’s argument that women ‘want’ to be minded. As adults we all need care and we all need those who will look out for us in times of trouble. However that does not mean that we should be content with others in the decision making role or that it is unfeminine to want to take responsibility for our own destiny. Women face particular barriers when it comes to competing in the political world namely childcare, culture, confidence and cash. The gendered nature of childcare is evidenced in the 2011 Census with 500,000 women working in the home versus 9,600 men. Childcare is not a 9-5 occupation its 24/7.
Some men will be displaced by the increased participation of women, so it is not surprising that some will get upset. Indeed it seems women like Betty want to see the status quo remain. However some men are supportive and indeed are prepared to step aside because they accept the justice argument. Others like the system the way it is. Gender is a significant category when it comes to representation. Women are half the population. In a properly functioning democracy women should be half the representation. The road to 50:50 is still a long way off so when Sandra wants to cast feminism aside I say wait until we have 50:50.
