Changing gender bias in NFUS likely to meet resistance
ne of the benefits of the English language is supposed to be its flexibility, thus it introduces new words and adapts new phrases as and when there is a need.
That is how that much overused word Brexit came into being. Not that it will be discussed under the scrutiny of this Comment. Instead we shall look at a new phrase “unconscious bias” which hove into my ken recently.
I have no doubt the sociologists among us are already muttering that this definition of ingrained attitudes has been around for the past 20 years.
That may be so, but “unconscious bias” has been out of my sight and well over my horizon until a few weeks ago when I read the report on the Scottish Government’s Women in Agriculture Taskforce.
Among the recommendations to get a better gender balance in the farming industry, the report suggests a proactive approach to the issue of men dominating the sector. Part of the dismantling of the old masculine dominated agenda is an attack on the non-thinking or unconscious bias leaning towards the male of the species.
And this is where we come to the NFUS which in its 100-plus years, has not so far elected one female president but, in that same period has had 60 odd males in that top spot.
This male domination at the top of the Union is further confirmed with not one of its 100 plus elected vice presidents in the past century having been female.
Taking it further, in the gender stakes, not one of its ten chief executives in the past ten decades has been female.
From the above it is easy to see a pretty one-sided gender imbalance at the top end of the Union.
The Union’s smart media people will point to gender equality further down in the organisation but talented women doing valuable work within the organisation only emphasise the proverbial glass ceiling they seem to hit whenever they attempt to rise higher.
Bearing in mind the Equality report was received favourably by the Scottish Government and also bearing in mind that it recommends by the end of 2022, all agricultural organisations, bodies and business seeking to participate in formal Scottish Government agricultural stakeholder groups having to supply evidence of compliance, it is obvious the Union has some work to do and it has to do it in a pretty short timescale.
Just before Christmas, the high heid ones at the Union admitted that women were “significantly” under-represented at the top level. It might have been more accurate to say “non existent” and that is why talks on unconscious bias will be part of the plan to achieve gender equality.
Digging in to the issue, part of the problem would appear to be the committee structure which all aspirant officeholders have to climb in order to get to the top of the Union tree. While there is a scattering of women on the various commodity committees, there have only been three who have actually chaired a committee and the last one of those was more than 30 years ago.
It is relatively easy for the Scottish Government to bring about gender equality as they are responsible for appointing lots and lots of people to the hundreds of quangoes that exist.
They have been actively pursuing the gender equality agenda for some time to the point where one male ‘would be’ quangoist has been heard to complain that he would only be appointed if he wore a skirt.
At this point, it should be stressed that gender equality is only worthwhile if those brought in add to the equation and they are not just tokens of change. No one would dare suggest England and Wales Union leader, Minette Batters who blazed a feminine path through its structure has been a token leader as she is ubiquitous in defending/promoting the farming industry.
The problem for NFUS is that it is a democratic body and impositions from on high are likely to face objections from the grassroots. This is an important point as, among other moves planned for next year, Union committees will be encouraged to coopt female members.
However with the Government stick likely to beat the Union up if they do nothing then the carrot for change is inescapable.
Be prepared for women storming the Union allmale battlements.