It is more than likely that today you woke up to a Facebook alert happily informing you that it is International Women’s Day. While such a sophisticated piece of coding doesn’t do much for legitimising the holiday beyond the realm of social media, it does speak to the importance – or the hoped for importance – of the day. Far from being a contrived new age, social media, superficial brand of feminism, the tradition of International Women’s Day began in New York in 1909 and represents the global effort to support and promote the rights of women.
This is the kind of significance that, frankly, International Hug a Ginger Day lacks.
Our position as a society in terms of equality still leaves a little to be desired. The World Economic Forum predicted in 2015 that it would take until 2133 to achieve global gender parity – that’s just 117 more years until men and women are equal. On the surface, it may seem like Ireland has already achieved gender parity in comparison with the situation in developing countries – we have the right to vote, we live in a democracy and, aside from the issue of the eighth amendment, there are no major laws prohibiting our rights. But speaking to individual women in Ireland, equality for them now represents much more than just basic human rights.
It’s the everyday situations that make women feel uncomfortable, that they have to put up with because that’s “just how it is”. It’s those moments they feel intimidated and belittled because of their gender. It works the other way also – sexism affects both men and women. Gender stereotyping is a huge issue in Ireland, especially among older generations, who are so set in their ways that they see nothing wrong with the outdated views of gender roles.
If we already have the right to vote, and the opportunity to work, but what else could be hindering gender equality in Ireland? Speaking to The University Times, Annie Hoey, USI Vice President for Equality and Citizenship, thinks that the most pressing issue facing Irish women today is “bodily autonomy and the fact that right now in Ireland women don’t have full autonomy over their own bodies”. It is a topical issue, and one with which Sinéad Burke, a former Trinity student and blogger at MinnieMelange.com, agrees: “The lack of bodily autonomy and reproductive rights is disrespectful and unjust towards women. The way in which women are referred to in the Irish Constitution, and that it states that a woman’s role is in the home should be rectified immediately.” Both women believe in repealing the eighth amendment, as Burke argues that “the Irish Constitution currently dictates what I can and cannot do with my body, in a way that my brother and male friends are not even conscious of”, and Hoey is hopeful that “times are changing and attitudes are shifting”.
I was genuinely upset with their rationale that the woman’s name, L’Wren Scott, was not relevant, as Mick Jagger would draw more eyeballs to their article. I became explicitly aware of the sensationalist treatment of women in the media.
Elaborating on how women are spoken of and represented, Hoey and Burke both agree that “how the female body is portrayed in media” is a persistent obstacle in the fight for gender parity. Burke says she started up her blog after “the New York Times led with the headline that ‘Mick Jagger’s Girlfriend Has Died’”. She adds: “I was genuinely upset with their rationale that the woman’s name, L’Wren Scott, was not relevant, as Mick Jagger would draw more eyeballs to their article. I became explicitly aware of the sensationalist treatment of women in the media.” It’s easy to overlook sexist news headlines and sensationalist stories objectifying women because it is so common, but going forward, as the next generation of young Irish people start thinking about and discussing these issues, it is hugely detrimental.
Reflecting on how far we’ve come since International Women’s Day began more than 100 years ago, Ireland is a much better place for everyone, especially minority groups, with the LGBT community being recognised first with the marriage equality referendum and then with the Gender Recognition bill. But is Ireland really a fair place for women today? Hoey argues: “On paper it is fine. We have very robust equality and discrimination laws. But the lived reality is a little bit different for a lot of women. We are still expected to adhere to a certain societal ideal. We are expected to look a certain way.”
Although certain people hold the belief that these expectations are just trivial matters, when it affects one’s daily life, it is a problem. Burke originally set up her blog to focus on fashion, and to those who label fashion as trivial and shallow, she argues that “the primary rule of football is that 22 grown people chase after a ball and yet, we never trivialise that interest or describe it as shallow”. Women in the media are undermined, objectified and sexualised to such an extent that it can directly affect not only men’s view of women, but also a woman’s view of herself.
In the most recent general election, women occupy only 22 per cent of the seats in the Dáil. This is the highest percentage yet, but some argue that it’s still not enough, proposing the introduction of gender quotas as a solution. Are such measures the way forward? Burke says that this is “a feat which I really think would have been impossible without the introduction of gender quotas”, while Hoey agrees that “gender quotas are definitely a step in the right direction. More women need to get on the ballot paper. We also need to make political life a lot more family friendly”.
Burke is optimistic about the future of Irish politics: “I think the women in this Dáil will change the culture and language of an archaic system and will be a voice for equality.” With only 10 TDs between the ages of 21 and 35 elected in the recent general election, some could worry that the older population represented in the Dáil will have more traditional views. Hoey, however, thinks that we need a more diverse government to achieve equality in general: “Migrants, Travellers, people from various socio-economic backgrounds – they all need to be represented so that the Dáil is more reflective of the people.”
On paper it is fine. We have very robust equality and discrimination laws. But the lived reality is a little bit different for a lot of women. We are still expected to adhere to a certain societal ideal. We are expected to look a certain way.
A large aspect of the campaign for gender equality is the handing down of a language for women to use when voicing their issues. One such measure with this idea at its core – not just for women, either – is the increasing focus given to the issue of consent, with workshops even going to be introduced in Trinity, in Trinity Hall, from next year. Hoey thinks that “children should be taught that it is okay to say no to something like hugging a family member if they are not comfortable with it. Then as they get a little bit older, the content of these conversations can mature to issues such as sexual consent.”
Younger generations are becoming heavily influenced by the portrayal of women on social media, and in many instances this is how a misunderstanding of gender equality and women’s rights develops. Burke says that events like International Women’s Day are effective for spreading awareness, but adds an extra suggestion: “These events are extremely important, but it’s also essential that we do a small task each day to support and help other women. Something as simple as linking friends via email who might be of help to each other, or bringing a younger woman for coffee and allowing her to ask you questions about your success.”
Gender equality is not just a woman’s issue. Burke believes that “men need to be part of the conversation, as change will progress at a snail’s pace without them, but we must foremost value and encourage our female friends and colleagues”.
