WEP

[rogueantimatter]

Launch of the Women's Equality Party policies today.

Anyone think they might vote for WEP?

I might.... (I've voted for almost every other pp in my time!)

Whenshewasbad - I can't go into detail as to why management can't fix it but suffice it to say it's Cameron and Osborne's fault. The sex discrimination case has got as far as ACAS (I believe arbitration has to have been tried before it can go to court). But thanks for the sympathy!

I have a suspicion that there may be quite a lot of women out there who don't realise they're paid less than the guy at the next desk. I'd like to see all employers have to conduct equal pay audits and publish the results.

Rogue - don't worry, just needed a rant, wasn't directed at you in particular.

I would join the WEP, except that politically my biggest concern is getting the Tories out. I feel that only Labour is big enough to do that, so I support them.

I care more about women's issues than any other political area, but I feel I must be part of getting rid of this current government. There are some women's groups within Labour, and I would love them to be growing instead.

This is in spite of Labour still never having had an elected woman leader On other things I'm a radical feminist, but it feels like desperate times and I'm compelled to add my weight behind whoever's most likely to get the Tories out (ok tbf even Labour may not achieve that anytime soon)

Yes, it's all about personal choice. Many women make a personal choice not to enter the IT industry because of the rampant misogyny and hostility to women that still exists in many parts of the industry. Many women choose to do other things as there are so very, very few role models to encourage them to think about an IT career. Many girls choose not to study CS at school and university because they are far less likely to have been given computers and encouraged to programme than boys are.

Of course it's about personal choice - no one is claiming that women are being prevented from entering these careers - but the point is - why are women and men making such different choices? Do you think it's because women have some kind inherent tendency to not be scientific, or do you think there is a massive social tendency to push boys/men into STEM and other high-profile careers and to push girls/women away from them?

Also, I'm afraid it's not just about personal choice. There have been many studies that demonstrate how differently men and women are judged in STEM: for example a large piece of research examining the outcomes of submitting applications to STEM university departments - identical applications, sometimes with a male name and sometimes with a female name. Those with male names were significantly more likely to be offered a job and be judged as competent, and were, on average, offered significantly more money and careers support than those with female names. www.pnas.org/content/109/41/16474.full.pdf

Very well put.

There was a similar piece of research looking at orchestral auditions which showed that women were much more likely to be offered a place if the players weren't seen by the panel.

And academic appointments and publishing books and... just about everywhere, it's really depressing.