Comment on Anne Wareham’s article on Gender and the Garden World
VERY little of substance has changed since the mid 70s equal opportunities legislation; we have more women doctors but very few more women consultants, more women academics but very few more women professors, more women in management but very few more at CEO level.
As to the issue of language, so powerfully highlighted by Dale Spender in the 70s, we have MS. on official forms but lads mags that use the C word. It is, as Lenin said, one step forward, two steps back.
Spender highlighted in “Man Made Language”* the way a powerful woman is a shrew, ball breaker, angry etc and the male version is all things positive, just as you say in your article. The trouble is in a climate where even some self styled feminists DARE to call this a post feminist world to raise these ‘old chestnuts’ is considered so last century, so passé, so unfashionable.
All credit to you and others like the wonderful Joan Smith who remind us a 3rd wave is really needed, the war is not won. We have been bought off with being allowed to get drunk and throw up in public…what a sad victory!
*‘Man Made Language’ Spender, Dale
2nd edition 1985 Routledge and Kegan Paul, 250 p ISBN 0-7102-0315-2
