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/

Oh yes, I remember coming back to work and hearing them all being aske£ about their half marathons....

“This is typical of the way non-work activities are treated in law, especially in Magic Circle / City firms. It's acceptable for male partners to make time to fit in training to hike to the North Pole, write books, do a Masters, teach a university course or climb Everest (I know men who have done each of these and more) but trying to progress a career while having childcare responsibilities is not acceptable.

The idea of this prize going to a man is mind-bogglingly insulting to women lawyers, especially mothers.”

“oh, and all those men had school aged children.”

Oh yes....

@busyboysmum - I don't know tbh. I don't know if they will ignore what I've done, change the rules, maybe leave it for this year and rethink for next year. All I know is that the matter is being drawn to the attention of the right person/people.

Jaimes thank you for doing what you can and letting us know what you can!

Wonderful thank you @jaimesgoldenhand

Anything we can do to put pressure on/draw attention?

Thanks. No harm in carrying on tagging Law Soc in tweets etc as that will be evidence of how many people have a view in this. But please keep out of it anything I've said on this thread.

"In 2017, women solicitors represented more than half the profession, however still too few women reach senior level positions. In addition to achieving professional excellence in her field at senior level, we're looking to recognise a woman solicitor who has achieved significant results either in her business or for the benefit of society through her legal skills. This individual will have opened doors historically closed to women and will be inspiring and influencing others to pursue a career in law."

that last sentence is a bit of a problem isn't it? We don't need more women to be inspired to go in to law. We need more of us to survive and progress!

I have emailed to object - in no uncertain terms.

OK, so I complained to the Law Society.

I have had a very lengthy response. I suspect some of it has been cut and pasted from responses to other complainants because it attributes to me statements and references I did not make in my complaint.

As far as I can tell, it justifies extending the award to any solicitor who 'identifies as a woman' on the basis that transwomen suffer even more discrimination than their 'cisgender' counterparts. Making the award fully inclusive enables the Law Society to reach out to this most marginalised of groups. This, they say, is all part of making sure that as a society we move to a place of true equality.

For good measure I am told several times that I am wrong. And the overall tone is extremely patronising.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised but I'm very angry. When I've calmed down I will think about my reply.

Has anyone else had a response?

You should point out that it excludes trans men who have suffered the disadvantages that women's awards seek to recognise and additional ones because of being trans.

I also received a - patronising - reply. From a man.

Yup.

The mansplaining. Pages of it. Apparently we're doing Women's Awards all wrong. By, you know, allowing just women to enter.