MP Judy Turner’s Latest Newsletter
Straight talk… (all quoted)
The 20th Century may well be viewed by historians as the ‘Women’s Hour’, the century that saw women progressively get their proverbial feet on the rungs on the ladder of opportunity. The notion was that women were human beings too, of equal value to men, and not mere chattels, and I for one am very grateful to the suffragettes for the ground breaking work they lived and in some cases died for.
The women’s movement continues today advocating for women on matters where it is clear that there are social barriers to participation in some aspect of life and achievement.
However as we launch into the 21st Century I confess to feeling more than a little uncomfortable about the lack of advocacy for men on the issues where they believe they are marginalised relative to women.
While huge amounts of money have been spent on helping women to gain entry into vocations that have been traditionally male dominated, little or no money is spent on the reverse. There is growing evidence that changes in the field of education have seen boys failing in greater numbers. Men’s health issues don’t seem to get the same money thrown at them as is spent on women’s. In the Family Court, men report feeling that their role as fathers is of lesser value, and that court rulings reflect this.
Have we progressed passed the days where gains for one gender have to be at the expense of the other? Do we want to live through another century characterised by the battle of the sexes? Is it possible that while continuing to work for improved opportunities for women, we could attend with equal sincerity to concerns men have?
I certainly hope so.
QUOTES:
“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what a feminist is. I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat”
Rebecca West 1913
“Looking for more time with your children, shared parenting, fair property settlements, reasonable child support payments, protection against domestic violence and equality in all areas of life? Check out what we can achieve together”
Quote from a “Men’s Right” website
It is welcoming that there is an advocate in parliament prepared to speak up, but in the text above Judy pulls her punches. Individually I agree with her. I cannot see how it is beneficial for society to practice or to reinvest by incentive research if such destabilises the respect gained for women by the suffragettes. Yet if we are not honest about the pressures that have been placed on society and pretend they can be washed away with mainstream thinking reckoning that equality doesn’t have to include any conditioning around the natural function of child raising and birth then we fool ourselves to whatever negative end this will cost. And some of us already know just how expensive our mistakes have become. So if Judy misses a point what would it be? Women complained about men discriminating against women. In order to gain back the ground from this discrimination women have begun to practice in the discrimination against children – seemingly where the laws of discrimination are being pushed through thick and fast accepting all the while that this is not happening. It is happening. The CAre of Children Bill and its eventual Act simply endorse these negative conditions.
Comment by Benjamin Easton — Fri 15th June 2007 @ 4:14 pm
Ironic that Judy should choose to quote Rebecca West.
Here’s another of West’s quotes:
I don’t pretend to have a perfectly sunny view of the world all of the time, but I’ve never wanted to die in a catastrophe.
If Rebecca West is anything like the other feminist inspired people who have influence, then I get it at last. It all makes perfect sense.
Comment by Rob Case — Fri 15th June 2007 @ 4:48 pm
Judy Turner is ham stringed by Peter Dunne’s role as Minister Responsible for Child Support.
Good on her for speaking out, but while she does this any reference to men who are subjected to child support is conspicuously absent.
Regards
Scrap
Comment by Scrap_The_CSA — Fri 15th June 2007 @ 8:11 pm