Owen Evans argues that there is still a long way to go before gender equality is reached in Britain
IF ASKED which important event happened 80 years ago this year, many people would probably opt for the Wall Street Crash, particularly given the current economic climate. However, 1929 was also the year of another highly significant event. Initially, it might have seemed less earth-shattering, but the reverberations from it echoed for far longer.
The 1929 general election was the first in Britain to be held under what could be truly described as universal suffrage, because it was the first time all men and women over the age of 21 were able to vote. This was a momentous step forward for democracy and gender equality. However, equality between the sexes has not advanced as much as it should have done since that momentous year.
This is not to deny that much important progress has been made. At the 1997 general election, 120 women were elected to the House of Commons – more than 100 more than became MPs at the 1979 election. This may be real progress, but it is still a pitifully low number of women for an elected body of almost 650 members. So how do we tackle such a massive discrepancy and address the issue fully and conclusively?
Using all-women shortlists to select parliamentary candidates is not necessarily the way forward. All-women shortlists are a short-term fixing of figures that ensures little genuine change in the long term. Further, their use is essentially a defeatist measure that concedes we cannot achieve greater gender equality while maintaining a level playing field.
The difficulty of ensuring the proper representation of women in Parliament is symptomatic of a deeper problem in Britain. Quite simply, general attitudes to women must be changed. The problem of sexism and the discrimination that accompanies it goes to the very core of our society and permeates every level of our culture. In order to address the lack of women in politics, we must confront wider issues.
On average, women in Britain still earn significantly less than men. The average woman in full-time employment earns 17 per cent less than her male counterpart. That’s the equivalent of a woman taking home almost nine weeks’ pay less every year than a man doing the same job.
The situation for part-time workers is even worse, with women earning a shameful 36 per cent less than men. It is astonishing that such a gulf can still exist in what is supposed to be a modern democracy.
This blatant sex discrimination must end and the way to do that is through vigorous legislation and vigilant monitoring. Since the contribution women make to our society is of equal value, they must no longer be treated as second-class citizens in the workplace.
Attitudes to women at work may be appalling, but there are other statistics that make grim and frightening reading. And far too many people are unaware of them.
Each year, in this country, which is supposedly one of the most civilised and enlightened in the world, an estimated three million women are the victims of violence. A staggering 45 per cent of British women have experienced some form of violence, sexual assault or stalking during their lifetime. It is estimated that 80,000 women are raped every year in this country – and that is a conservative estimate.
Every one of those women is someone’s daughter, sister, partner or mother. What they have suffered – and continue to suffer – cannot be tolerated or ignored any longer.
It is clear that negative attitudes remain deeply entrenched in British society. In some quarters, sexism and misogyny are still rife. This stems in large part from the objectification of women, which, in some respects, had been more pronounced in contemporary culture. Serious questions need to be asked about the ways in which the media portray women. These are very influential and often derogatory. There are other important moral questions to be raised – and ones men should ask themselves. For instance, why is there little or no stigma attached to visiting a strip joint or a lap-dancing club?
The key to tackling sexism and discrimination is through education. And education does not have to be restricted to schools, colleges and universities. It should extend to the workplace and both the public and private sectors. In order to build a better Britain where gender equality is truly embraced, it is imperative to take positive steps to educate younger people about gender equality, along with the importance of respect, tolerance and fairness. And we must not limit ourselves to the Britain of tomorrow. It is our duty to educate people of all ages.
Perhaps the best way to bring the feminist agenda into the mainstream is to convey to men, who may be put off by the word “feminism”, that it is less a matter of the advancement of women and more a question of justice, equality and fairness – universal principles that should form the foundation of our society.
It is only by combating the negative attitudes in our country that we can hope to bring about the fundamental changes that include more proportionate representation of women at Westminster.
This will take time and it will not be easy, but it is achievable. Every piece of legislation – such as the Equality Bill which Harriet Harman is promoting – that seeks to narrow the pay gap, aims to put men and women on an equal footing and strives for an end to sexual discrimination is not just a victory for feminism or socialism. It is a victory for all of us.
