Where are all the women in the cabinet?

[fruitstick]

I'll try again with a completed thread title this time!

Given that this was supposed to be the Mumsnet election, is there any hope that there might be one, just one woman in the cabinet?

Although Samantha Cameron looked lovely in her maternity wear and heels, I was hoping for slightly more representation than that.

Despite Labour's faults, at least they had women in important and influential positions, not just window dressing.

BBC Breakfast is going to discuss this topic in the next hour if anyone is about/interested.

Not sure if anyone else has said this but where is Sarah Teather in the Cabinet? before the election she was always being used on Question Time and in interviews, she's eloquent, articulate and principled, and she has now fought two amazing campaigns. She could have left her constituency, where there were huge boundary changes making it effectively a safe Labour seat, but stayed to fight it and won, having also had a surprise landslide in a European election a few years back. So she's got guts, too.

She's gone very quiet since the election. Guessing she's not all that happy about the coalition

"Accusations of homophobia

On 12 May 2010, Theresa May was appointed Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality in David Cameron's first cabinet. In this latter role of Minister for Equality her appointment attracted immediate criticism.

Her voting record is rated as "moderately against" equal rights for homosexuals by The Public Whip website. In the coalition cabinet, she replaces the former Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling, who attracted criticism for comments about the right of hotel business owners to discriminate against gay customers."

Splendid...

scottishmummy just want to correct you on one little point

Positive action (your example of advertising in certain sectors of press to encourage applications from particular groups) is obv widespread and good

Positive discrimination is illegal yes ? but with 2 exceptions

1. The Met ? positive disc is used to try and get more black and minority ethnic police officers

1. All-women shortlisting for parliamentary candidates - that is legal and has specific legislation allowing it. I have no problem with it at all, I think it?s a blunt tool and is open to criticism but the overall benefit is greater than its limitations

Dittany you are absolutely right of course ? it does boil down to favouring cock over fanny ? that?s the essence of patriarchy

I am (still) always surprised and depressed when I hear women denigrating their own sex.

Must go and do some work now...

"I just think it does women no good if people think that the only way they get a top job is positive dicrimination. "

"Patting her on the head and saying whoppee we have one of our own in a position of power to get us better maternity rights and stick up for us is hugely patronising to women "

Aren't you missing the point of a democracy, minthumbug?
If we are a democracy then 50% of women need to be represented in parliamenti.e the same proportion that exists in society. UNtil 50% are women we are not a democracy.
"Women" aren't one homogenous group. Women have different views and ways of looking at life. They all need to be represented within that 50%.
The chance of a white, male MP representing my world view is probably nil. If 50% of those who run for government are women, then there's a hell of a bigger chance that it will be.
If you listen to a lot of male MPs talk, you realise they're thick; and blinkered. I laugh in the face of people who tell me they got there because they were "better".
The working culture of politics is designed to keep women out.

yy Sakura

minthumbug, I want women to represent the views of women AND MEN

Nobody is saying - we need to get women in power to represent women properly

That's obviously bolleaux

I am saying that women represent over 50% of the population and therefore that should be reflected better in ALL walks of life

• I couldn't give a hoot about maternity leave. I am far more worried about the economy and civil liberties.

The government doesn't give a hoot what you care about, because you're not being represented there.

And to turn your last point on its head - the idea that men should be the default choice to represent everyone is even more odd

Sorry minthumbug, I am not meaning to single you out and lecture you I have work to do anyway but I can't stop picking this scab

"the idea that men should be the default choice to represent everyone is even more odd"

Too true. IT's as bizzare as having, say, 80% Mormons in there. Why should Mormons be over-represented at the expense of Christians or Muslims non-believers... Well, they shouldn't be

That's great, Minthumbug.
But for me, prostitution, the white slave trade, decent financial backing for mothers, no war, shutting down shops that sell goods prematurely sexualizing children, rape convictions, one mother one midwife, would be right at the very top of the list if I ran.

But Mint, what if pro Mormon policies were the status quo? A Mormon goverment wouldn't have to push pro Mormon policies as they are already in place.

Think about the pay gap. Men get paid more for the same jobs. A male goverment doesn't have to push for a policy where men are paid more than women, men already are paid more, it's the status quo. A government that wishes to see equality would actively have to press for a pro women policy (maybe pay audits).

By the way, I don't think it's about representation. I think a man is equally well able to represent me. But I would like to see the best person for a job get it and think it's strange that there are five times as many good men out there.

I agree with the best person for the job but it depends on your view point. Different perspectives are needed and that can not come from the same type of schooling, the same sex and the same world view it need a mix- up. I hope Labour work very hard in the coming years to get back into power.
I miss them already.

Mint, the crux of the matter for me is WHY more men than women choose to enter politics in the first place

It's not a free choice for all, with all things being equal. It just isn't. and it's not the same in other European countries either - I wish I had more time right now to read about the aetiology of it all

And happysmiley is quite right about the status quo, the current situation isn't doing much to challenge it.

I think it's interesting to look at why men are much more likely to put themselves forward for a position than women. I think we need to understand this so that we can encourage good women to also put themselves forward.

One example I have was from when I graduated. On my graduate scheme everyone with a place was asked to choose which department they wanted to join. Starting salaries for all departments were the same. But long term one department offered much better opportunities and pay than others. One was much worse. Men always chose the one with the best long term opportunities, women the one with the worst. The ones in the middle went 50:50.

The company wanted to change this and make all departments 50:50. Their very simple solution was to simply say to the female grads, we'd really like you to join department X because we have a shortage of women there. If anyone asked for more information, reasons why, work life balance, travel, difficulties of working in a male dominated environment etc they were given an honest answer. The ratios immediately leap to 50:50. The following year, same strategy was employed and again they had the 50:50 ratio they wanted. Then they got complacent and it went straight back to the way it always was.

Obviously, it was a really easy solution and it encouraged more women to take the more financially rewarding routes so helped with the pay gap.

I do wonder why people continue to say women just don't want to do it when it's so easy to convince them that they do.

So is it just a coincidence that just as women don't seem to choose to become MPs and run as party leader, many also choose not to become CEOs and captains of industry?

Either this is because they don't fancy power and equality or it is because the deck is stacked against them in a male dominated patriarchal society with a status quo that is so established people don't often think to question it.

A country where 50% of the population are black but the vast majority of those in positions of power and influence were white, would be seen as a very unequal society. Anybody arguing that 'black people just don't choose equality of representation' would be seen as hopelessly deluded. It is just the same when it is about sex.

"I agree with the best person for the job" so do I. Only the "best person" never seems to be standing.

happysmiley, you don't think its got anything to do with the working culture in politics? You don'T think that being in government puts any strain on women's child-care responsibilities?

WOmen have child-bearing responsibiltes that men don't have. They get pregnant. They don'T have a wife.
If you want to go into politics you practically have to be married to the job.

THat masculine work culture has to change.