Charlie Hebdo
As I write, the horrific Charlie Hebdo killings are still on the TV news. The male gang members are dead, and the female is still at large. What prompted me to write today, was the BBC News narrator's description of the female, after having said she was armed and highly dangerous, he said she was the girlfriend of one of the gang members. I wondered whether, if the male in the relationship was at large instead of her, he would have been described as "the boyfriend of...". I doubt it, especially as such relationships are frowned upon in Islam.
There are Women where once there were only Men
The BBC has women fronting the news, the sports and narrating documentaries, where once there would have been only men. Sports viewers were quick to complain when Mark Lawrenson said Sergio Romero "should have put a skirt on" after Romero's weak attempt on goal. The BBC wisely spiked Colin Murray's sexist comment about Jessica Ennis, which prompted calls for more positive coverage of women in sport.
I pick on the BBC's usage, rather than the commercial channels, because it is our BBC. We pay for it. Its mission statement is to inform, educate and entertain whilst being independent, impartial and honest.
There's been some progress
In the promotion of equal treatment for women, the BBC produces some excellent documentaries and, I am sure, strives to be even-handed in recruitment and selection (though I have not researched this); though there have been reports that once female presenters start to look old, they are kicked into touch; and while ageing, balding, grey-haired men continue to front the news, the women who sit alongside them seem to be younger, trim-bodied and wrinkle-free. Maybe, to quote W.S. Gilbert, they just wear well.
Getting the wording right
The BBC is skilled at avoiding sexist phrases. Talking about women's work, the weaker sex, or expressions of surprise at a woman's achievements are, it seems, things of the past. The word "girl" has been banned as a description of an adult female. However, the sexism persists. I doubt many viewers noted that the woman in the terrorist gang in Paris was assigned the role of "girlfriend" despite being Muslim (no girlfriends allowed), an adult female, an apparent full member of the gang, armed, dangerous and at large.
BBC Sports Coverage
What surprises me more is how the BBC gets away with announcing sports on its main channels and in the news. "The football results" consist entirely of the men's game, unless the women's national team happen to have got to a World Cup quarter final. Rugby, cricket, golf, football, are all, by default, the men's games. Footballer of the Year is actually Male Footballer of the Year. The last time it was awarded, not to a Briton, footage of his grinning face receiving the trophy was followed (without visuals) by "the women's title went to..."
But this is not a given. Any sport that has taken the trouble to include men's and women's competition within one tournament has gained equal coverage and status for males and females alike. Where this has not happened, only the male competition receives serious interest, and the BBC happily goes along with that sport's agenda of ignoring (and, in consequence, underpaying) its female participants. They give prime time, prime channel space to the men's competitions, consigning the women to an online channel, BBC3, or ignoring them entirely.
Caring and Sharing and Bad Journalism
It is an inescapable fact that, across society, women do the majority of the caring while men gain most of the status and tangible rewards. However, whilst acknowledging this, and applauding those who do both of these well, things could change. The current situation should not be the base that informs how the media portrays women, but should be a goad to promote change. Commenting on women's bodies and dress sense, while commenting on men's goals and achievements should be viewed as bad journalism and bad for one's CV. The Olympic Committee has forced countries that oppress females to allow women to enter The Games, or be excluded entirely. Golf clubs hosting the British Open have been shamed into allowing women members. Why not extend this principle to UK politics? Political parties with any affiliated club or group that excludes women, or any other innate characteristic, should not be permitted to stand for election. That would wake them up.
When Racism was Normal
There was a time when it was acceptable, even normal, to use racist language, not only in conversation, but on the media and in sit-coms. Before that, there was a time when it was acceptable, even normal, to refuse entry, or lodgings, to blacks, gypsies, Irish, etc. None of this is now acceptable or normal. It didn't happen overnight. The change came about because one or two people began to challenge what was acceptable, what was normal; they often did this at some risk to their reputations, careers and their own safety.
Thankfully, racist behaviours are no longer acceptable; no longer considered normal; and no political party that harbours hope of gaining power would dream of allowing their representatives to say or do anything that implies anyone, apart from their political opponents, is of lesser worth.
I'm Watching!
I shall continue to watch and monitor the progress of sexism in broadcasting. I doubt anyone will pay any attention to my sarcastic tweets about BBC sports coverage, or my occasional rant her on the Blogger; but sometimes, one drop more water sets the bucket moving; one more straw breaks the camel's back; one small stone starts and avalanche. This is a long battle; while voices are crying out about the oppression of Islamic women being forced to cover up, a hotel manager forces a breastfeeding mother to put a tablecloth over her baby's head, and only men may remove their tops unless they are on a beach, without fear of arrest. It's a funny old world; so why aren't I laughing?
