Comments on: [Guest Post] A Minister for Women? I’d prefer Silly Walks, thanks.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:40:46 +0000

I think this is a very good point.

I love Ainsley, but I think a lot of her positions are only workable for her because she’s lucky enough to, for example, be able to *afford* to go to law school, have both her parents (whom the pay gap hasn’t had an adverse effect on) input financially into her education, and so on.

On the other hand, with the current incumbent, pages like this (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/05/12/analysis-how-pro-gay-is-the-new-home-secretary-and-minister-for-equality-theresa-may/ ) don’t help.

By: Sarah Jackson

Sarah Jackson — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 09:22:51 +0000

Whatever shape the govt equalities remit takes I think there should be some level of specific representation for women, to provide a check on the development of gender neutral policies and services. They *sound* good but can mean women are worse off – I was at a thing yesterday where Helena Kennedy made this point much better than I can, though I think I might be mangling her phrase a bit: “Equality isn’t simply treating as equal people that aren’t.”

The Women’s Resource Centre ran a great campaign which explains more about why we need a women’s sector as well as gender equality lobby: http://www.wrc.org.uk/what_we_do/campaigns/why_women/default.aspx

By: Jenni

Jenni — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:57:10 +0000

I’m not sure why Ainsley says she doesn’t need her rights handed to her by old white men and then invokes article 14 to make her point. Republican doublethink, anyone?

WG – you do or you don’t think we should have a Minister for Women? I think we should have one. I’ve got no problems with the next one being a man for a change, although it does put me in mind of this Onion article – http://www.theonion.com/articles/man-finally-put-in-charge-of-struggling-feminist-m,2338/

By: Brave Sir Robin

Brave Sir Robin — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 14:32:55 +0000

I don’t really have anything to add to the piece but I do want to express my love for ainsley hayes. since this is the internet and i appear to be male, i feel as though i should make some comment about a desire to procreate with her, so let’s assume i did that.

By: Zoe

Zoe — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:56:10 +0000

Agree!