Enid and the Suffragettes

[Soenke Rahn]

I'm not sure we've really got equality these days. [...] I wonder what all those women who fought so hard to make their voices heard 100 years ago would be pleased with the 'progress' society has made?

Good points and questions!

[Fiona1986]

I think as far as the law is concerned women have equality in the UK.

There are, however, a massive number of opinions, behaviours and attitudes (of both men and women) that go against that. (And of course men can't get pregnant or breastfeed which will always disadvantage a woman from true equality.)

[Francis]

Katharine wrote

but in my experience woman are still mainly responsible for bringing up the children, often juggling a job as well, plus the majority of the housework - so equality = doing twice as much.

Wise words - women are working harder than ever. My son-in-law has lost his job wih his firm going out of business and my grandson with a Masters in History can't get a job whilst my daughter and grandaughter work long hours to keep the household going.

[Fiona1986]

Actually, on saying that I'm suddenly having another thought. Who's to say that equality means women being the same as men? Women face plenty of issues (like looking sexy/dressing in power suits for work etc) but men have their own issues. I think men are under pressure to be buff (and not bald), to appear masculine - I think modern men can be really confused by the whole 'be in touch with your emotions' thing, while there's still a lot people who think men should be macho. Househusband? Probably not an easy thing to admit to.

[Katharine]

Who's to say that equality means women being the same as men?

I think that's a good point. Obviously there should be certain points such as equal pay for the same job, same voting rights etc., but as you pointed out earlier, men can't yet give birth or breastfeed, and also, generally speaking, men are physically stronger, so there are possibly some jobs that the majority of women would be unable to do.

I think that's why I always found George's character difficult to relate to, I never wanted to be treated the same as a boy, I just wanted to be treated fairly, if that makes sense?

[Francis]

I had a female cousin who said she was better than any boy - and she was - at swimming,
climbing trees etc. She used to take the part of an Indian chief in our games - no staying in the wigwam for her!

[Soenke Rahn]

Who's to say that equality means women being the same as men?

I think that's a good point. Obviously there should be certain points such as equal pay for the same job, same voting rights etc., but as you pointed out earlier, men can't yet give birth or breastfeed, and also, generally speaking, men are physically stronger, so there are possibly some jobs that the majority of women would be unable to do.

I think that's why I always found George's character difficult to relate to, I never wanted to be treated the same as a boy, I just wanted to be treated fairly, if that makes sense?

I supposed one reason for Georges wish is that her father is really dominant -- in a role of a little girl like Anne she wanted not to live. So she takes the dominant role ... Onkel Quentin is guilty, not aunt Fanny.

[Soenke Rahn]

I had a female cousin who said she was better than any boy - and she was - at swimming,
climbing trees etc. She used to take the part of an Indian chief in our games - no staying in the wigwam for her!

And you?

[Fiona1986]

I never related to George much either.

As a child I played with my boy cousins quite often and I loved playing "action games" where we split into two teams and were spies, soldiers, ghostbusters ninja turtles etc (I also made my sister play at Ghosbusters and Turtles but she was always a female character like Janine or April whereas I was Egon or whichever Turtle I felt like).

Equally though, I loved my Barbies, dressing up (as gypsies, runaway princess and her maid, the girls from 7 Brides for 7 Brothers or just a mum and child) and playing house.

I didn't want to be a boy but at the same time I had freedom to do boyish things when I felt like it.

[Lawrie]

I'm another one for whom George struck no personal chord. I was definitely more of an Anne, though I was - and sadly am- hopelessly untidy so I don't think I'd have been much of a one for scuttling around tidying the cave, tent etc. As many people have said George doesn't come across as much of a pioneer when you first read about her in the 1970s and onwards, but when you see her in the context of women first getting the vote not much more than 10 years before her creation, it does make you think... As a child I never got all that wanting to be as good as a boy, because what was so good about that? - but then it was easy for me growing up in a more enlightened age.
I think it is probably almost impossible to have absolute equality in many things - as regards men and women, it's more a case of different but equal.
I watched the Emily Davison programme as well - it was fascinating to see the actual film footage. We "did" the suffragettes for O'level history (1980) and learnt all about force feeding, the "Cat and Mouse Act" etc, but watching the programme with my 16 year old son we were also struck by the violence of the suffragettes' campaign.
I'm not very interested in politics but I must say I always drag myself out to vote by reminding myself that all those women chained themselves to railings so that I could have that right and the least I can do is use it.

[Anita Bensoussane]

And of course men can't get pregnant or breastfeed which will always disadvantage a woman from true equality.

I think that gives a woman more power - not less. Maybe the man would prefer his partner to give up smoking while she's pregnant with their child, or eat a better diet, or breastfeed the baby for longer once it's born, but ultimately those things are up to her and he doesn't have much say in the matter.

[Fiona1986]

I think that depends on where you want your power to lie - in the home or in the workplace.

I think that's like what I said earlier - that true equality might not be men and women being the same.

Women have always had dominion over the home and children, men had it everywhere else.

[Francis]

Enid, of course, worked at home and had help to support her in raising a family. This gave her independance and the freedom to explore her imagination. Mind you she had started off as a teacher on a salary.