It’s not about gender equality. It’s about giving the job to the right person anyway

I’VE never, to my knowledge, gotten a job because I’m a woman. Nor, that I know of, have I ever not gotten a job because I’m a woman. To date, as far as I’m aware, I have gotten every job I’ve ever worked at because the employer thought I would be good in the role. Gender didn’t come into it.

I usually tend to stay out of the whole equality debate because I’ve never really encountered that kind of treatment. When I started off in journalism it was predominantly a male domain – an older male domain at that. I started off working with men who had only ever worked with other men and there was, on both sides, a period of adjustment.

They had to get used to me talking about boyfriends, makeup and fashion and I had to get used to them talking sport and throwing in the occasional sexist joke. It was all harmless fun. The reason it was harmless fun was because there was a mutual respect between us. It didn’t matter that they were men in the fifties, sixties or that I was a flighty young one. We all did our job to the best of our ability and earned each other’s respect.

So I’ve never really understood when women have moaned about not having the same opportunities as their male counterparts. Surely you make your own opportunities? They don’t come knocking on your door.

If you want something you go after it. And if you don’t get it, you keep trying.

To be honest I don’t know if I’ve ever been paid less or more than my male colleagues. I’ve only ever been interested in earning a fair wage for a fair day’s work. What has bothered me more in the past is when I’ve worked with someone, male or female, who hasn’t pulled their weight and they’ve gotten away with it. That’s what I call unfair. That’s what I call not being a team player.

What got me thinking about all of this was the new all female line up on the Six One News. I can’t help feeling that The Powers That Be in Montrose decided ‘ let’s put two women in there, it will make us look really progressive and politically correct.’

Because let’s call a spade a spade here – Keelin Shanley and Catriona Perry are not the right fit. They are both without doubt accomplished journalists but the two of them together, presenting the main news bulletin just doesn’t work.

And I don’t think I’m letting the side down saying that. I don’t feel like I’m betraying my tribe. Maybe it’s time we stopped looking at ability and accomplishment in terms of gender. At the end of the day the most suitable candidate should get the position.

WHEN I’VEWORKED WITH SOMEONE, MALE OR FEMALE, WHO HASN’T PULLED THEIR WEIGHT - THAT’S WHAT I CALL UNFAIR