Our place to talk – an independent website for supporters of the Liberal Democrat party in the UK.

The most-read independent website by and for Lib Dem supporters. Not paid for by trade unions or millionaires.

Advert

Author Archives: Rachel Edwards

Follow @underthenettle

Why a culture change is a necessary pre-requisite to gender balance

By Rachel Edwards | Thu 17th March 2016 - 8:55 am

I’m glad to be in a party where sexual harassment is taken seriously, and I don’t doubt that everybody has good intentions. Let me explain why that isn’t nearly enough.

A man walks into a bar. He buys a drink. He chats with a friend about the policy debate they’ve both come from, and they have a lively disagreement. He contemplates getting food. He gets talking to a young woman who he finds attractive, but she doesn’t seem interested so he doesn’t push it. He gets another drink.

A woman walks into the same bar. A strange man twice her age hits on her. She goes up to the bar to buy a drink, where a man she kind-of-knows hits on her. She’s talking to her friend about a policy debate, and another man she’s never met comes up, joins in the debate in an extraordinarily condescending manner, and she can’t quite tell if he’s hitting on her but she wishes he would take the hint and leave. She goes back up to the bar, where a drunk stranger makes a pass at her.

Continue reading »

Posted in Op-eds | 76 Comments

Most Read

Op-eds

“How will you pay for it?” – The reply I’d love to hear Ed Davey give (Jamie Dalzell)
The Lib Dems created the triple lock – we should be the ones to set the terms for its end (Adam Shaw)
We are being held hostage by the Tory voters who have lent us their vote (Theo Rodwell)
Dear United Kingdom: Anti-white racism and the attack of diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) (Michael Bukola)
The social media ban is illiberal, unworkable, and our stance is the wrong one (Cian Tynan)

Advert

Recent Comments

expats
Ed's first paragraph was a 'moan' about things are; his second was to promise to change it. What was missing was the "HOW" bit..* *Promising to call on 'exp...
Mick Taylor
@Chloe. In a democracy. a majority of 1 is enough. How many elections have been won with a single or double figure majority? The plain fact is that the bill pas...
Mary Reid
@Jana - yes, of course we should treat people as individuals. But we have to marry that principal with the need to counterbalance past discrimination. Sometimes...
Mick Taylor
Jason Connor is absolutely correct. Adam Shaw says that the gap has closed, but if you have only the state pension, even at the highest rate you have to live on...
Alison C
To me the message is clear. Michael is pointing out the dangers and asking us all to heed the words of Jo Cox....