Invisible Women

[CharlieDickens]

I'm in the middle of reading this book which is fascinating. A lot of the things she discusses are what I consider big ticket items, the disparity in pay, technology not being suitable, the fact that medical trials are mostly performed on men.

It's really got me thinking about the small ways women's needs are ignored / not taken seriously. Already, I'm thinking about my daily interactions and whether I've been living in a bubble where people are nice to me but actually it's more like I've woken up and I can see all the bullshit.

This morning I noticed it when a damp proof specialist tried to charge me up front. I lost it and told him not to be so ridiculous and then he backed down. Men are ALWAYS trying it on for either sex, money or just to show us how amazing they are. I can see it clearly now.

I'm right aren't I? Rant over

This sounds like the language we all need to be talking.

And I hope you counter that with "Yeah, because having a ladder handy every time I need one is so much easier than ducking!" 🙄😂

Good plan, will bear that in mind for the next time (he does hit his head rather more than is good for him though).

Me too. I haven't the energy to change anything. Caring and disability.

And therein lies the crux of why change might not happen. Most women bear the brunt of caring responsibilities and do most of the work around the house. It's hard when there's so little time.

It’s a must read.
as is her newsletter

Should be, at the very least, required reading for every engineer and medical student. That’d be a start.

The title of this thread interested me as I thought it might be a discussion on the real ‘invisible women’ of Afghanistan.

here is a list issued by the Taliban of things those poor women are prohibited from doing…

Drive a car
Speak in public
Speak loudly inside your house
Travel alone
Own a smartphone
Wear bright clothes
Wear high heels
Go to high school or university
Sing
Read the Koran aloud in public
Look at men they do not know
Attend a protest
Go to the gym
Go to the park
Work in the civil service
Ride in a taxi
Go abroad
Show their faces in public
Speak to a male doctor
Play sport

That’s in addition to wearing burka if they dare to venture outside of their home.

Women are killing themselves rather than live under this oppression.

It’s both ends of the same spectrum.

Welcome to the fan club of the best book you will read i the next 5 years.

My copy is with a friend. Unfortunately I think she is so taken with it, that I am unlikely to eve retrieve it from her. As long as her 16 year old daughter reads it at some point, I am at peace with this!

I will buy myself another copy. And then probably lend it out too.

I bought 6. One is mine. One is my lending copy. 4 were gifts to friends.

It's awful what happens in Afghanistan and not comparable to the UK. This doesn't mean we live in a female utopia though.

There a hidden financial cost to all of society (including men) because these things aren't considered because it's a hidden problem.

During covid the default protection equipment - to help reduce spread and keep HCP able to work - was male - but hospital staff are not predominately male these days so all the money spent is less effective.

Car crashes being less safe for women - well that has a medical and economic cost that perhaps could be mitigated with some adjustments Same with administrating treatments later as women's symptoms of medical likes like heart attack are recognised and treatments not working as well or not being studied for effects in women's bodies also comes with a cost - social and economic as women are in work force and doing unpaid family work.

Talking about them means they get more well known and changes are much more likely. Saying we can't talk about this silencing women and hampering researchers knowing it an issue -means making improvement which affect all of society is harder.

Afghanistan a tragedy but shouldn't be used as a device to shut women up and make them accept inferior products and treatments rather than strive for better or at least better knowledge so informed decisions with existing products can be made.