Law Society virtue signalling

[MissBeehiving]

The Law Society awards are open for nomination at the moment and depressingly, the “Woman Lawyer of the Year” is now open to anyone identifying as a woman. So the award designed to celebrate the achievement of women in the legal profession, is now fair game for men.

www.lawsociety.org.uk/events/excellence-awards/categories-and-criteria/

There is a bigger story here, it's not virtue signalling.and it's not about women as such.

I can't do bold but that quote slapped me round the face - coz ain't that the truth.

It's not about women as such.

And yet it's fine to bulldoze us out of the way whilst dealing with the issue.

If it's NOT about women then fuck off and leave us alone.

Funny how Jon disappeared when the female solicitors spoke up.

To the solicitors - is there a thread on Roll on Friday about this? Could someone start one? And link to the government petition?

Completely agree with Barracker.

I don’t understand how the Law Society would accept this vague definition of a class of people.

Are words and meanings no longer important in the law?

And reiterates that the reason for discrimination is the lack of flexible working and work life balance. One of the initiatives flowing from the survey was to use awards to raise the profile of successful women in the Law. Oh the irony.

Well yes.

Are women under represented at senior levels in the law:

a) Because women are disproportionately responsible for caring and end up on the ‘mummy track’? (Answer - legislation and cultural change so that men equally responsible for caring)

b) because people assume they will choose ‘the mummy track’. (Answer - see above).

d) lack of roll models and cultural conditioning? (Answer - see above and also deliberate recognition and highlighting of women’s achievement)

c) Because you know women - they spend so much time doing their make they can’t get to work on time.
(Answer - maybe some kind of consolation prize? Maybe save time by lumping in everyone who suffers discrimination?)

‘Doing their make-up’

The Law Society gets ahead of the law to let men enter award for women.

What fucking world am I living in.

I'm a solicitor, and a woman, and I can't believe what a bunch of bigots you are on here.

There are serious concerns to be addressed about self ID, but they are to do with working out how to protect women's safe places like refuges and rape crisis, not squabbling over some pointless industry award that will just go to someone who just knows the right people and is good at networking, rather than someone truly inspirational, because the lawyers of all kinds who deserve this stuff aren't the ones who have time to oil relationships.

There are also huge issues about women being silenced and intimidated for raising these concerns, but this kind of shit plays straight to that agenda.

I knew a trans woman in practice, she came out and transitioned whilst working in prison law, and for a pretty traditional firm. Brave as fuck. If someone gives her a gong it'll be a gong well bestowed. Perhaps wait and see who the LS honours before crying foul.

Ah I wondered how long before someone played the “bigot” card

I'm not "playing the bigot card'. I am pointing out that misgendering trans people is bigoted and rude.

I incline to the view that biology is a matter of fact, and that gender is a set of societal expectations, and therefore fictional, but such is the ferocity of gender expectation these days (perhaps a result of the beginning of the end of the patriarchy as we have known it) that increasing numbers of people seem to believe that one fictional set of characteristics is more "them" than another.

I prefer to give them space, and save my anger for where it really matters: protecting women from men abusing self ID to invade our safety and erode our rights.

Morning all

I am a woman solicitor and concerned

Mrs Bert, on the one hand, it’s not solicitors who society needs to weep for. As you say, there are far more vulnerable groups of women.

But on the other hand, if the actual state of the law is ignored by the Law Society (I don’t think someone who self identifies can meet the definition of a woman) what hope is there for the Women’s Holiday Centre, women’s refuges, etc?

I am fine with those who have legally changed gender being included btw

Cross post Mrs Bert.

Thoughts?

I'm another female solicitor adding my voice to the weight of concern already expressed.

I'd echo how difficult it was to proceed in my career (City corporate) once I got pregnant - I struggled to breaking point when I returned to work after my first and gave up private practice after my second.

Given the stream of gender-pay gap headlines I've been reading in the Lawyer over the last few weeks (men always paid more - unless at a junior level - once moving into the senior ranks its universal that the men earn more) I'm dismayed that anyone who studied and qualified as a man and who will never be pregnant can be eligible for this award.

The Law Soc should recognise trans/LGBQT+ lawyers with their own award.

Calling women bigots for raising concerns is shameful. You say “this kind of shit plays to that agenda”, in fact coming on here and telling the women in this thread that you “can’t believe what a bunch of bigots they are” for “squabbling” over this is exactly the sort of thing which silences women.

This is not the most serious example of how self ID will affect women, and I don’t think anyone on this thread has said that it is. It is, however, plainly a symptom of a wider issue, and the biological reality of women bearing the brunt of the effect of pregnancy/maternity leave/child care on career matters.

And to argue that you know someone who transitioned and is brave and deserves an award is a really poor argument. I’m sure she does deserve an award, firstly it doesn’t mean it has to be this one, and secondly if she has a GRC not many people would have a problem with her winning this one. It is self ID that people are complaining about being eligible, not trans women who have transitioned so your example is totally erroneous.

And I have never misgendered anybody in my life.

Mrs Bert
A bigot is a person who is intolerant towards those holding different opinions. I think that sounds like you to be honest.

Mrs Bert

How would you feel about someone like Phillip/Pippa Bunce winning the award as they did in the finance sector. Phillip is gender fluid so basically identifies as male or female depending on how he feels that morning.

This is what the door is open to with self ID and it seems organisations are just going with it despite it not being current law. I suspect even a self ID law would not allow for 'changes mind on daily basis' yet giving Phillip Bunce an award meant for women is somehow seen as progressive.

It is odd.

Is there legislation passed or before parliament to allow self I.D.?
I understand there was a bill but it is unlikely to

These are the women who really need support:

mobile.twitter.com/LucyLoveslife1/status/973852316787933184

Does speaking up on the seemingly less important issue of this award help women who urgently need help?

There is a Scottish consultation that has just ended and it's looking likely they will push it through. The rest of the UK reforms seem to have been put on a back burner for the moment, maybe because of Brexit or because they realised it's going to be problematic. It may be that they are waiting for Scotland to go ahead and see how it pans out.

The Scottish consultation by the way was the most badly worded drivel ever. There was a long thread in AIBU that covered it.

squabbling over some pointless industry award that will just go to someone who just knows the right people and is good at networking, rather than someone truly inspirational

I agree.

a) Because women are disproportionately responsible for caring and end up on the ‘mummy track’? (Answer - legislation and cultural change so that men equally responsible for caring)

Legislation is in place and so far as "cultural change" assuming you are not a single parent that starts in your own home. Sort it out so that you are not the main carer.

b) because people assume they will choose ‘the mummy track’. (Answer - see above)

It has not been my experience such an assumption is made but if you choose the "mummy track" I don't think you can complain if your career does not advance as far as some one who doesn't.

It is harder for a woman in the legal profession because of biology.

It’s not wearing skirts or make up.

Lass,

On my first day back at work after maternity (full time) I shared a lift with a senior partner. After congratulating me on my baby he asked “don’t you want to be with him?”.
So yes, there is an assumption.

It has not been my experience such an assumption is made but if you choose the "mummy track" I don't think you can complain if your career does not advance as far as some one who doesn't

This is kind of the issue. Men overwhelmingly do not have to make the choice between becoming a parent and progressing in their career, hence why women are not retained or proportionately represented at the top of the legal profession.

Is there a “daddy track”?