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Do we still set higher standards for women?

(165 Posts)
trisher Tue 03-Mar-20 10:49:28

The recent news of the Boris baby has been widely commented on. One question I heard asked was "Can you imagine a woman with 6 children by different men and numerous sexual partners ever being elected to parliament, never mind becoming PM?" So do we still expect our women to be more moral and more virtuous whereas men can do what they choose? And isn't that just out of date?

janeainsworth Tue 03-Mar-20 16:48:18

Is it that standards are too high for women, or too low for men?
Perhaps we’re in danger of letting standards lapse because we’re afraid of criticising women.

Surely no-one should argue that Priti Patel’s conduct shouldn’t be investigated, simply because John Bercow also faced accusations of bullying?
You wouldn’t let someone off a charge of shoplifting, because someone else was found not guilty, would you?

Grandad1943 Tue 03-Mar-20 17:01:07

If vampirequeen and others genuinely believe that "wealthy white men rule the world", can I respectfully suggest that they get off their backsides and set about changing that situation. Moaning on a forum such as this has never and will never change anything.

Should you wish for an example just look up the working history of Jennie Formby now the most powerful person in Britains seven million strong Labour movement in her role as General Secretary. Formby started out by being elected as a shop steward in the road transport industry at a time in the 1970s when the Labour Movement was totally male-dominated.

So as stated, take your example from her and make a difference

TrendyNannie6 Tue 03-Mar-20 17:03:59

Yes

Anniebach Tue 03-Mar-20 17:07:44

And Jennie Formby is the mother of McClusky’s son !

McClusky had a desk in Labour HQ and Formby is now
General Secretary

GrannyGravy13 Tue 03-Mar-20 17:10:04

There are wealthy men and women of all colours.

Grandad1943 Tue 03-Mar-20 17:20:46

So, Anniebach you give women the great service of demonstrating in your view that women never get anywhere in their careers unless they sleep with their male bosses.

What a disgraceful wrong view and attitude that is.

And by the way Anniebach, Len McCluskey never has had an office in the Labour Party headquarters. Up to the late 1960s, the Parliamentary Labour Party had its Headquarters in the Transport Unions offices in Sloan Square Westminster, but that was well before McCluskey became General Secretary of what is now the Unite Union and Jenny Formby was hardly born. ?

Anniebach Tue 03-Mar-20 17:37:36

McClusky did have a desk in HQ, and because Formby slept
with McClusky doesn’t mean other women haven’t reached
high jobs without sleeping with a man who is very influential
in the womens line of work.

Dennis Thatcher and Phillip May for example

eazybee Tue 03-Mar-20 17:43:03

I thought I posted an addition to say that Ursula van der Leyan has seven children, and is President of the European Commission, so it can be done.

Grandad1943 Tue 03-Mar-20 18:02:51

Anniebach, in regard to your post @17:37 today, can you please post any link to substantiate your "claim" that Len McCluskey in his role as General Secretary of the Unite Union he "did have a desk in Labour Party Headquarters?

In regard to Jenny Formby, she progressed her career up through the trade union movement by being elected into almost all the positions she acquired. That process Len McCluskey would have had no responsibility for or hand in organising.

Formby and McCluskey were domestic partners for a considerable number of years prior to her bearing his son.

Anniebach, why do you wish to denigrate the personal life and career of a person who is widely respected as one of the greatest women there has ever been in the British Labour movement and United Kindom politics?

She has always been a shining example for other women of all persuasions to follow, and to those in this thread who rightly believe that women still have many impediments to overcome in attaining true equality between the genders.

Greymar Tue 03-Mar-20 18:04:31

Because its fun.

Anniebach Tue 03-Mar-20 18:45:46

Formby is one of the greatest women there has ever been in the British Labour Movement ?

My political heroins are from the Labour Party

Barbara Castle, Mo Mowlam , Tessa Jowell, Harriet Harman,
Gwyneth Dunwoody, Margaraet Beckett, Margaret Hodge,
Angela Eagles.

All voted for at general elections .

McClusky had a desk in
HQ when Corbyn first became leader

GrannyGravy13 Tue 03-Mar-20 18:54:53

I am not a Labour supporter, but I recognise and admire the women you have listed, especially Mo Mowlam.

eazybee Tue 03-Mar-20 19:06:01

Barbara Castle, Mo Mowlam , Tessa Jowell, Yes.

Jennie Formby; "one of the greatest women there has ever been in the British Labour movement and United Kindom politics?"

Oh no.

Chewbacca Tue 03-Mar-20 19:20:39

Mo Mowlam was definitely one of the greatest assets the Labour Party ever had. No one, imo, has ever come up to par with her.

Galaxy Tue 03-Mar-20 19:23:29

Moaning on a forum such as this has never and will never change anything.
You couldn't be more wrong actually grandad, you have just demonstrated an utter lack of knowledge of the womens rights movement in this country. Mumsnet for example has been at the heart of numerous campaigns that have helped womens lives, let toys be toys, and the current campaign for wonens spaces just two examples All started by women talking on a forum. Scary stuff eh?

Callistemon Tue 03-Mar-20 19:40:28

Yes trisher Women have always been the voice of reason, the voices of peace in a world of unreasonable and warmongering men.

Davidhs Tue 03-Mar-20 19:47:46

Women do set very high standards for other women and are very quick to condemn other women for being less than virtuous. Men might avoid woman with a “reputation” but only because of his partners reaction.

In business I find young professional women in general better in all respects than young men. When they get other commitments, children and relationships it gets much more difficult for them to hold their own in the professions. A man might work late to get an assignment done on time, a woman often has kids and a relationship to give more priority to.

It’s really hard with other commitments.

Grandad1943 Tue 03-Mar-20 19:51:37

The distinction between Jenny formby and the other Labour party women listed above by some forum members would be that all others with the exception of formby came into the movement from a political aspect.

Formby grew in the movement from an industrial background. In that, on leaving school with virtually no qualifications whatsoever she joined the road transport industry by way of training as a shunter in a petrol and diesel tanker distribution terminal.

At the age nineteen, she stood to be elected as shop steward in that terminal which outside one other woman who worked in the office was totally male in all other employees. However, she was overwhelmingly elected against two others who stood against her and that launched her career in the trade union movement. Formby steadily rose through election to national office improving her education as she progressed.

She has never been an MP but has progressed to gain various elected offices in the parliamentary Party and in the Broader Labour movement in the country and now stands as the General Secretary of the entire movement.

What all MPs, the National Executive, the CLPs, Trade Union General Secretaries and their National executives receive in regard to almost all matters regarding politics in the Labour movement is furnished through Formby's office with its near two hundred and fifty staff.

The above is the sort of influence that the Labour women MPs listed above can in reality only dream of.

As for Margaret Beckett and Margaret Hodge, they do not even accept genuine democracy when it is placed in front of them and would be truly better off in the Tory party such is their regard for the Labour movement and aspirations of working people in Britain.

Anniebach Tue 03-Mar-20 19:56:42

Reallygranddad43 Formby left school with virtually no
qualifications?

You have been fed incorrect information

Grandad1943 Tue 03-Mar-20 20:03:20

Then furnish me with what you perceive as the correct information anniebach instead of non-informational broad statements?

Anniebach Tue 03-Mar-20 20:07:28

I tell you anything about Jennie Formby grandad43 ? Ask
her or McClusky, I thought you knew what she ate for
breakfast

beverly10 Tue 03-Mar-20 20:08:32

love beigecardigans1955
re: think we women are expected to be better than men.
Aren't we? grin

Grandad1943 Tue 03-Mar-20 20:14:27

Anniebach your post @20:07 tonight is just the standard many have come to expect from you over any amount of time on this forum.

Broad unfounded statements followed as always by personal provocation and abuse.

Anniebach Tue 03-Mar-20 20:17:54

Many have come to expect grandad43. ?. You not only are the spokesperson for Unite but for posters on this forum.

Galaxy Tue 03-Mar-20 20:49:11

Davidh, I think we have to look at the reason why the children and the relationship may impact on the woman more than the man . The man who works late is likely to have children and a relationship too. I think maternity leave often establishes a pattern where the children are seen as the womans role, and this can then be a difficult pattern to break. I read an interesting piece recently discussing the fact that women working on the same level as men is still a relatively new concept and society has not yet shifted sufficiently to accommodate this.