International Women's Day: how can we make the world more equal?

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello campers,

As lots of you will already know, Tuesday March 8 is International Women's Day. MNHQ has been working with the EQUALS coalition this year, and they've asked us to ask you to suggest small ways in which you think we could all work to make men and women more equal, whether locally, nationally or globally.

Examples would be: go and support your local woman's football team; write to a television station to ask why women presenters are 20 years younger than their male counterparts; or make a donation to an organisation that supports women in developing countries. (If you're feeling extrovert, you could also consider organising an EQUALS soul train in your area this coming Friday.)

Your contributions might end up on the EQUALS blog.

Thanks,

MNHQ x

Sorry that should be 'whilst'

When Dr Who is female

...when motherhood and childcare are seen as equal in importance - if not more important - to earning a wage.

....when we don't need a man dressed up as a woman to represent us on Women's Day - this has greatly irritated me.

When hate speech against women is as unacceptable as hate speech against people of different races

when rapes receive equal press coverage to false rape allegations

('Comrades'? Hmmm)

I am bringing up my (step) dd to not 'need' a man- as I was brought up. She can wire a plug, do DIY and stand up for herself and earn enough to support herself thanks to a good education. IF she WANTS a man in her life and is happy, good, but I want her to grow up with independence and to never chose a man or settle for one as she needs a man to validate herself or support her.

I am bringing up my son the same, to do housework and 'womens work'. I hope then he too will want a woman for the right reasons, not to support him. I will teach him respect and that there is no such thing as 'women's work', only 'family work'.

When the term "career woman" no longer exists ( after particularly moronic conversation, on my DM's part, yesterday)

(am on a roll here)

• when a group of women doing something fabulous (e.g. MN) is not bitched about, complained or patronised about in the national press, simply because it's a bunch of women.

ah but when the world is equal there won't be as many rapes Lenin

Here,Here DITTANY !
and here here ,, the other person who said 'when men stop regarding looking after their own children as "BABYSITTING" !!

When we understand what equality means

more equal?

Seriously?

It's either equal or it's not. It's not a sliding scale. We should not accept anything less than equality.

Unless some of us are more equal than others?

I'm being a pedantic pain in the arse, but I think that the general misuse of the word 'equal' suggests that perhaps we are aiming too low in our expectations.

I want equality.

I agree tethersend

• when men aspire to traditionally female roles rather than the other way round

So in answer to the first question, teaching my children the value and necessity of all types of work.

When men are asked on business trips: "who is looking after your children?"

When schools call the fathers of the children who are ill first 50% of the time, not just the mothers.

When women who say what they mean aren't described as shrill or aggressive.

When Charlie Sheen's behaviour as a father is seen to be as remiss as that of Britney Spears is as a mother.

When looking after children is seen as important and valuable and worthy of state and societal investment and when the people who do it are not economically disadvantaged as a result of doing it.

When everyone can work for a living AND be parents and do both well and not have to choose to do one or the other.

When the automatic question when hearing that a man has beaten up his wife or girlfriend isn't "why does she put up with it?" but "why does he do that". And when there is an automatic assumption by society the law and the police, that such a man should be removed from the house where he is a danger to the other occupants.

That's all for now. I'm sure there are many many more.

...when there are as many men as women waiting to pick up their children at the school gates

...when there are no girls' or boys' toys - just toys

...when businesses employ the right person for the job and don't even take into account if that person is 'a woman of childbearing age' Yes Alan Sugar, I mean you and your ilk

When either

Men habitually wear clothes and shoes which inhibt their range of movement, make them feel uncomfortable and cause them long term injury in order to be consdiered sexually attractive and / or professionally groomed

or

b) women decide it's perfectly ridiculous to do so and and stop doing it habitually

I prefer scenario b

...when boys wearing skirts at school is as common and acceptable as girls in trousers.

...when nothing is labelled as 'girls' or 'boys' in terms of toys and clothes.

...when there are no such things as mens' jobs and womens' jobs with the rare exception of the other gender doing them, eg refuse collector / nursing / construction / childcare.

...when men being SAHDs is as common and acceptable as WOHMs are now.

When we have enough power to stop the war-mongering

when looking after children and looking after the house is considered just as important or even more important than 'a job'

When women all around the world aren't regarded as the property of men.

When rape is not used as tool of war and repression.

when the old men on my allotment realise that women can grow food successrully despite the lack of penis-ness!!

I agree with the skirts! Kilts and sarongs on chaps rock if you ask me, more of them should consider wearing them. Plus, nice and cool around the nether regions...