Does feminism mean the same now as it did in the 60's and 70's?

How dare you say women are not organising. Further up in this thread I have details of the current campaigns run by feminists, issues that I imagine you know little about. Part of the issue of sexism is some men not listening to women and coming in to tell them how to do things when their knowledge is flimsy to say the least.

Grandad1943 I know that I know some of them. But you haven't answered the question. Why isn't it a union agenda to close the loophole being used of the length of time pregnant women have to appeal a dismissal?
Women are organising thanks- hence "Pregnant then Screwed". The employees practising bigotry are from all sectors including charities and law firms. Some of the women are managers or professionals. They are trying to get the law changed but more voices would help.

trisher there is now a higher percentage of women as members of the Unite Union than men. Many have become high ranking full-time organisers and are well aware of all the sex discrimination that takes place in the workplace.

What they require is for women to organise around that prejudice and bring that discrimination to them so action can be taken against employers who practise that bigotry

growstuff

You really don't seem to have any idea of the realities of sex discrimination in the workplace. The law does not cover all eventualities and is not the complete answer, nor is organising (presumably via unionisation).

How do you see sex discrimination attitudes being changed in the workplace or elsewhere then growstuff? Go tear down a few statues or anonymously throw a brick though your employers window.

Yes, that should get equality a long way, I dont not think.

Grandad1943 Could it possibly be then that there are men in the Unions who think that losing their job when pregnant is no big deal? I know there are more women members of Unite now but could the old culture still prevail? And what about those women who can't unionise? Because some of the women in PregnantthenScrewed had high profile management jobs. The question I suppose is is the Equality Act fit for purpose? Or does the time limit imposed discriminate against women who are frequently going through a family crisis when they are dismissed?

You really don't seem to have any idea of the realities of sex discrimination in the workplace. The law does not cover all eventualities and is not the complete answer, nor is organising (presumably via unionisation).

growstuff

The Sex Discrimination Act, which was subsumed by the Equality Act, has existed since 1975. It has certainly made employers more aware of discrimination in the workplace because there are legal consequences, but there have been very few prosecutions compared with the incidence of sexism in the workplace. Sometimes women just don't have the energy or money to fight or don't want to be seen to be causing trouble. Very often the subtle sexism they experience isn't covered by the law.

Lack of safety in the workplace was fought by employees taking their situations to their trade unions and those unions then used the legislation to take offending employers through the courts.

Women who find sex discrimination in their workplaces will have to carry out similar if practices and attitudes are to change in Britain.

Organising in an adequate and strong and legal manner is the key to success in any grievance situation.

Also the law is betraying women, look at the thread on rape convictions.

The Sex Discrimination Act, which was subsumed by the Equality Act, has existed since 1975. It has certainly made employers more aware of discrimination in the workplace because there are legal consequences, but there have been very few prosecutions compared with the incidence of sexism in the workplace. Sometimes women just don't have the energy or money to fight or don't want to be seen to be causing trouble. Very often the subtle sexism they experience isn't covered by the law.

Susieq62 I'm not sure what your relationship with your stepson is but if one of my DS's girlfriends made a statement like that I would be having a very sharp word with him. She may be at fault but he certainly played a part. (You don't think she was telling you something about him do you?)
Grandad1943 the trouble with the legislation is that it needs time, money and energy to fight and employers strike at women when they are at their most vulnerable. Check out "Pregnantthenscrewed". Set up by a woman who lost her job in the late stages of pregnancy they state that the number of pregnant women losing their jobs has doubled since 2005. Because they are dismissed whilst pregnant the women face the problem of giving birth, paying the bills and fighting their dismissal, because there is a time limit on that. Not surprisingly most put their baby first and do nothing. Legislation isn't enough to fight sexism. The culture behind it needs to be tackled as well.

Iam64 - yes, I think, and hope, you’re right! I think that even today some roles to do with childcare are subconsciously and automatically undertaken by women. I once saw a woman really struggling to push a child in a buggy over the cobbles at St Michael’s Mount whilst her partner strolled beside her chatting to his mate. Also, I saw a couple set off on a bike ride with the woman straining to get up some momentum as a child’s trailer was hitched to the back of hers!

Glorybee - not a minor bugbear! I don't think this happens so often these days. Certainly in my family/friendship group, including the next group of parents now in their 30's the men share the cooking and the clearing up - and the child care (to a degree)

Feminism starts at home, with family and friends.

So true Hithere. Legislation can only go so far. We need to educate, educate and educate!

A minor bugbear - when I was younger and regularly ate at friends and friends of friends houses, it always seemed acceptable, even expected, that the man of the house would be ‘allowed’ to just drop off and have a snooze whilst visitors were present, particularly after a meal, whilst the women had the whole responsibility of being the host.

Hithere feminism starts at home with family and friends

That statement puts it simply and with accuracy. Legislation is important, it does lead to change but the legislation usually follows demands from the public. The influence of parents and wider family/friends can't be under estimated.

It's really important grandad. For some reason people, I dont mean you specifically, got all squeamish about using the word sex. It has caused unending problems for women which I dont really have the energy to go into.
I am not sure you and me would be a good combination in an office environment grandad but we can give it a go.

Galaxy

Thank god you are here grandad. Its sex discrimination by the way. Sex is the protected characteristic under the equality act.

In that case Galaxy I will use the term "Sex Discrimination" in the future.

I stand humbly reprimanded. ???

Don't want a job as a legal secretary in our office do you Galaxy, as the above is the sort of terminology I am always be in pulled up on by them. ??

Thank god you are here grandad. Its sex discrimination by the way. Sex is the protected characteristic under the equality act.

Since 2010 the Equality Act has been in existence which gives the right to anyone who finds discrimination in their lives due to gender, race, religious beliefs, disability, sexual preference and much else to be able to take that discrimination to the courts.

However, it would seem that in today's world persons and groupings would rather place their cases of discrimination on social media rather than through the channels that really can bring justice, equality and through that an end to the intolerance they find in their lives.

By example to the above, Workplace safety has been transformed over the last forty years so that in the present day many return home safe and healthy from their employment who would not have done so in years past. That change was brought about through people using the courts and the legislation brought in to protect workers in their workplaces. Similar to the above should now be happening with gender discrimination but, sadly, that is not the case.

Protest and demonstrations can be effective when it is seen that new legislation is required to bring about change. However, with gender discrimination that comprehensive legislation is already in existence, and women must use it, for nothing else will end the bigotry that many find in their lives.

"The younger generation doesn't see the difference and doesn't see the need to continue the fight for equal rights."

Nothing farther from the truth.

I continue the fight for my very young daughters, who deserve a better world.
I would do the same if I had sons, to teach them that genders do not matter. We are people first, not men and women.

What is really funny is that many GNs in this board still fully support the dil as the social secretary of the family, for example.
How feminist is that? Not at all.

Another example is when many posters also get mad when daughters in law do not accommodate visits when requested by the OP, and instead did blaming the son, they go all guns blazing for the dil.
Another: son is divorced but OP wanted to see the gc through the ex dil.

They fully reject the concept of " the son facilitates relationships with his side of the family, the wife with her side", which is a more modern and common way of doing things now.

Feminism starts at home, with family and friends.

@TerriBull I agree in that I think there has been some backsliding in women's control of their own bodies and rights in recent years. Maybe this is more of an issue here in the US than the UK. We have lost many rights to contraception, abortion and still work for just over half of what men earn, and have no paid maternity leave here. Also in the 70's/80's health insurance was usually provided by employers and now it is only partially funded if at all. Of course, we have no national health care here, because it's a third world country. It feels like we have lost rights in the 90's that we had in the 70's. It seems like there has been a big step backwards and strong backlash against the former gains that were made. The younger generation doesn't see the difference and doesn't see the need to continue the fight for equal rights.

Welbeck - yours an interesting question and one I have never considered. Many years later, I was approached with the comment "with your funny brain could you show me how to do achieve this calculation". No matter how many demonstrations left them bemused, and the first time I realised what came naturally to me did not to others. And my "funny brain" more likely to have set me apart in the beginning. Highly amusing but has served me well.

Susieq62 - that's a cracker. No words.

What brought home to me recently the fact that we haven’t come as far as I had hoped was the following discussion.
Me to stepson’s girlfriend (who had just got a first class honours degree in business from Newcastle Uni)” so who did you vote for in the European elections.“
“ I voted for the Brexit party”
“ Can I ask why you voted that way?”
“ Because Jason ( boyfriend) told me to!”

I leave that one with you.

sparklingsilver28,
that's an interesting story, re the training, and glad you had a good life from it.
do you think those men's comments re the general office not being for the likes of you had a class element to it.
why were the girls in the general office not put on the rotational scheme.