By Louise Timlin
International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8, is a global day of celebration but also a call to action.
The United Nations warns that at the current rate of progress, it will be nearly 300 years before we achieve global equality for women.
Global crises including covid and climate change, as well as violent conflicts and the rolling back of women’s rights, including reproductive rights in the US, are contributing to gender inequalities around the world.
But we don’t have to look to other countries to find examples of gender oppression and violence, we can find those much closer to home.
When discussing why I am a member of the Women’s Equality Party, I’m often told by people that we have equality in the UK and any lingering issues are surely just the result of individual choices women make.
I mean we got the right to vote, or at least some of us did, in 1918 and the 1970 equal pay act made it illegal to pay women less for the same work. And yet despite these “rights” being legalised, only 35% of our elected MPs are women and the gender pay gap for 2022 stands at 14.9%.
At this point, I could list a lot more facts and figures related to gender inequality in the UK but I’m too angry.
I’m writing this column the day after serial rapist, and police officer David Carrick received a life sentence for a 17-year reign of terror during which he committed unspeakable acts of violence against at least 12 women. On the same day, Piers Morgan hosted a discussion including a debate about whether the “Me Too” movement has gone too far.
When will we start to link up the facts and realise that overt and covert misogyny are directly responsible for the appalling violence meted out to women and girls right here on our doorsteps?
We live in a culture where violence against women and girls is normalised. Popular figures such as Jeremy Clarkson can write a column in The Sun spouting violent misogynistic fantasies without fear of retribution or negative impact to his career.
It’s laughed off as “banter”. Rather than speaking out, colleagues nicknamed Wayne Couzens and David Carrick “The Rapist” and “Bastard Dave”. No wonder these men feel emboldened. Their crimes don’t start with rape and murder but when their “banter” is tolerated, even lauded and laughed at, it creates a climate where women are “othered” and seen as lesser.
It is in this climate that one woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK and yet the police describe such crimes as “isolated incidents”. These are not isolated incidents. There is a common cause.
It is utterly incredible to me that we are willing to tolerate this level of abuse, violence and death in our society. Ignoring “banter” trivialises and normalises violence against women and girls. Be part of the solution by being bold and speaking up.
Take the White Ribbon promise “never to use, excuse or remain silent about men’s violence against women”.
I’m a member of the Women’s Equality Party because I believe we can collectively change this culture. We do not all experience gender inequalities in the same ways but collectively we can recognise, challenge and work to overcome them.
International Women’s Day is a day of celebration. It’s a day when we can come together to call out inequalities, and also celebrate those working to change this. We need women and men to be part of the solutions and we need more than a day. But let’s make a start. Join the Women’s Equality Party on Tuesday, March 7, at 7.30pm in the Town Hall Wokingham.
We’ll be hearing from amazing local women working in organisations that support women in our community and doing their bit to change things for the better.
We have incredible decorations from the fabulous Barkham Hookers and some excellent raffle prizes.
Proceeds from the raffle will go to the organisations speaking at the event. A drink is included in the ticket price and there will be more available to purchase.
At a time where we could easily despair, spend an uplifting evening in the company of other women, and hopefully men, celebrating each other and supporting our community.
Tickets on Eventbrite.
Louise Timlin, leader of the Women’s Equality Party, Reading and Wokingham
