Looking Back: Equal rights for women? Are we there yet?

When we started school we would most likely have been taught to read with the ‘Janet and John’ books.

It was not recognised at the time how sexist the content actually was, reinforcing the stereotypical roles of boys and girls and mothers and fathers in overwhelming middleclass content. ‘Janet helps mummy in the kitchen while John washes the car with daddy’

In the 1950s, female career choices were constricted by the seemingly universal opinion that a woman’s place was firmly in the home, confirmed by a young age of marriage and motherhood.

Many schools prioritised lessons in cookery and home economics for their female pupils.

Men in those days, went to work, tended the garden and managed family finances. Anything to do with cooking, shopping or cleaning was women’s work. As was childcare and discipline. No real man would ever have been seen pushing a pram.

So, how refreshing on a recent holiday to see how things have very firmly changed.

Young dads doing everything for their young children, playing with them in the pool, changing nappies and getting them off to sleep while mum has a rest.

Men at the buffet tables actually obtaining their own food!

It was interesting to see a couple of teenage girls with the name of their favourite member of the England Women’s Football Team on the back of their sports shirt. When I was at school netball was considered to be the only team sport suitable for girls.

It has taken a long time for women to attain any kind of equality. We didn’t get the vote on the same terms as men until the Equal Franchise Act of 1928. In the 1970s, single women were still not able to get mortgages without a male guarantor.

The Equal Pay Act didn’t come in until 1970, and publicans were still able to ban single women from buying drinks in their pubs until 1982.

Fighting the Patriarchy? It’s been a long time coming! Are we there yet?