Women's Views on News |
- New women’s history project launched
- Gender inequality the major career issue
- Microsoft’s portrayal of woman tech users
- Older women have been let down
| New women’s history project launched Posted: 12 Mar 2014 09:30 AM PDT
My name is Naomi. I run a feminist group in Coventry and work in a museum. I’m really excited to spread the word about a new project I have just launched which will tell the untold stories of history’s heroines. Sheroes of History is a new blog and podcast which will shine a spotlight on amazing heroines of the past – from women whose names you may have heard, to those whose stories are less well known. History has overwhelmingly been written by men, about men, so while there is a handful of amazing women we have heard of, there are so many more whose inspiring stories have gone untold. I believe that young girls especially need more role models to look up to: Sheroes who will show them that they can be whatever they want to be; that they can change the world; that their actions can make a difference and that girls can be superheroes too. My aim is that Sheroes of History will be inspiring, informative and inclusive, celebrating remarkable women from all walks of life. I deliberately want the stories told on the Sheroes blog to be easy to understand so that as many people as possible will be able to access them. And while I hope that women of all ages will enjoy reading the Sheroes profiles and listening to the podcast, I especially hope that it will inspire younger girls and give them their own Sheroes. As well as the new blog, Sheroes of History will have a monthly podcast featuring profiles of Sheroes, interviews, Sheroes of Today – and Fictional Sheroes will be coming soon. I also hope is that Sheroes of History will be a project which many women can contribute to; while I will regularly research and write about my own Sheroes, there will also be contributions from a wide range of women writing about the women from history who have inspired them. I launched the blog on International Women’s Day, and so it seemed appropriate that my first blog post be about the Shero who came up with the idea of a woman’s day, Clara Zetkin. Zetkin was a German who was involved with socialist and communist politics throughout her life. At the Working Women’s Conference in Copenhagen in 1910 she suggested that each year there should be a day, celebrated internationally, when women pressed for equal rights – which to Clara and her peers meant, among other things, the right to vote… To find out more about Clara Zetkin and her life click here and go to the Sheroes blog. And you can get involved, too. Tell us about your Sheroes of History. Submit a profile of a historic woman who has inspired you for the Sheroes blog. If you would like to tell us about your Shero of History please send us an email to find out more. Or you can nominate a Shero of Today for the podcast. Each month we will feature a Shero of Today on the podcast; send us an email about someone you think we should all know about! Like our Facebook page. Follow us on Twitter. We so look forward to hearing from you!  |
| Gender inequality the major career issue Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:30 AM PDT
A Cambridge college asked its former students about their working life, with revealing results. One of the few all-female colleges at Cambridge University, Murray Edwards College – better known as New Hall – asked 1,000 former students about obstacles they had encountered during their careers. Of the 824 obstacles that were listed, 38 per cent of respondents said gender inequality, discrimination, bias, bullying, undervalued work and non-supportive and difficult colleagues and managers were the most significant obstacles to their careers. The numbers were consistent across all age ranges, suggesting new laws on equal opportunities have not had any significant impact. Most of graduates surveyed felt they had to work harder than their male colleagues in order to prove themselves. And in contrast to traditional thinking, work-life balance was less of an issue, with more than half of those surveyed saying they had managed to combine work and family comfortably. Speaking about the survey's findings, Dame Barbara Stocking, a former alumna and president of Murray Edwards, said: "This is a shocking result. “If women say that they are not being treated on merit then all the arguments against positive discrimination – or quotas in certain areas – fall away. "Our survey confirms my belief that the only way to achieve a more equal balance in the workplace is by introducing quotas. Merit is clearly not enough." Dame Stocking, who is also the former head of Oxfam, added: "Sadly, our survey also showed that women rarely cited support from their employers as being a positive force." Those surveyed said they had got to where they are through their own drive and determination, as well as support from partners, friends, family and mentors. At the top of the list of their ambitions was ‘making a difference to society’ and the women wanted to have their voices heard, have a collaborative relationship with their colleagues and feel respected and valued in their role. When asked what they would have done to improve their careers, the majority said they would have undertaken more leadership coaching, improved their confidence building skills and done more mentoring and networking. Nearly half said they would have got more sleep, and 72 per cent wanted more time for exercise. Commenting on the future for women in the workplace, Dame Stocking said: "Unless we see a true cultural shift and change of attitude throughout the fabric of our workplaces, no matter how hard a college like Murray Edwards tries, it will still be difficult for our women to have the impact they aspire to in the world." A seminar to help current students is due to be held this year to mark the 6oth year of the college, whose alumnae including Claudia Winkleman, Tilda Swinton and Mishal Husain.  |
| Microsoft’s portrayal of woman tech users Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:50 AM PDT
Women! Microsoft would like you to meet the computer. It’s a handy device that you can use to plan your wedding. The company’s latest ad campaign, which is called 'Honestly', shows a bride-to-be sitting with her friends. And it shows how, thanks to the new Windows touchscreen, they can browse Pinterest and search for her wedding band. With ease. That is when they aren't busy cleaning, cooking, or giving birth. 'It’s more affordable, it looks GREAT, and it’s perfect for planning my wedding', the bride-to-be-actress beams. Later she jokes: 'Now if they'd only like their bridesmaid's dresses as much as my All-in-One!' This 'Honestly' ad is the latest in a series of misguided attempts to draw more women customers. In early February Microsoft released a women-targeted ad centered around a harried karate mom who bought a Windows laptop so her children could chat online. In December, the company was forced to change the language of a customisable letter for their 'We got your back' promotion, which was slammed for characterising women as non-gamers. One such option read ‘Hey honey, not sure if you’ve heard, but Xbox One is available. That means we can start playing games like Dead Rising 3. I know, I know. You’d rather knit than watch me slay zombies, but hear me out on this. Xbox One is actually for both of us…' To complain about Microsoft's repeated portrayal of women as superficial tech users, contact with them via their website or tweet them: @MicrosoftUK.  |
| Older women have been let down Posted: 12 Mar 2014 02:20 AM PDT
A rigid workplace culture is making it difficult for older women to balance their careers with caring responsibilities, leading to decades of low pay at the end of their working lives and poverty in retirement, a Trade Union Congress (TUC) report warned recently. The final report of the TUC's investigation into issues facing women over 50 at work has found that while a record number of older women are in work, many are trapped in low-paid jobs and are struggling to balance caring responsibilities with work. The report finds that: Older women suffer the biggest pay penalty. The gender pay gap for women over 50 working full-time is twice as high as it is for younger women. Nearly half of women over 50 are in part-time work, where the average annual wage is under £10,000 a year. Women over 50 have extensive and multiple caring responsibilities. Almost half (49 per cent) care for at least one of their own parents (49 per cent) while two in five (39 per cent) are caring for their own children. One in five (21 per cent) look after their grandchildren, while many women also care for another elderly relative (13 per cent) or a disabled husband, wife or partner (9 per cent). Older women feel more at risk from public sector cuts. With the majority of women aged 50-64 employed in public administration, education and health, the threat of redundancy is a major concern, especially as Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has forecast that the public sector is set to lose 1.1m jobs by 2018-19. The complex and often multiple caring responsibilities faced by women over 50 – and a failure by many employers to help them balance work with their other responsibilities – make it particularly difficult for them to continue their careers while caring for loved ones, says the TUC. The TUC report calls on employers to have a more enlightened attitude to these caring responsibilities, which needs to be underpinned by new employment rights. The report calls for the introduction of several new rights, including: five to ten days of paid carers' leave per year; an unpaid leave entitlement, similar to parental leave, specifically for grandparents; and a period of statutory adjustment leave for sudden changes to caring responsibilities and crisis situations. The TUC also wants employers to advertise all jobs on a flexible basis so the ability to work flexibly is not limited to those who want to stay in their current job. The public sector should take the lead in embracing this modern recruitment practice, says the TUC. The TUC’s General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Women in their 50s are the first generation of women to have been protected by equal pay and sex discrimination laws throughout their careers. "They were also the first women to have access to paid maternity leave, though many struggled on their return to work as few employers offered flexible working. "Despite these huge strides, women over 50 are paid a fifth less per hour than men, and many are trapped in low-paid work, with an ever-longer wait for their retirement. "This generation of women has been let down. "We need a radical rethink of our workplace culture, which is ill-equipped to cope with the complex work and caring roles that many older women face. "New rights to carers leave and adjustment leave to help them cope with sudden emergencies would make a huge difference to women's working lives, and would also enable employers to keep hold of experienced and often highly qualified staff." To read the final report of the Age Immaterial campaign click here.  |
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