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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Zöe Ball, radio 2. AIBU to think..

31 replies

ScienceIsTruth · 03/10/2018 08:42

..that it shouldn't be such breaking news, and that it's ridiculous that's she's the 1st female presenter of that show.

I think it just goes to show how far women still have to go to be considered equal.

If this was normal, it wouldn't be such a big deal, and bloody hell.... it's 2018, surely it should be normal by now?

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 03/10/2018 08:43

I know I'm missing the point of your thread but it's a travesty they've not given it to Sara Cox anyway. Sad

LittleMissedTheSunshine · 03/10/2018 08:44

I think it says more about Radio 2 than anything else.

AssassinatedBeauty · 03/10/2018 08:46

Lenny James (Walking Dead actor) said something similar about being "the first black actor to...". He said it was not something he was proud of, it's something he's angry about! And I totally agree. It's ridiculous that it's even the case, and instead of trumpeting it, the BBC should be embarrassed about it.

Original poster
ScienceIsTruth · 03/10/2018 08:47

I don't really listen to bbc radio, tbh, but I was watching the bbc breakfast show just now and they were making such a big deal out of it (& her being the 1st female) that I was kinda shocked as I feel that should be pretty normal nowadays.

I blame you lot for waking me up to how unequal things still are! WinkGrin

OP posts:
A580Hojas · 03/10/2018 08:49

Of course the new presenter of the breakfast show is breaking news on the BBC!

So glad it's Zoe ... she is tremendous fun.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 03/10/2018 08:51

And all of the misgynists will be saying it's tokenism due to BBC commitment to doing better & the pay gap news. And that a man has been put out of a job because of this.

We still have a lot of fighting to do really, it's never easy. Any woman who get a senior / high profile job has men thinking oh it's because she's a woman.

SillySallySingsSongs · 03/10/2018 08:53

The new presenter of the breakfast show is always big news. There was a massive big deal made when Evans took over.

Original poster
ScienceIsTruth · 03/10/2018 08:53

By all means, celebrate someone new getting the job, but they've made it all about her being the 1st female presenter, which has made me really cross for reasons I don't fully understand.

OP posts:
treaclesoda · 03/10/2018 08:56

I know what you mean I think.

I wish they would just announce it, congratulate her and not make a fuss of her being female, because it plays into the hands of misogynists who will, as a previous poster said, claim that it is tokenism.

She's not someone I particularly enjoy listening to, but she has a long and successful broadcasting career under her belt so to me she seems like the perfectly logical choice.

Truckingonandon · 03/10/2018 08:56

Couldn't agree more. Also gutted that it isn't Sara though.

Bluntness100 · 03/10/2018 08:57

The bbc made a big deal of it becayse it's bbc radio, they did the same thing for Evans.

Original poster
ScienceIsTruth · 03/10/2018 09:04

In this day and age, surely it shouldn't be a big thing for a woman to get a top job!

OP posts:
deydododatdodontdeydo · 03/10/2018 09:09

It's always big news, it was big news when Evans left.
Surprised there hasn't been a female presenter - there's been one in nearly all the other flagship shows - R1 breakfast show for example.
Pity she's bloody awful.

Oliversmumsarmy · 03/10/2018 09:14

I was watching breakfast news this morning and saw the BREAKING NEWS flash up on the bottom of the screen and expected something dreadful to have happened.

Then to say it was about a new radio show host just is an over reaction.

Putting BREAKING NEWS for something that a lot of people couldn't give a flying about is completely ridiculous

BartholinsSister · 03/10/2018 09:23

I'm sure I've heard Sara Cox presenting it a few times.

Original poster
ScienceIsTruth · 03/10/2018 09:25

I get that they'll always make a big deal about it.

It's the fact that they went on about her being the 1st female. It's 2018. Surely, it's not right that that's so unusual that they needed to mention it?

It's like AssassinatedBeauty said about what Lenny James said about being the 1st black actor on x.

It shouldn't be so surprising or unusual.

OP posts:
deydododatdodontdeydo · 03/10/2018 09:43

Hmm, well it shouldn't.
But look at who's presented it before:
Terry Wogan from 1993 to 2009.
Chris Evans since then.
So the job has come up twice in 25 years and once a man got it, now a woman's got it.
Prior to that, well I'm not surprised - women got less of a look in than they get now.

CecilyNeville · 03/10/2018 10:20

I think it's important to draw attention to female firsts generally, but this is one time when it really doesn't feel that significant - as deydodo says above, the post has only come up twice since 1993.

Appointing women to positions doesn't seem to be an issue for the BBC. Respecting and valuing them enough to pay equal wages, however, is.

Truckingonandon · 03/10/2018 20:20

Well quite, Cecil. I'm so disappointed that Zoe has actually said that she didn't expect to be paid the same as Chris Evans but she's happy with what she's got. Why on earth would she accept not being paid the same? It's the EXACT same job.

waxy1 · 03/10/2018 20:21

Anything’s better than Evans.

sluj · 03/10/2018 20:25

Does that mean we don't have to put up with the token female Jo Whiley ruining the Drive Time show any more?

Melamin · 03/10/2018 20:33

It was always a bloody relief when Sara Cox was presenting, so I listen to Classic FM now (which I can't stand but anything is better than Chris Evans).

Melamin · 03/10/2018 20:33

(Apart from Today)

Singlenotsingle · 03/10/2018 20:37

Apparently Sara Cox is much more popular. Personally I would have preferred Simon Mayo or Vanessa Feltz.

TheClitterati · 03/10/2018 21:13

I had exactly the same response as you op.

I'm glad it's Zoe - but it does seem somewhat twisted to be celebrating the "first female" etc. In this day and age. It's a radio show ffs. I found that point depressing rather than celebratory.

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