Pulaski

You miserable sarcastic cynic. You miserable sarcastic cynic. Er, ...... You miserable sarcastic cynic!

Jingsamichty

I'm not miserable.

gryphea

This kind of change is incremental because people (mainly men) don't like the message. The message is that even in the western world there is gender inequality isn't one that sits comfortably with many men. The reason being, is of course, that they may have played their part in it, probably unconsciously through unconscious gender bias. We all have unconcious bias of some sort, but because men occupy the higher echelons of industry their unconscious bias has more of an impact than many women. Apparently about 30% composition is self-sustaining, ie 30% women and their own biases are influential. As an example take the US top orchestra who every year without fail admitted only 5% women until they did blind auditions and it instantly rocketed to 25% and now is at 50% as women see the possibility and try to enter the field. Would those men hosting the auditions for one minute accepted they were gender biased? of course not, its an uncomfortable admission. Take the number of US CEOS who are tall; unconscious bias at work, or do we really believe tall (> 6 ft) men are better at their job than men who are 5 10/ 5 11?

Worley Parsons, etc are sending their employees on training to recognise their own unconscious bias. PWC is sending 17,000 staff globally on similar training, because they recognise that unconscious bias is standing in the way of optimising their business.

Just maybe Jings if you or anyone like you even think twice about the male atmosphere at your workplace and why that is and why its self-sustaining, then Emma's done a good job.

So change is incremental as the message has to be heard many times to sway opinion. It is and needs to be a multi-pronged attack.

Its interesting to me that really only one male on here has stated there isn't gender equality in the western world (everyone else has come out against it) and yet pretty much every woman on here thinks there is gender inequality; funny that. I don't think its anything to do with our periods though; I think its to do with our observations and experiences. Diverse viewpoints are very important and we need them to run businesses successfully (lots of research) and to win the talent wars.

Jingsamichty

If you're referring to me in your sentence above, I don't think you'll find I said that at all.

I'll take some time to consider the rest of your post though.

Alan2005

Even ginger spice got in on this once.

I assume that these people aren't meant to change anything, but use their fame to make people aware of it. These are PR roles, something famous people are reasonably good at.

MillieF

She was ghastly in Noah, everybody was, but then I would vote that to be one of the worst films I've ever seen....I didn't get to the end I walked out....I wondered if Russell Crowe was having an on screen breakdown.

BristolUK

A few others

Shard

Leo di Caprio is fat?

dishwashing

I have oft thought that humans are really quite selfish.

dbd33

Probably a poof.

Alan2005

If you aren't vocally with us, you must be against us. Is that how it works?

Souvy

Equality, not ambiguity or cherry-picking.

Jingsamichty

Why do so few men become primary school teachers? Is it because they can't do the job, or is it because women are attracted to the job more than men? It is just one of these things... either gender COULD do the job, and should not be prevented from doing it if they wish to, but traditionally one gender has preferred it over another.

- Primary school teacher, nurses - traditional female roles, but nothing to stop a man doing it if they want. The number of males is probably less than 10% and I don't see it increasing soon.

- Construction trades - traditional male roles, nothing to stop women doing it if they want. The number of females is probably around 5% but slowly increasing.

- Professions - law, medicine, accounting, engineering, banking - traditional male roles from the days when women simply stayed at home. Nowadays nobody even notice the gender of these professionals, far less cares about it.

When women complain about lack of representation, they complain about the very top. Well, guess what, I feel excluded from the very top too, but not because of my gender... but because I not prepared to do what it takes to get there, which is to basically work 24/7 and shit on anyone who gets in your way. Ignore your family. Don't take time off because you've had kids. Be a psychopath.

Maybe I just know strong women, but very few of them think their gender is a handicap.

Jingsamichty

Oh my God.. I've just seen a news article that Victoria Beckham has become a UN Ambassador on Aids.

There she is giving a speech looking all serious in a serious business suit. I can't help feeling that this is more about her and her desperation to be Taken Seriously, and the UN's desire to have Rent-A-Celeb for everything it thinks of.

JamesM

'I'm a woman and a mother and I want to reach out to women': Victoria Beckham speaks at the UN as she is named goodwill ambassador | Daily Mail Online

Yup. At least you can't complain that this one is chosen based on attractiveness.

Not a patch on Emma Watson.