The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
It’s the science of sexism
Sometimes, it’s hard to be a woman...
Thank you, Tammy Wynette. What would we do without you when trying to encapsulate today’s female experience? Where should we go for solace, succour and sighs of resignation but to the work of a country and western chanteuse in a cheesy lament dating from 1969?
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. Or same old, same old, depending on how jaundiced you’re feeling.
It’s been coming thick and fast this week. First there was Professor Tim Hunt beefing about the distractions of female scientists and their lacrymose reaction to (always wholly justified, I’m sure) criticism from their (one assumes) male bosses.
In this respect, it would obviously be wise to be wary of Ms Wynette’s heartfelt advice. “Stand by your man” by all means – only not too closely and especially when you might be wearing one of those saucy little labcoats that raise the temperature more than any chemical reaction.
Of course, they do have such useful pockets to carry the many crumpled hankies you will need to mop up the tears when your boss tells you what you’ve done wrong now.
I don’t actually think this Nobel Prize winner should have been required to fall on his sword by his employers. Especially given that much of the reaction of women – and women scientists – via much-derided social media, was really rather clever, satirical and gently funny, giving the lie to the accusations that he was hounded out by “humourless feminists”.
He claims the offending remarks were off-the-cuff and lighthearted and that he was forced out without being heard.
Well, try being a female in some elements of the workplace, Prof. See how much notice is taken of your opinions, views or experience then.
Overreaction
If you dish it out, be prepared to take it, although his bosses seem to me to have overreacted hugely. A bit of judgement all round wouldn’t go astray. Just because you’re a helluva clever man doesn’t mean you’ve got any common sense.
Boris Johnson, of course, waded in with the statement of “scientific fact” that women cry more readily than men. To paraphrase Alex Salmond: “Behave yourself, man.”
Tell that to Andy Murray, Boris, who has been known to shed the odd tear and still managed to appoint – and take the advice of – a female coach. And stand up and be counted about the flak Amelie Mauresmo and others take in the tennis world and beyond.
Next up, Sandi Toksvig revealed that she wasn’t given the chairmanship of Have I Got News For You because she was a woman. Wouldn’t happen now?
Top Gear
Also this week, Chris Evans was named as the new lead presenter of Top Gear – but it’s OK because he’s going to have a female sidekick, like some kind of terrestrial Doctor Who with spark plugs.
Jodie Kidd or Suzi Perry? Good choices. Notice they didn’t get the top job, though. When it’s Christine Evans heading up Top Gear at £5 million a pop, we will know that the tabernacle has finally fallen, as well as the scales from the eyes of those who make decisions about these things.
There’s also been much debate about what it is to be a woman, occasioned by the experience of Olympic medallist and reality TV “star” Bruce Jenner, who has recently undergone gender reassignment and introduced the world to Caitlyn Jenner, mainly by sporting a satin corset for a very glamorous and much-discussed Vanity Fair magazine cover.
And no, I don’t suppose a labcoat would have had the same effect.
Good luck to her, I say. As someone who involuntarily had to go through some pretty drastic surgery, it seems to me that anyone who puts themselves through what it takes to transition physically must have an absolutely compelling reason and determination – and the courage – to do so.
You don’t go through that and the ensuing reactions unless you feel you must.
How does this square with the experience of women in general? It’s unlikely that Ms Jenner, being a former top athlete, very wealthy and of a certain age, will ever have to worry about earning a crust, getting promoted or putting up with the kind of thoughtless treatment that makes everyday life a struggle for a lot of women.
However, The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart, fresh from being upstaged by one Nicola Sturgeon, variously billed as a “comedian” and “Scotland’s feminist First Minister”, hit the nail on the head: “You see, Caitlyn, when you were a man, we talked about your athleticism, your business acumen but now you’re a woman and your looks are really the only thing we care about.”
Ouch.
Feeling persecuted
Anyway, in the face of all this, I’ve decided to feel persecuted. It was World Gin Day last Saturday. I missed it.
I have obviously become the Invisible Woman, like so many of my contemporaries. Because let’s face it – if I’m not near the top of their mailing list, who is?
So how come none of you told me? I hate you all. And if you’re a man, I may even cry.
Labcoats do have useful pockets to carry the many crumpled hankies you’ll need to mop up your tears