The Trouble With Pretending to Care About Sexism in the Workplace

You may, or may not have been in the position to watch the BBC's The Trouble with Working Women (still available on the iPlayer)

It came in two fabulously titled parts, "Why Can't a Woman Succeed Like a Man?" and "Why Can't a Woman Earn As Much As a Man?" While one might theoretically offer, institutionalized sexism, gender stereotypes in the home and work place.. maybe the onus on women to raise and care for children as it's women's work it is apparently not that easy an answer.

Yes, in between the hand picked stereotyped men and like this, women are like that vox pops and the brain scans between the male and female presenters and the carefully chosen personas of the presenters viewers were treated to two hours of TV that concluded it was a privilege that women could give birth to children, that we all want children, that work places assumptions that all women between 20 and 30 will be intent on popping one out and that post pregnancy will become unable to do anything other than care for a child... am I ranting - well wasn't everyone?

Check out what twitter had to say


tanyagoodin @Hannechr I felt I'd fallen asleep and woken up back in the 80s! V disappointing from BBC2 which usually produces quality programming #twww

marmaladegirl That was a real opportunity missed, some fundamental issues laughed off and ignored = reason I prefer the web to TV -main stream sucks #twww

CathElliott: #twww "women have richer lives" and they "get to give birth to children - nothing better than that" Oh FUCK OFF!!

BitchBuzz There is no simple answer. Part-time/maternity leave aside - if you're at the same level doing the same job, pay should be the same. #twww

bmcmichael Weeping that the only positive message to be taken from this programme comes in the form of Lynne Franks #twww

fjoms I'm not going to watch #twww because just reading the tweets about it is making me angry

CyranDorman No, this programme isn't making me feel less of a woman by largely focusing on mothers. (sarcasm) #twww



I understand why you'd choose cheeky chappy, blonde prefect style wink wink nudge nudge teasing presenters, because, you know, it's too hard and boring to talk sensibly about something quite important, but seriously. Stop It.

Charlotte