Diversity and Equality. . .

VOCABULARY

I did enjoy watching the Oscars last week and of course I recorded it as even I, lover of famous actors and glamour, was not enthusiastic enough to stay up all Sunday night to watch the golden statues being presented. As predicted, Leonardo DiCaprio won the Oscar for the best actor in "Revenant" and he really deserved it. He had been nominated for an Oscar five times, only to go home empty handed – the sixth time he was lucky. Unfortunately, and this brings me on to my topic this week, the Academy Award ceremony was overshadowed by arguments over the lack of diversity and equality. First, some stars boycotted the awards altogether due to lack of diversity - there were no black nominees in any of the leading categories. Then, Amy Pascal, the co-chair woman of Sony Pictures, who oversaw the making of such films as the James Bond movie "Skyfall", resigned after emails were leaked explaining that female stars were paid less than their male peers. She has now started her own company which will make women matter in the film industry and will produce more female directors – more equality.

The subject of female equality has been with us for as long as I can remember and there is still a long way to go. Over one hundred years ago, suffragettes, led by Emmeline Pankhurst’s Women’s Social and Political Union, chained themselves to the railings outside Buckingham Palace, in London. They were fighting for women’s right to vote and many were arrested and imprisoned. Some even went on hunger strikes to get what they wanted. Finally, in 1918, British women over 30 were allowed to vote and 10 years later all women were given the right.

I grew up in the late 60s, when many women went on demonstrations to ban the bomb and fight for equal rights for women. We were all encouraged to burn our bras as a sign of equality. Please don’t ask me to do it again. Sometimes, however, political correctness is exaggerated. The equality watchdog, in Britain, is banning hoteliers and pub owners from advertising for a "barmaid" or a "handyman" and newsagents are not allowed to put up a sign for a "paper boy". Anyone advertising for someone of a specific sex, age or nationality – including a Polish builder – could be breaking the law and prosecuted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Companies, that are advertising for staff, must not state that a certain job is for a man or a woman: a “barmaid” is now a “bartender” and a "handyman" is a "maintenance worker". Employers are also warned against using such phrases as "young and dynamic", "recent graduate" or even "mature person" as they risk breaching the age discrimination laws. Asking for any physical characteristics, including height or strength, could also be illegal because it discriminates against women or disabled people. The watchdog also warns against pubs and night clubs offering free drinks for women – what about the men? Or posters advertising mother-and-baby classes – many men take paternity leave to look after their children and this could breach the equality rules. Fitness centres will no longer be allowed to offer free club membership for "spouses" because of discrimination against gay men and lesbians or people in a civil partnership.

Yes, people have certainly come a long way since the time of Emmeline Pankhurst and that is just great. However, it is very confusing keeping to political correctness in order not to offend anyone. I must admit, I still secretly enjoy the door being held open for me and being offered a seat on the train or bus, by a man. Mind you, that could be more due to age than sex. Can I have the best of both worlds? equality – Gleichheit to record sth. – etw. aufnehmen as predicted – wie vorhergesagt to deserve sth. – etw. verdienen empty handed – mit leeren Händen my topic – mein Thema overshadowed – überschattet argument – Streit lack of diversity – Mangel an Vielfalt leading – führend to oversee – überwachen to resign – zurücktreten to leak – durchsickern lassen male peers – männliche Kollegen to matter – wichtig sein suffragettes – Frauenrechtlerinnen chained – angekettet railings – Eisengitter right to vote – Wahlrecht arrested – festgenommen imprisoned – eingesperrt to grow up – aufwachsen to encourage – ermutigen bra – Büstenhalter exaggerated – übertrieben handyman – Handwerker Polish builder – polnischer Bauarbeiter to break the law – das Gesetz brechen to prosecute – bestrafen staff – Personal maintenance worker – Instandhaltungsarbeiter a mature person – eine reife Person to breach a law – gegen ein Gesetz verstoßen disabled – behindert paternity leave – Vaterschaftsurlaub spouse – Ehepartner civil partnership – Lebenspartnerschaft to offend – beleidigen