1) Employers have at least 3.5 months to organise maternity cover so that their business is not affected. The government pays statutory maternity pay, not the employer so financially they’re not affected. It is actually illegal to discriminate on the basis that a female employee *might* go off and have a baby and it’s also illegal to ask a women whether she is planning a family in order to make a recruitment decision. These employers looking for an easy life are committing illegal acts of discrimination. Wouldn’t you be utterly FURIOUS if you went for an interview, performed well and had a man picked over you purely on the basis that you might have a baby (even though you’ve stated before that it’s not on your agenda?)

2) Shared parental leave has been in the pipeline for a while, I don’t know what is happening with it just now but one of the reasons until now that long leave has been granted to mothers was to encourage and improve the rates of breastfeeding because in the long run, breastfeeding reduces the burden on the NHS saving the taxpayer money. Not the sole reason admittedly.

3) Equal flexible working – you’re totally right! The expectation should not be that women do all the childrearing because it’s an outdated and stereotyped view of a woman’s capabilities and flexible working should be the norm. Admittedly, Bob & I are both civil servants and we have forward-thinking benefits so flexible working is an option for us both but I agree it should be the norm for every working parent.

4) Kerry, nobody is just deciding now that changes need to happen. Mary Wollstonecraft (probably the first recognised British feminist) was calling for equality of the sexes 200 years ago. Change has been slow thus far – you and I only earned the right to VOTE 80 years ago, a change which women died for. To me, it disrespects these social campaigners to say that we don’t deserve equality or to think that striving for equality would be detrimental to men. Society as a whole would be far fairer and more balanced.

5) I can’t help thinking that you’re being deliberately provocative here There are many men-only institutions (the Freemasons immediately springing to mind) that women have no access to. I also think you’re missing the point a wee bit – as Chrissy said in a comment above, although I chose to highlight issues of immediate concern to *us* women across the world are facing serious discrimination and having their rights infringed because of their gender.

At the end of the day though it’s your choice whether to try and see what we’re explaining or whether to stick with your own beliefs – it’s simply such an emotive subject for so many of us that we can’t sit down and shut up

I was talking with my OH about this this morning, as an employer it is increasingly difficult to work with the structure of maternity leave and the different laws around it, which it is why it is much easier to employ men as they are seen as more “reliable” in that respect. This is why men get better job opportunities. I’m not saying this is right, but it’s an easy choice for an employer that wants an easier life. However if this was to change to be completely equal, yes men would be discriminated against more if they weren’t given equal paternity leave and equal flexible working. It’s not an easy thing to decide suddenly that changes need to happen, because if not implemented carefully they could be detrimental to men also. I do also believe that my OH should be able to join the WI if girls are allowed to join the scouts, and that there should be men only car insurance as well as women only car insurance if there is to be full equality.

Maybe I should have used the word ‘ignorant’ but people shouldn’t be arguing anti-feminsist points before reading up on what it IS, what it has accomplished (and is still aiming to accomplish) and if they HAVE done their homework and continue to argue anti-feminsit points, then yeah – I’m gonna think they’re pretty stupid – especially if they’re a woman who enjoys the choice to actually work and own a business.

It doesn’t affect the way anyone RUNS a business, no need to prove something against a point I never even made.
Now YOU have just been extremely insulting, insinuating that I declared that non-feminists can’t function, aren’t human etc etc.
No one is asking you to be a robot and please don’t imply that those who share the same view ARE – just asking you to ‘think’ about it.

(this would have made a far more interesting response if you’d addressed the larger part of my post by the way – are you still declaring that men are more subject to discrimination in society today?)

Chrissy’s comment seemed to be aimed at me and |I feel I need to address it. Firstly I am not anti-feminist per se, I just think it needs to be investigated more from other angles and with caution so that the balance isn’t tipped. How does this make me “stupid”? I can accept ignorant, naive or even brainwashed and I wouldn’t bat an eye, but stupid I am not.

Also how does political and social perspective affect if I can run my business? My turnover in my first year working part time for myself was £12,000. I understand statistics, the importance of clever marketing, how price structures and economics work, but somehow if I don’t share the same view as Chrissy, that means I am not equal as a human being? I am not a robot and I will not conform to the opinions of others just to fit in with the general opinion, why does that make me any less able to run a business?

Otherwise I respect the opinions of others as they have respected mine. It leads to an interesting discussion and life would be boring without it!

Great post! it is all these reasons and many many more that have motivated us to set up Gude Cause (http://www.gudecause.org.uk) we need to make everyone aware of these inequalities and that we want things to change. Hopefully the Procession in October will get everyone thinking and re-engaging with the ‘political’ process – both local and national!and maybe even get some people to realise that feminism isn’t a bad thing and that being a feminist is something all self respecting women should be!

Fiona