Questions for Us

The following information comes from The Sydney Morning Herald (September 2 – Fathers’ Day):

“Women must work an extra 64 days each year to earn the same as their male colleagues, new figures show. The pay gap has also widened in the past year, prompting calls from the trade union movement for legislative change…

…On average, men earn 17.5 per cent more than women in comparable jobs.”

Come ON…

This information appeared next to an article about Alan Jones’ comment:

Alan Jones let rip a tirade on 2GB against Prime Minister Julia Gillard. This time it was about her promise to help get more women in the Pacific into parliament and other decision-making positions. Gillard argued raising the status of women was the best way to reduce the appalling domestic violence statistics in the region.

Jones didn’t agree. He claimed that, “Women are destroying the joint – Christine Nixon in Melbourne, Clover Moore here. Honestly.”

He then said, “There’s no chaff bag big enough for these people.” He has also previously said our Prime Minister should be put in one and thrown out to sea.

Such malice – and for what?

Let me just say – GOOD ON YOU, JULIA! There is nothing wrong with that wonderful vision for our sisters in the Pacific.

How interesting that a man like Alan Jones – who has the luxury to spread his poison over the airways, should find offense to this. How exactly is HIS life affected by this promise?

Does Alan Jones really give a rat’s bum about any of us? Obviously not, ESPECIALLY if you’re a woman…Oh, unless you listen to his show.

Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon responded by branding the Jones comment “good old fashioned sexism”.

Well it is.

But as the film Miss Representation pointed out – why would girls want to become a voice in our governments, when they are treated with SUCH contempt?

Fortunately, Jane Caro (awesome activist who wrote the above article) has started a small stir by creating the hashtag #destroyingthejoint – there’s also a FB site of the same name, although I’m not sure who started that one.

Who cares. It’s a chance to say that it’s simply NOT. ON.

More women in government – equal representation! Equal pay!

But as I’ve always said, it starts with us because men vote for men and women predominantly vote for men too. That’s not to say just vote any ol’ gal in – but our mindset has some changing to do.

You may not like Julia Gillard, but this promise is a wonderful one and we should all acknowledge it – not just oppose everything.

Deep Breath.

x

PS I posted this on my Questions for Women Facebook Page but it wouldn’t hurt to put it here too. There is a petition with Change.org asking for Alan Jones to apologise for his mysoginist and sexist comments.

Click here and have your voice heard!