FFS (Feminist Frustrations Solidified)

I’m so frustrated. I saw it coming but I’m still so frustrated.

So the UK has its 3rd woman Prime Minister (3/56 = 5% BTW...) and she unfortunately seems so far to be one of the least competent female leaders I have ever come across. Meanwhile, Italy is set to have its first ever woman Prime Minister and she’s as right-wing and nationalistic as Mussolini.

And so, inevitably, it starts: the little (for now) comments that suggest that this is where gender equality gets you, that we would surely be better off with men in charge than this. Little, quiet comments that will, just watch, become big, loud opinions - and will lead to a man being voted in at the next possible opportunity.

Over the past week, even men I would consider liberal and pro-equality have said to me ‘In the fight for 50% representation, are you also focusing on competence?’

FFS… Feminist Frustrations Solidified.

Here’s how we know we are a million miles away from living in a gender equal world: because there is absolutely no room for a woman in leadership who is not clearly highly competent and politically endearing. Because if she is not, the issue is that she is a woman - whereas when a man is not, he is just not a great leader.

But far from leading us to question whether 50% representation of women (right to the top) is a good thing, in fact this shows us why 50% representation all the way through and up the system is so important. As we stand, thanks to all those invisible and unconscious forces at play in society, so few women are able to overcome them all and make it to the top: and, unfortunately, it is not necessarily the best or most competent that do. Whilst we may assume that a woman who makes it to a position of leading a country is the crème de la crème of the pool of female talent, this is unfortunately not always the case.

And the reality is that, unequitable as it is, for now women in power do need to be the brilliant ‘crème’ to avoid putting gender equality into reverse. So, for now, (and it hurts to say this) I don’t want us to put women into positions of power unless we are sure of them. Yes, for now - and unfair & unequal as it is - there is a higher standard for women: because women need to prove we are generally competent, whereas men are assumed to be so.

Fortunately, there is plenty of ‘crème’ , there are many brilliant women leaders out there, in society and in business. But we need to work harder to overcome the invisible forces that stop us from seeing them, valuing them, supporting them - and choosing them as our leaders.