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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

A feminist discriminating against women.....

93 replies

TheRealTillyMinto · 21/09/2011 19:10

...oh yes... and the feminist is... me.

I run my own company in a male industry. we are small but growing and have really large, demanding clients. i am in my mid/late thirties. i want to have children. i will have to work as much as possible. thats ok as it is my choice to be an employer & women in my family have worked for generations so i grew up with a working mother, grandmothers, aunts etc.

but my company is not large enough to have me working as much as possible, and another woman on maternity leave. very few women apply for jobs in my industry, so this is only theortical, but for the time being i would not employ a women if i thought there was any chance of them needing mat leave at the same time as me.

it is a terrible thing to say but i dont have much time left so i am prioritising me & my life over the employment equality of other women.

generally speaking as an employer, i think ML is good for business as it creates change within an organisation.

your thoughts please.

OP posts:
SybilBeddows · 21/09/2011 20:45

well, it's illegal, I believe.
why couldn't you hire someone temporary while the other woman is on mat leave?

meditrina · 21/09/2011 20:46

I am sure there was a similar thread to this a little while ago.

What you describe is illegal.

pamplemousserose · 21/09/2011 20:47

Yawn...

ThereBeBolloX · 21/09/2011 21:25

Well the government pays your company more than the wage of the women on maternity leave so I don't believe you couldn't afford it.

What do you want feminists to say? We're going to think what you're doing is wrong. If you want some kind of feminist absolution for your sexist discrimination, you're looking in the right place, because I'm sure one of the tedious trolls who inhabits this place more than feminists do atm, will be along soon to assure you that you're doing the right thing and that it's ridiculous for women to expect to be able to be mothers and earn their living; but no feminist is going to tell you it's OK to deny another woman the right to earn her living because you're scared she might get pregnant.

frumpyq · 21/09/2011 21:31

You're probably doing the right thing for your company and yourself.

What industry is it though?

Do you employ labourers who have to be built like brick shithouses?

AliceWyrld · 21/09/2011 21:38

Right on cue Hmm

frumpyq · 21/09/2011 21:43

Do you want a cross and some garlic Alice?

Behaviour like yours is all over the feminist section.

It's not exclusive.

It's an open forum.

LeBOF · 21/09/2011 21:48

I wish someone had warned MNHQ that their post about the Fem Section was effectively creating a Troll's Charter. I've seen it tediously parroted by trolls and friends of trolls almost gleefully ever since.

StealthPolarBear · 21/09/2011 21:50

IN what way do you class yourself as feminist?

scottishmummy · 21/09/2011 21:50

youre being unreasonable and and illegal,there's is dearth of cae law on ML and employers

are you being deliberately provocative?

HandDivedScallopsrgreat · 21/09/2011 21:52

Good question SPB.

Anniegetyourgun · 21/09/2011 21:53

That's not feminism, it's pulling the ladder up behind you so no other bugger can get on.

Original poster
TheRealTillyMinto · 21/09/2011 21:57

this is not a question about ML in general. i have seen it work well in client organisations: if the MLer is good, others get to try to fill her shoes, if the MLer is rubbish, we get an opportunity to get the work done.

As an employer i dont have any right to ML & the govt wont pay my wage for a replacement as i am not employed. i am not sure i will even qualify for SMP.

i think i have focused on a theoretical other woman actually because i am pissed off about my own situation. i love being a female entrepreneur but the maternity side is shit.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheRealTillyMinto · 21/09/2011 22:00

SPB - no i am interested in the opinions

OP posts:
Original poster
TheRealTillyMinto · 21/09/2011 22:04

if you are a female entrepreneur, from what i understand, it is like none of the laws that feminists have fought for, exist.

OP posts:
AliceWyrld · 21/09/2011 22:06

Women who are self employed get mat pay in some form.

LeninGrad · 21/09/2011 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

frumpyq · 21/09/2011 22:07

Interesting post.

A female employer hasn't got the same rights as her employees?

suzikettles · 21/09/2011 22:12

Maternity Allowance.

HTH

suzikettles · 21/09/2011 22:15

Why do you think you're a feminist btw?

edd1337 · 21/09/2011 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

Theala · 21/09/2011 22:21

Employers (or self-employed/freelance people) don't generally have the same rights as employees. That's what it means to be the boss, and applies whatever your sex.

suzikettles · 21/09/2011 22:22

Sadly yes. It's not an uncommon attitude among employers of either sex.

I don't believe she's a feminist though.

Original poster
TheRealTillyMinto · 21/09/2011 22:55

you cannot compare a male boss loosing paternity leave with a woman loosing maternity leave.

if you are employed, your company gets govt money to hire your replacement. i wont get any money for a replacement.

so will have to take as little leave as possible and/or loose business & drop my income.

as feminists if i were employed telling you this, you would think it was an issue.

when i was 25 i took a 2 billion dollar profit a yr company to court for sexual discrimination. noone at work spoke to me for 3 months but i still did it because i know that sometimes it is your turn to move things forward.

i know my OP is not correct. i was not expecting agreement. i am wanting to understanding things better myself.

OP posts:
suzikettles · 21/09/2011 23:12

Who is comparing a man losing paternity leave with a woman losing maternity leave? Confused

You'll qualify for Maternity Allowance which is paid at the same rate as Statutory Maternity Pay, which I'm presuming is all you'd be intending to pay a female employee (if you were willing to employ one that is).

I mean, I can see it would be a royal pain in the arse for a small business, but it's the law, and you would be compensated for the SMP of your employee, and you would also be receiving MA from the government for your own leave.