Tell me what things have got better for women in the last 7 years or so

Pay transparency legislation coming in
Shared parental leave
Longer maternity leave
Free childcare hours
Things like everyday sexism getting people talking about stuff
Nordic model type legislation in Europe
More and more media talking about feminist issues
Decriminalisation of abortion in the UK
Gay marriage and more lesbian couples having children
Coercive control laws
Modern slavery protection
Increased focus on safeguarding across society
Clares Law

Sorry, sentence too long - decisions on the child eating are based on the sexual history of the mother.

In the parliamentary session when a female prime minister has presided over the passage of a legal clause requiring the Department of Work and Pensions to keep records on whether women who give birth to a third child were raped or not, and financial decisions on whether the child involved deserves to eat or not, without the courtesy of a debate, I would say feminism is well down the priority list.

Quite so.

Stephen Hawking works on age of the universe timescales, Errol.

It's all, err, relative.

Sorry but bugger all. From being popular and attractive before I hit 50 I have become utterly invisible.
I'm really pleased with my career progress and I'm more than happy ageing, it's just a part of growing up but put me next to any younger woman and suddenly people at work are talking to her breasts and rudely ignoring every single thing I say.
It is so shallow, women of every age are interesting not just youngsters.

I recall in the nineties that it was deemed embarrassing for young women to call themselves feminists, that has definitely changed and seems to be more a source of pride, which is a good thing!

On the other hand, the meaning of feminism has been watered down so much it is pretty meaningless by now.

If it is okay to call yourself a feminist, but you must centre transwomen (males) in your feminism, then that ... does not actually change anything.

Radical feminists, i.e. real feminists, are as hated as ever, and everyone who doesn't centre males is declared a TERF regardless of whether they identify as radical feminist, or even feminist at all.

Progress has been made in some European countries, but some countries become worse.

Turkey, Russia, the US .... they are going backwards so fast I am not sure any net progress has been made.

Seismic shift?

more like tectonic timescales?

Parental leave.

I recall in the nineties that it was deemed embarrassing for young women to call themselves feminists, that has definitely changed and seems to be more a source of pride, which is a good thing!

Seismic shift?

Nope, gradual.

And yes, an astrophysicist is a strange choice of social commentator, however he votes.

well, in the space of 100 years, the ratio of women in government is literally infinitely higher than it was. (the existence of a few queens is mere accident of birth)

"Stephen hawking is a strange choice of social commentator!"

Not really he's been a self declared feminist and left-wing voter for years.
Do you agree with his assessment?

77,000 across a few states, IIRC.

77000 votes, I believe. HRC won the popular vote by c3 million.

Stephen hawking is a strange choice of social commentator!

From yesterdays telegraph...
" Stephen Hawking hails seismic shift that has put power in women's hands "
The five most powerful people in Britain are now women, Professor Stephen Hawking has said, claiming there has been a "seismic shift" in gender equality.
The 75yr old astrophysicist said the Queen, Prime minister Theresa May, Sottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Met Commissioner Cressida Dick were evidence that times have changed. He aslo added that the private sector has yet to catch up.

Add Merkel in Germany and the fact that we came within a few million votes of the Clinton becoming the first female POTUS he has a point.

Happy to help, of course.

"Stones: as OP said, this board has been going for 7 years on MN"

Cheers, I thought it had been here from the start.

Agree too re TV and politics, balance of sexes is improving.

Splendide: feminism and women's rights, the original name of this board.

Stones: as OP said, this board has been going for 7 years on MN

Shared parental leave the main legislative one, IMO.

Laws or general changes in society?

I've noticed positive changes in an everyday sense, I'm not saying these are 'amazing' but positive nonetheless:

• I know a lot more of my social circle who identify as feminists and share feminist messages on social media

• This includes a couple of men (seems to have started in the last year possibly due to the rise in popularity of the feminist message)

• Less women in my social/work circles take it as given that they will change their name after marriage and I know quite a few that haven't

• In the last year I've suddenly met a few women who are the main breadwinners in relatively senior positions and their DH/DP is the SAHP. I work in The City and before this year hadn't met anyone in RL who made this choice

Sorry I am sure I am being an idiot but what does FWR stand for?

Honestly I am not sure much has changed in the last twenty. I grew up in the 70's when we couldn't even study certain subjects at school as they were boys subjects. It's great that that has changed but I watch my grown up daughter (first class degree, masters, PhD great career that she loves) warring with herself and her drive for children/ love of a clean home/exhaustion/gorgeous fiance. He's been bought up in a. house where 'mum' does everything and he tries he really tries but he just doesn't get it. My gorgeous hard working bright successful girl is in exactly the same place I was 25 years ago so no not much has changed certainly not enough or maybe the wrong things.

On TV and radio, I'm seeing and hearing more female experts, especially in STEM subjects. I think we should be seeing and hearing even more women but the current number is an improvement on previous levels of exclusion.