International Women’s Day
SEVERAL Sunday papers carried opinion pieces marking International Women’s Day and looking at the progress being made in the fight against gender inequality. Here’s what columnists had to say on the issue.
Scotland on Sunday
In its leader, the Scotland on Sunday looked at the work of Mary Wollstonecraft, often described as Britain’s first feminist, and its continuing relevance today.
The newspaper stated: “Her clear thinking helped inspire others to take up the cause of equality and, particularly over recent decades, enormous strides have been made.
“However, it is still clear the world has a long way to go. And indeed, there are some alarming signs that progress has not just stalled, but started to regress.”
The article added: “Today is International Women’s Day. There shouldn’t need to be one, or it should simply be a celebration, not an important political event, as feminists won the argument long ago that men and women are equal.
“But, amid a rise of other prejudices, it feels like we are at risk of losing our way in an important philosophical sense.
“To rediscover the path to a brighter future, we should turn back to the clear-sighted vision of Wollstonecraft and others like her, whose wisdom and goodness was so profound that it echoes down the ages.”
The Mail on Sunday
Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson argued in The Mail on Sunday that politicians need to do more to win women over.
She wrote: “Today is International Women’s Day, which has its roots in the socialist movement of the early 1900s. Now it seems to have morphed into one of those days marked with an inspirational quote on social media and then, duty done, quickly forgotten amid the hustle and bustle of daily life.
“This year, however, the John Smith Centre based at Glasgow University is returning the focus to politics, and has published research into women’s attitudes. It makes for uncomfortable reading.
“Fewer women than men trust politicians in general and their own MP in particular, while less than a quarter of women think politicians try to keep their pledges.” She added: “If we want everyone, especially women, to have more trust in politics, we must be more honest about our plans, more humble in claiming their effects and more willing to work together – even if it involves compromise. We have to underpromise and over-deliver.”
The Sunday Times
In its leader, The Sunday Times claimed that International Women’s Day should celebrate the progress that has been made on equality and acknowledge that more needs to be done.
The newspaper stated: “There is a long way to go. The writer
Caroline Criado Perez demonstrated how everyday products, from cars to smartphones, and from office central heating to piano keyboards are designed with men rather than women in mind. The default position for too many businesses is to deal with the male in a marriage or partnership rather than the female. Too many occupations remain male-dominated.
“There is no need for women to play the victim, however. We can and are doing something about it.
“That is, or should be, the message of International Women’s Day.”
The Observer
Anne Karpf argued in The Observer that everyone can benefit from a more equal society.
She wrote: “There’s now a stack of evidence that men benefit from living in more gender-equal societies and that policies promoting gender equality improve the quality of life of everyone, not just for women.
“A recent WHO report comparing 41 European countries found that men’s health was poorer in more gender-unequal societies – the sexual division of labour harms men as well as women. When the sexes are more equal, men say they’re more satisfied with life.”
She added: “Perhaps we should all move to Iceland. As it happens, Icelandic men have the highest life expectancy in Europe – and that’s not just down to the bracingly cold air and herring with everything: Iceland has a smaller economic and social gender gap than any other country. Or perhaps more men need to join campaigns for gender equality – not only to signal that they’re the good guys or because it’s morally just, but also through enlightened self-interest.”