The emancipated woman?

I've just finished reading 'Welcome to Everytown' by Julian Baggini. It's a fascinating book, the author goes to live for six months in S66 - the postcode that is the most English in it's demographic. Through that experience he writes about the English mind - what makes us tick, who are we, what are our values...very interesting from a missiological perspective. I'll probably blog more about it later...unless facebook takes over my entire life.

One chapter is called 'Ladies and Gentlemen' and it explores gender roles within the UK and since watching the first episode of Big Brother i have to agree with some of his conclusions. BB presented some truly awful female role models...but they know that they'll get the viewing figures as this is what people want to see. (i did turn BB off after about 15 mins).

Baggini thinks that the women's liberation movement has stalled over the past 10-15 years and is now possibly going backwards. Zoo and FHM portray an image of the woman that is defined by sex, the dieting industry profits on negative self image - only 2% of women are happy with their body - Asda's advert where the mum pockets the change 'every little counts' suggests that the woman is still receiving her weekly allowance from her husband. If a woman is empowered and emancipated certain aspects of the press present them as Lesbians. It's all horrifying and I could go on...

I thank God for the women who are strong enough not to fall into this media driven image, but also wonder who is leading the drive for female equality now.

Technorati Tags: Gender, Gender, Big Brother, puppy

Comments

[Tamsin Bishton]

Couldn't agree with you more about the role of women as typefied by the first episode of BB last night. I found it terrifying and horribly sad.
http://tamsinstuff.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

[Jo]

Ben

Thanks for this post. I am going to live in S66 as a Methodist minister from September. I am excited that it is the most English!!!!

As a 'strong woman' I am also intrigued as to how this might play out.

Ask me in a year and see what we can come up with.

[Jen]

I must get hold of the book and read that chapter. I have recently been reading a few Christian books on gender roles for an article which has been a pretty depressing experience. I'm concerned that progress towards gender equality within the church is similarly stalling or even going backwards. There's a lot of talk about the feminisation of the church, particularly in the States but moving over here, which is completely unbalanced and dismissive of women. Why is it that faith communities are often the places where men and women are most disconnected and in competition with each other?