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Original poster

Are women interested in current affairs? (And why I hate Woman's Hour)

426 replies

BrummieOnTheRun · 02/12/2006 12:51

I spent the last few days ranting to DH about the fact that certain stories that primarily affect women don't appear in the media.
Like the nationwide policy of downgrading local maternity services (only reported locally, ignored by national media) putting 1,000s of women and babies' lives at risk each year. Or is that each month?
Like loans to women entrepreneurs being at higher interest rates than those to men as we are perceived to be higher risk.
Like the cost of childcare and impact on (primarily women's) employment being treated as a minority issue. We're 50% of the population and most of us have/will have children.
Blah, blah, blah.
Have always been pissed off that Woman's Hour, instead of having the political and intellectual clout of the Today programme, has spent approx 6 minutes superficially covering important issues to cut them off to discuss bloody borsch recipes. Or drama 'that women might enjoy'.
Then a depressing thought occurred to me...maybe it isn't that most 'current affairs' isn't interested in women, maybe most women just AREN'T INTERESTED in current affairs and that's why women-centric issues aren't widely covered?

OP posts:
Monkeytrousers · 02/12/2006 21:23

You can takn feminism with me if you like too - I'm doing my PhD in Darwinian Feminism.

expatinscotland · 02/12/2006 21:27

Well, I find it important to be well-rounded.

I'm pretty active in politics myself, and part of that is being able to have a conversation.

About suncream as well as government policy.

Honey always caught more flies than vinegar.

As they say.

Chanel nail varnish is worth the money. It doesn't chip. Neither does Essie. OPI does. Horribly.

morningpaper · 02/12/2006 21:27

I love current affairs but to be fair, men probably know more about current affairs because they HAVE MORE TIME. The same reason that music is aimed at a MALE market. MEN HAVE MORE TIME. You need time to keep up with current affairs. You need time to read the paper and listen to the radio. And in the main, womenlikeus have given up all their time.

Xenia how the hell can you wear HEELS with children in the house? Don't you stand on their teeny hands and feet?!

moondog · 02/12/2006 21:27

I will happily discuss suncream or politics,depending on the contaxt.
It is pretty thick to assume one is always more important than the other.

Monkeytrousers · 02/12/2006 21:27

Actually, not just yet if you don't mind. I'm rather embracing kitsch Saturday night tv at the mo and Take That are on now - whoohoo!

morningpaper · 02/12/2006 21:28

Actually Xenia the example you chose is interesting.

Men are probably more interested in current affairs.

But who is it educating themselves so that their children don't get skin cancer? HMM?

choosyfloosy · 02/12/2006 21:29

but that's the thing. The 2nd part of The Age of Aids is on at the same time as the 2nd part of Take That. Am I not allowed to want to watch both?

WhenSantaWentQuietlyMad · 02/12/2006 21:32
Monkeytrousers · 02/12/2006 21:33

Hi there Mooney. Long time no see! (Xenia, me and Monney are old sparring partners, but we still call it quits on important issues such as quinoa and freezing spinach )

expatinscotland · 02/12/2006 21:34

Take That are p*ss!

You canNOT be serious!

Ultra-sun once-a-day really does stay on.

kama · 02/12/2006 21:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

moondog · 02/12/2006 21:34

Alright MT??
I have...... enjoyed reading Xenia's recent contributions for want of a better word.

Monkeytrousers · 02/12/2006 21:34

Sorry to bring the tone down but..I have always liked Gary, even though he is a bit plump

Original poster
BrummieOnTheRun · 02/12/2006 21:34

I 100% agree MonkeyTrousers. Personally I'd love to see the full hour of Woman's Hour dedicated to a proper discussion of issues and leave the WI topics and recipes to another programme.

And not necessarily just 'women's issues' either. I'd like to see Marjorie Scardino dragged in to comment on business affairs, and Nicola Horlick, and other key women from the law, finance, business, politics, healthcare...

You know I can't even think of any names because we NEVER hear from them on important topics.

And I'd love it even more if, following coverage on the programme, the odd topic was picked up by the 'mainstream' media and caused some crap for the politicians. W/Hour just doesn't have that clout.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 02/12/2006 21:35

And FWIW, men don't just talk about current affairs.

Puh-leeze. When you're not around, they talk about sex, too.

WhenSantaWentQuietlyMad · 02/12/2006 21:36

Sorry to continue the lowering of tone, but i was just thinking that I never liked Gary before, but now he is the strangely grown up choice of the four.

I now fully realise that any credibility has now been completely lost.

expatinscotland · 02/12/2006 21:36

Also about other banal subjects like gadgets, cars and beer.

Which could denegrate into discussions about farting and other bodily functions.

expatinscotland · 02/12/2006 21:37

Sorry, but the second I saw Lulu, I turned it off.

She sux.

Monkeytrousers · 02/12/2006 21:37

Expat get a grip!! Take That are Rachmaninov to today's boy band Liberace's!

This is the world we live in!

expatinscotland · 02/12/2006 21:39

Any minute now, George Michael is going to jump out of a giant cake rolled onto the stage, belting, 'Wake me up, before you go-go!'

WhenSantaWentQuietlyMad · 02/12/2006 21:39

Exactly expat. Men's conversation revolves around sex, beer, football etc. Women may not talk about the same crap topics, but I disagree that they talk more crap.

The tabloids anyone? They are read mainly by men.

Intelligent conversation does not have a gender, and to believe it does is perpetuating a myth that we should be trying to get away from.

Not that it isn't okay to talk about trivia sometimes.

Original poster
BrummieOnTheRun · 02/12/2006 21:39

gary got better with age. Howard should shave that thing off his face.

OP posts:
Monkeytrousers · 02/12/2006 21:40

Does anyone thing he looks a bit like a plumb, blonde Tom Cruise? ...This is a great song!

WhenSantaWentQuietlyMad · 02/12/2006 21:40

I guess the attraction with Gary is that the older you get, the more success is attractive in a man rather than looks?

Monkeytrousers · 02/12/2006 21:41

Sorry about the hijack Brum