Another Slap for Feminism

Purported American feminists who like to declare feminism dead have company overseas.

Writer Penny Vincenzi, recently denounced British Equality Minister Harriet Harman's proposed Equalities Bill as "crack-handed," insisting that women are better off butting heads with the Old Boys' Club on their own -- essentially calling the glass ceiling a myth.

Harman's Equalities Bill proposes affirmative-action-type guidelines that encourage employers to choose a woman or minority candidate of equal qualifications over a white man of the same. It also seeks to ban all age discrimination and force public sector employers to disclose the gender pay gap in their organization, a move that could out the starkly unfair differences in pay between men and women.

Such legislation is certainly fair game for critics who think forced equality isn't quite the same as fairness. But Vincenzi seizes the opportunity to pick on women in the workforce who bitch and moan about things like sexual harassment, unfair maternity leave policies, and the very-real wage gap. It's the type of sexist rant I'd expect on this side of the pond from someone like Ann Coulter, perhaps feminism's biggest same-gendered foe.

"I am completely baffled by these women who win zillions of pounds' compensation because the men on the trading floor make sexist remarks to and about them, and supposedly ruin their lives," Vincenzi writes. "Either grow a thick skin and fight your way to the top on talent and hard work, or don't bother going there in the first place... nobody forces you to go into an environment that is male-oriented."

So -- wait -- women should avoid going into any male-dominated career field, including law, military, government, finance, medicine, journalism (unless it's the "rather rarefied area of women's journalism" Vincenzi blatantly mocks, despite spending most of her career doing it), and just about any other professional industry unless they're willing to take it like a man? Sounds like a terrible case of "blame the victim" mentality to me.

Vincenzi even describes her own experience with sexual harassment as no big deal: "I was also subjected to a fair bit of sexist comment, especially about my appearance, which didn't seem to me the end of the world; complaining certainly wasn't an option and common sense would have told me it would be absurd. It was the era of the mini skirt and I could perfectly well have worn something longer, but I just didn't want to."

What I can't figure out is Vincenzi's motive. I'm with her on the miniskirt defense, but not the inherent objectification that she says comes along with it. She almost comes off as pro-women with attempts to celebrate those who did succeed despite the odds -- Barbara Castle! Shirley Williams! Margaret Thatcher! But three female success stories don't fix the societal wrong. That's like arguing that racism is dead because America elected its first black president. (FYI, it's not.)

Vincenzi seems mostly mad at babies, or women's insistence on having them and then not being able to be a Margaret Thatcher and a mom at the same time: "There has been a lot of similar whining from the sisterhood about the small number of women (still) in Parliament. Lots of excuses about the reason: a male-dominated culture, anti-family hours, no facilities for breastfeeding."

There's no doubt that women have to choose between family and a certain career tier. Adequate workplace policies just don't exist to give women the opportunity to do both. But taking issue with that fact isn't whining, it's advocating for progress. That's sort of what feminism is about, a fact lost on so many who argue about its irrelevance in a time when it's so clearly still needed.

You see, women do want to work hard, rise in ranks and dominate their career fields jut like Thatcher (and how about Martha Stewart, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama, to cite some modern American examples). They also would rather not be promoted based on the activity of their reproductive organs.

Vincenzi thinks she's giving women a pep talk: "If you want to succeed in whatever field you choose, you can -- and you always could." But it feels more like a slap in the face.

Where do you stand on the "need it, kill it" feminism debate?

Heather Wood Rudúlph is co-founder and editor of SirensMag.com. To read the original post, click here.

 

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Comments

[GranE]

My gosh. Do women really believe that they must endure sexual harrassment at work? Her statement that women "always could" make it in careers is exhausting. When was women's right to vote won? Almost 90 years later we finally get a bill passed for equal pay? Women who don't stick together will always be seen as weak sisters who don't value themselves for what they know. The feminist movement of so long ago was a solidarity of that idea. The younger generation who has taken those strides for granted , will keep losing the battle as long as some women rely on sex to move up. That attitude by women only reinforces dominence by male dominated companies. Until all the old generation retires from the workforce and younger males who aren't threatened by womens' brains takes hold, women can only expect the trend to continue. Women must reinforce the idea of respect for themselves and their ideas and compete in the work place armed with same. No male can argue that they don't do the same.

[WorkingClass]

Do Feminists even acknowledge their working class sisters? I don't know. I'm asking. An increase in the minimum wage would help a lot of women. But it would help men also. Is that a deal killer?

[Jepordy]

FEMINISM is creating a FEMINIST DYSTOPIA, for six years i have been harassed by feminist's, they have been phoning up my employers and destroying my work prospects. If women want rights, they are going about it the wrong way, sooner or later there will be a back lash from mens groups which are growing very popular on the net.
Men have very little contact with there kids after seperation, court orders arn't worth the paper their written on, false allegations are prolific, many made by women intent on destroying people lives.
Is this the type of society people want, or is it a minority in a group called feminism.

Jobs applications should be approached on ability, not what sex you are" descriminating against white men just because were men is direct discrimination.

If Fathers 4 Juistice can protest so can men's organisations on a bigger scale, the time to unite is coming, WHITE MEN WILL FIGHT BACK!!!

[jmpurser]

As a white male I'd like to point out this sad lose in no way speaks for me or my kind.

[canfemlib]

I'm afraid there are lots of women who aren't feminists. Its not the thing to do, it looses you social standing with the men, and that's what counts, right?

Feminism came to a grinding halt with reaganism, when greed became god. I hope we've got a chance to revive it soon.

We got the choice to work, but not the child support legislation for family break-ups, not the pay equity, and we're still getting squeezed on control over our own bodies.

[ImmanuelGoldstein]

The fact of the matter is that everyone, male or female must sacrifice familiy and indeed virtually any outisde life to succeed,or indeed survive in the white collar world these days. It takes 60-80 hr. work weeks and there is simply no prospect of being a highly involve parent of any sex and succeeding in this environment.
Sorry but you really can't have it all. That was a pious fraud. There are only so many hours in the day.
Make your choice.

[Lorianne]

This is the reality. The real enemy is the clock ... for men or women.

A better way to go about dealing with the work/family time issue is to work it out with your partner BEFORE you have kids. Unfortunately, until you have kids, you can't really know how much time/energy a family requires. Catch 22.

The same goes for people taking care of aging parents or ill family members.

But it's not really the company's business how you juggle your time.
They want you there working, period. If you're not, they'll pass you over for somenone who is.

The only way to have more in control of your work/family time is to work for yourself ... and then you'll REALLY be putting in the hours.

[clevelandchick]

There are a lot of women who don't support other women in the workplace. This woman seems like she would rather see her sisters in the workplace be harassed than prevent it. Discrimination is hard to prove, especially at small private firms. Sexual harassment can be mentally debillitating. In an economy so tough a woman doesn't always have the option to just go find an other job.

That's why we need laws to protect women from discrimination and harassment. It should not be up to a company to choose to pay a woman less than a man for the same title and work. Harassment should be illegal for any gender, race, creed, orientation. Anyone who advocates against fairness and the right not to be abused in the workplace has a screw loose.