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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

A Female Cabinet

71 replies

Xenia · 12/05/2010 12:53

So Mr Cameron let us see if you can achieve 2/3rds of your cabinet female. That would be a good start.

OP posts:
SkaterGrrrrl · 12/05/2010 17:25

"If there are women out there that can do the job - great get them in but if not a bit unrealistic that women should be in there just because we make up half of the population."

Sigh. There ARE women "out there" who are up to the job! But they dont get the same opportunities, because of sexism. See?

Original poster
Xenia · 12/05/2010 15:39

But interseting successful people usually who have done something other than be career politicans for life ilke Clegg or the Millibands tend to make better cabinet members which is one reason Brown brought in a good few people who weren't MPs.

OP posts:
FrakkedUpTheElection · 12/05/2010 15:24

Best person for the job, regardless of gender...

I don't want Louise Bagshawe, romantic novelist extraordinaire in the cabinet just because she's a woman, I'd want her there if she had something to contribute.

TheBride · 12/05/2010 15:12

I'm trying to think you else there is, if you exclude new MPs, who I really think need to be backbenchers for a while (ideally a full term) before they're considered for cabinet positions. It's just a matter of getting the parliamentary experience first.

Original poster
Xenia · 12/05/2010 15:04

The problem that there are ways men get promoted (and I see it a lot) which are to do with things other than ability. It doesn't matter for those of us who are more competent and out earn the men and more women are millionaires under 40 in the Uk than men actually but it does have an impact on those public appointments and cabinet and board posts. You need a bit more lateral thinking in the appointments and Cameron to his credit has done fairly well on this in increasing the number or women MPs this time but we could certainly do with more women in power and even with the Labour lot with their working class sexist roots, white male fat Scots etc there was an inner male cabal. There are plenty of people int he UK who would be brilliant on the cabinet, probably 100x the number who are considered so it's not that the people aren't there. Anyway let's see how brave he can be. 1 token in a senior post is not good enough.

OP posts:
CaptainUnderpants · 12/05/2010 14:18

There may be some good women in politics but if they are not up to the mark then they , along with any males, shouldn't be in the cabinet.

I have no view on whether men are better than woman in politics. My view is a general view that women shouldn't be given a job just because ther are a woman. Makes it really difficult for woman who is really good at her jobs (in a male environment) at times to be taken seriously and they got the job becuase they were the best 'person' for the job.

ilovemydogandMrBrown · 12/05/2010 14:12

But wasn't Nick Clegg's wife in Spain for a lot of the election campaign as they got stuck by Icelandic volcano ash?

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 12/05/2010 14:12

Right. So what's your explanation for the fact that the Cabinet is, and always has been, made up of almost entirely men? Do you think men are naturally better at it, or have they been benefiting from some sort of...what's the term I'm looking for here...ooh, yes, "positive discrimination"?

I mean, if men and women are equally good at the job, wouldn't you expect the makeup of the cabinet to reflect the makeup of the population?

CaptainUnderpants · 12/05/2010 14:09

No my assumption is that if there are women out there that can do the job - great get them in but if not a bit unrealistic that women should be in there just because we make up half of the population.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 12/05/2010 14:03

So your position, Captain, is that men are naturally better at politics?

CaptainUnderpants · 12/05/2010 13:59

Shouldn't be put in the cabinet just because of being female - should be out in there because they are capable to do the job. - if there are none that can fit the bill then so be it.

This is what I hate about feminism , makes out women only get jobs because there are a woman not because they are capable of it.

SkaterGrrrrl · 12/05/2010 13:44

Really pissed off about this. Where are the women? We are more than 50% of the population FFS.

Original poster
Xenia · 12/05/2010 13:37

The pay is too low and the risks too high. I couldn't afford it.

OP posts:
ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 12/05/2010 13:29

Have you never considered politics, Xenia? You would be scary...

Sparks · 12/05/2010 13:25

Mrs Cameron and Mrs Brown got a lot of media attention, but not Nick Clegg's wife. Maybe because she doesn't call herself Mrs Clegg

darcymum · 12/05/2010 13:20

I heard on the radio that the leaders wives each received more column inches than any female candidate.

WTF!

blinder · 12/05/2010 13:16

Why would we expect old Etonians to want to give any power to women?

The new cabinet is exactly what I expected of the Tories.

Margaret Thatcher ruined my community for generations to come. This government will probably finish the job.

slug · 12/05/2010 13:15

Margaret Thatcher deliberately kept other women out of her cabinet. Hardly a beacon of equality was she? Then again, Theresa May, the minister for "those wot iz not white privately educated men", has consistently voted against equal rights for homosexuals.

Original poster
Xenia · 12/05/2010 13:09

Margaret Thatcher was wonderful.

OP posts:
sallyJayGorce · 12/05/2010 13:08

Why would 2/3rds female be good purely because they are women? Remember who turned up last time the Tories found a woman who was keen for a top job?

slug · 12/05/2010 13:02

It was hard enough for the poor dears to find a woman to be the Minister for Women and equality (and presumably other "minorities" )