Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Keir Starmer

73 replies

87Callista · 03/05/2020 14:33

Just a little vent.

Is anyone else disappointed that we have yet another male leader?

I know I know, we're supposed to be happy that we have a fighting chance now etc etc but I can't help feeling done with male leaders, even the good ones. Is that ridiculous of me? Am I going lockdown crazy?

I just wonder....will our daughters ever see a female leader or will we forever have to sit and applaud like seals and show an abundance of gratitude for having a woman dep leader.

I've just fallen out with my dad over text because he's so head over heels for Keir and doesn't believe the gender of the leader matters..... that's great and everything but look at the UK and the US through history and tell me there isn't something deeply wrong going on.

OP posts:
Imnobody4 · 03/05/2020 14:48

I agree that something is going badly wrong. However none of the female candidates were electable. That's the real puzzle for me. Where were the female candidates of substance? Hopefully some of the new names in the shadow cabinet will turn out to have substance. I definitely think a woman leader matters but it needs to be the right one.

EdwynCollins · 03/05/2020 14:51

I was glad he won at least there is a glimmer of hope for women. The others were absolute no hopers happy to throw women's rights under a bus

Floisme · 03/05/2020 14:54

I don't think the gender of the leader matters either, their sex - yeah. But I remember the one and only LangCleg saying she wanted a leader who would be good for women. That struck a chord for me and unfortunately, I believe the other female candidates would have been actively harmful for women.

Thinkingabout1t · 03/05/2020 15:16

The female candidates were a disgrace. Not one of them spoke up for women, and i think they all signed that sickening, anti-feminist pledge. For the first time in my life, i desperately hoped not one of the women would be elected. A sad milestone in the Labour Party’s downward path.

RoyalCorgi · 03/05/2020 15:38

I'm a Labour Party member. I really wanted more than anything to vote for Lisa Nandy - she had policies I could support and she seemed largely reasonable. It would have been great to have had a female leader.

But then it turned out that Nandy wanted people like me expelled from the party. And she decided that a man who raped children should be sent to a women's prison if he decided he was a woman.

How in all honesty could I vote for someone like that? It would have been insane.

marvellousnightforamooncup · 03/05/2020 15:49

The best person won, the women were utterly clueless. I don't want to put a female leader in charge if she's not up to the job.

BiggerBoat1 · 03/05/2020 15:52

I'm thrilled he's the leader. At last the Labour Party is looking credible and stands a chance of getting elected. I couldn't care less if the leader or a man or a woman quite frankly.

TeiTetua · 03/05/2020 15:52

will our daughters ever see a female leader

Oh, it could happen. Just as long as Labour values ideological theory over anything voters actually want, the Tories may place a woman at the top. They've done it twice before, and might again.

Did you mean a woman leader of the Labour party? Bwahaha to that.

truthisarevolutionaryact · 03/05/2020 16:10

RoyalCorgi
I've yet to be convinced that Starmer won't advocate for child rapists to be in women's prisons if they self identify as women. I bet the only reason he didn't sign that pledge is because someone checked out who was behind it, not because he has any concern or care for women and children's rights and safety - especially not if it means saying no to the sacred caste.

Floisme · 03/05/2020 16:14

Time will tell whether he cares or not, but having the nous to read the pledge and check out who was behind it at least makes him smarter than the other candidates.

BlackForestCake · 03/05/2020 16:19

He didn't sign the pledge because he's a lawyer and knows better than to sign something blatantly libellous. I have no faith in him to defend women's rights.

Fifi197 · 03/05/2020 16:20

It's a tricky one. I had mixed reactions to your post but something stuck a chord between your post and the PP.

My grandmother used to say something to me and I've never forgotten it:

There is always a "right man for the job" there is never a "right woman for the job" SadAngry

And men and women alike will sadly find every excuse under the sun as to why there isn't a Woman leading our most progressive party. Someone who truly understands us?

Was there not one woman who could have run for the role? One?! Honest question: Why did run at all if you're a man? Honestly. When you know there is a dire, dire shortage of women leaders, why run as a man? Starmer has my backing but god almighty I can't wait until we get a backbone and demand a woman leader. I recall David Baddiel tweeting an image of all of the fabulous women leaders in the world and I for one can't wait until we join them. Mixed feelings. It's always bittersweet for women. ♥️

Lordfrontpaw · 03/05/2020 16:22

As the joke goes - North Korea will have a female leader before the labour party. And the tories have had two.

Violetparis · 03/05/2020 16:24

I too wanted to vote for Lisa Nandy but went off her over the trans pledge debacle, been totally underwhelmed by Keir Starmer so far.

ThinEndoftheWedge · 03/05/2020 16:29

Underwhelmed by KS. Yes.

But utterly horrified by LN RLB DB JP and co.

They actively forced women (and right thinking men) not to vote for them. They gave women no choice.

Thinkingabout1t · 03/05/2020 16:30

Was there not one woman who could have run for the role?

Fifi, there were four women on the shortlist! and Keir Starmer was the only candidate who didn't sign the pledge privileging trans people above women. What does that say about the calibre of the women who rise to the top in the Labour Party? and therfore about the current Labour Psrty itself?

Floisme · 03/05/2020 16:31

He didn't sign the pledge because he's a lawyer and knows better than to sign something blatantly libellous.
Well yes, exactly. He knew better, which was more than Long Bailey did and yet I believe she was a solicitor too.
What in hell were they thinking?

And yes it's a piss poor state of affairs but this, as they say, is where we are.

ChaToilLeam · 03/05/2020 16:34

The female candidates were all appalling. It was a huge pity that none of them were actually prepared to stand up for women.

Lordfrontpaw · 03/05/2020 16:36

The female candidates were spineless men-pleasers. I despair at them - every one would happily throw women under the bus. How can they be trusted to run a coffee morning let alone a political party?

Marimari93 · 03/05/2020 16:38

I have actually felt guilty about having the same thought.

I feel embarrassed by it. Embarrassed. Fancy being a member of the Conservative party and being able to say you've had two women leaders.

The Labour Party has a problem with Anti Semitism and I'm thrilled we're now in a position to actually change that but, what about the sexism problem? Is that something we're going to have to be content constantly overlooking.

Yes the women candidates were far from up for three job - if that's the case what about the women that were up for the job? Why must every single woman be silenced and swept under ther rug so we can carry on with the status quo?

Lordfrontpaw · 03/05/2020 16:39

The Labour Party has has issues for a long time now. Momentum was the death blow.

ilovesooty · 03/05/2020 16:40

The best candidate won. That's all that matters to me.

TorkTorkBam · 03/05/2020 16:46

The left keeps women down. Listen to anything they say about women. It's all about vulnerable women, women as carers, women in low paid roles, etc. Big strong men can be union leaders. Women can lead but only if they stick to lady's topics. If a woman does make it to a decent role then it's all "let's celebrate how a little woman did something good" with leftish media going on about the fact she's a woman in anything they write.

The right isn't suspicious of a woman who is smart and strong. While the right is sexist like the rest of society, they make the "honorary male" exception for anyone who is capable. It's no surprise the right had two female leaders and has not agonised about whether to "let" a woman lead.

Meanwhile the left is trying to find ways to get over its deep rooted sexism to even get one female candidate who doesn't immediately capitulate to what the angry men want like they did with the trans lunancy. The whole tone around women needs to change on the left.

BeMoreZenLike · 03/05/2020 16:50

I hear you op.
But surely the main thing has to be to win an actual election though doesn't it?
A bad female leader would be horrendous.
We need to find our Jacinda Ardern IMO Smile
Meanwhile I'm quite hopeful about Keir. Especially after this horrific Coronashambles!! 😱😱😱

SpeedofaSloth · 03/05/2020 16:50

I couldn't vote for any of the women in the race due to their stance on trans issues, sadly. I voted for Keir and I am pleased he won.