12th December 2008, 05:31 PM
'Just by being a man, it is hard to understand', is complete rubbish and highly offensive, I'm afraid. To set up any organisation ostensibly working for equality on foundations of inequality is hypocritical and doomed to failure. To quote Schlesinger (taken from the wikipedia article on identity politics): basing politics on group marginalization fractures the civil polity, and therefore works against creating real opportunities for ending marginalization. My first reaction when reading this thread was to leave well alone: better not get involved as I'll get pilloried if I say anything contentious, because I'm a man, aren't I. There you go: identity politics; my genes above my ideas. It doesn't have to be that way though.
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Okay, I'll try to assist here.
There are archaeological groups and people could have set up such discussion before; they haven't. We could have an equality officer at the IFA; the last time I looked there wasn't one though appreciate it may be different now.
Tom, to be honest you seem very passionate about wanting to be involved - so do! Simply not hearing women talk about how they've had horrible experiences shouldn't detract from everything else we're trying to do. But really, some women (new starters) may really need practical assistance in dealing with issues in the field they don't want to raise in front of men. Why? Because once you're objectified or feel victimised you feel ashamed, and we just want a safe place for women to talk to other women which is easily accessible. In the way there are female only shelters for abused women... sexism is a form of abuse (and it's not just men who've made comments to women). Does that trump equality theory? In my mind it does.
In the BWA steering committee we often disagree and challenge each other until we feel we're getting it right. Forums like this exist for everyone... and we should talk about these issues more. But I think that you should see the women's only forum as a moaning place rather than a place where things will be decided.... I could see you feeling cross if you thought that.
Hope that helps
Anne
[/quote]
Okay, I'll try to assist here.
There are archaeological groups and people could have set up such discussion before; they haven't. We could have an equality officer at the IFA; the last time I looked there wasn't one though appreciate it may be different now.
Tom, to be honest you seem very passionate about wanting to be involved - so do! Simply not hearing women talk about how they've had horrible experiences shouldn't detract from everything else we're trying to do. But really, some women (new starters) may really need practical assistance in dealing with issues in the field they don't want to raise in front of men. Why? Because once you're objectified or feel victimised you feel ashamed, and we just want a safe place for women to talk to other women which is easily accessible. In the way there are female only shelters for abused women... sexism is a form of abuse (and it's not just men who've made comments to women). Does that trump equality theory? In my mind it does.
In the BWA steering committee we often disagree and challenge each other until we feel we're getting it right. Forums like this exist for everyone... and we should talk about these issues more. But I think that you should see the women's only forum as a moaning place rather than a place where things will be decided.... I could see you feeling cross if you thought that.
Hope that helps
Anne