Feminism

So 100 years ago today Emily Wilding Davison threw herself in front of the King’s Horse at the Derby. We’re not sure if she actually meant to kill herself or just pin the suffragette ribbon to the horse. Either way, she died from her injuries and became a martyr for her cause. 

I played a version of her in a drama class production in High School. I was so intrigued by this band of militant women hell bent on achieving equality I absorbed as much information as I could about them. But how far have we actually come since then? Currently only 22.5% of the UK’s Members of Parliament are female and having just returned from Amsterdam, I didn’t feel very empowered on behalf of the hundreds of women standing semi-naked in windows on show like cuts of meat in a butchers shop.

Sometimes on account of my interest in politics I am asked if I ever fancy standing as an MP. The short answer is ‘never in a million years’. You need to have the hide of an elephant to get selected. You will also endure crass questions about your capabilities and suitability no man would ever be asked. Don’t even get me started on the campaign trail which is relentless, utterly thankless and demands a 100% commitment rate leaving zero time for a personal life. And woe betide you actually get elected. Your life will never be your own, you are always on the clock, never deserving of a holiday and unless you are working seven days a week, 12 hours a day, someone will be unhappy.

A very important figure in my professional life stood for election a few years ago, she happened to be pregnant at the time and her male opponent and his team ran a campaign based around their claims  that she couldn’t do her job properly if she was looking after a baby at the same time. Can you imagine a man ever having to put up with that? Of course not!

It drives me insane that in this supposedly progressive nation, we still have questions asked of female politicians, or any female professional for that matter, as to how they can juggle work and family. Why is the man never asked that? Are they any less of his children? And if he is in his 30s, single and childless, why isn’t every question asked of him about why he hasn’t settled down yet? The double standards are appalling and unfortunately too lengthy to mention.

But back to Emily, her sacrifice paid off ultimately. Women can vote in the UK with equal rights to men. Unfortunately voting is on the decline in this country, women (and men) feel for whatever reason; whether they feel they are misrepresented, they feel their vote is pointless, or they are just lazy, that they don’t have to take part in the democratic process in this country.

I just don’t understand that. When I first got my polling card, I practically skipped to the polling station. I was so happy and excited that the old ladies manning the booths were calling their friends about me, saying what a breath of fresh air I was! I know I’m a very geeky exception, but you only have to look at the current state of UK politics – a coalition in a huge mess which is gradually tearing apart our beloved institutions such as the NHS. If more people had come out and voted, this would never have happened.

I just hope by the time the next election comes around, we can get more women out and get their voices heard. Thanks to Emily Wilding Davison it doesn’t have to be anything dramatic, just a wee cross in a box could change the course of the country.