Let’s Talk About Sexism
By: Specky Scribbler, Michelle O'Connor
Tags: Bias, Ireland, Sexism

Yep, I’m back on this horse. I mean, I’ve never left it.

There’s a clip doing the rounds at the moment from the RTE Archives called ‘Male Chauvinism’. It includes men (always men) talking about women’s place in Ireland. It was filmed in 1990. Think about that. 30 years ago.

The attitudes contained within the piece have, hopefully, changed a bit. I'd like to think that the young men in the clip, who would be in their 50s now, have changed their attitudes, but have they really?

It’s hard to find proof of changed attitudes, but nowadays, it’s a lot more private. There’s no way a man would be able to say these comments out loud because they would — rightly — be called out on it.

But, it’s hard not to think that these attitudes are completely gone away. It’s deep-seated, and the men who made these comments are, probably, the men who hold the power in management and leadership positions. Men who got to where they are for being ‘part of the boys’ club’. Signing deals over golf match and pints.

I say this because 30 years isn't a long time. I turned 30 this year, and in those years, I’ve learned how to walk, talk, started and finished school, university and started my own business. So my personal 30 years have seen a lot happen, but not a huge amount has actually changed.

Think about this:

In 1990 these comments were made.

In 1992 there was a call for the ban on abortion (introduced in 1983) to be removed. The referendum didn’t remove the ban. The only change was women were allowed to travel and they could also access information.

In 1995 a referendum was held to allow divorce in Ireland, but only if there was no hope of reconciliation, and only after the couple had been separated for four years.

In 1996 the last Magdalene laundry closed its doors. Yep, 1996.

Fast forward to 2018 — after a decades’ long fight for women’s rights, the Constitutional Ban on Abortion was Repealed. Finally.

But, that doesn’t mean that sexism isn’t still rampant in Ireland — and the world. The gender pay gap in Ireland currently stands at 14.4%, so for the rest of the year, the work women do may as well be for free.

Not only that but constitutionally, women’s place in Ireland is still in the home. Yep, legally. Article 41.2 of the Irish Constitution states:

2° The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home

This is a legally binding document that can’t be changed unless the people of Ireland vote for it in a referendum and still, it sits. The law hasn’t been changed because our political parties are male-dominated. And the argument can be made that it doesn’t hugely impact upon women’s lives — in general — but the fact remains that it’s still there.

Sitting there. Looming. Available to potentially be used. The fact that it hasn’t actually been amended says enough.

So yes, that clip from RTE about male chauvinism is ‘gas’ and ‘mad’ to watch and think about how openly these lads spoke about their disdain for women’s rights. About how feminists were ‘militant’. But, unfortunately, there is also a proportion of these men who hold positions of power. And, whether we know it or not — women aren’t in leadership roles.

Women are still spoken to in a patronising way. Women still don’t hold leadership roles. My generation is changing that, but there’s still a ways to go.

So yes, while men nowadays aren’t so openly sexist, sexism still exists. Just like racism still exists. It’s just all kept quiet.

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If you want to see more about how I know this happens, check out my blog series about gender bias, where womxn have openly discussed their experiences in professional settings.