Equal Rights for Women! Where?

I have spent my life around strong women; the image of the timid little man and the strong woman is a myth.

My Mother, Grandmother, Aunties and two of my sisters are women that you just don’t mess with unless you can afford expensive dental work.

But though they were strong, they were not bullies, they also encouraged me to also fight for what I believe in.

Because of them, I love female company, preferring it over male company. I have lots of female friends who are also bright and intelligent and not afraid to speak their minds, so why do so many societies have such a problem with women?

Let’s just take my favourite subject to start with, religion. If I were female, I wouldn’t have anything to do with any bigoted misogynistic, small minded devil-dodgers.

The sedate Church of England are discussing this week whether to allow women bishops! Personally I don’t give a toss if they have donkeys as bishops (they do). But why do you need to discuss whether to let half of the human race be part of your organisation? A woman’s point of view is just as valid as a man's; what are you scared of, lads, is it that you might catch girl cooties!?

And as for the Muslim religion, why a woman would want to be part of such an organisation is beyond me.

If your god is so bothered about you showing any flesh, why does he have you born naked?

Don’t give me all that crap that Muslim women are free to dress and behave the way they wish. When we hear so many times about families murdering girls because they want to choose their own way of life. Then they have the nerve to call them ‘Honour Killings’ - where’s the honour in taking a life of one you love?

I was brought up in the Catholic religion, and all the older generation were trapped in loveless marriages, with too many kids because a man who is not allowed to have a relationship with a woman tells them they are not allowed to use contraception. Why do women put up with such rubbish?

Then, when it comes to politics, women have to work harder to achieve any success. With the exception of Mr Thatcher… sorry Mrs Thatcher, most female politicians have quite a good grasp on what is needed in society.

I know that if you live under a politician it’s different to the world view of that person, but Angela Merkel seems to be able to hold the whole of Europe together at the moment.

Aung San Suu Kyi is helping to change the face of Burmese politics. And we even have a young girl, Malala Yousafzai, who courageously stood up to the mindless troglodytes, the Pakistani Taliban, to get what should be a basic human right, an education. She has done more for women’s rights around the world than any bra burning could ever do. (Kids, look up the 60’s and 70’s women’s rights movement).

There are women working behind the scenes the world over to help create a better world for their children to inherit. I know we also have Anne Widdecombe and Edwina Currie, but can we just forget about them for now?

Most men adore their mothers, yet lots of them seem to have little respect for the rest of the females of the world; this seems very odd to me.

My wife is my friend, confidant, partner, lover, and the only person who really knows how to push my buttons to wind my up or calm me down. She is my equal. And where I would use force, she would use gentleness and common sense, and that is what the world seems to be short of at the moment.

But then as the saying goes, ‘Common sense is not very common’.

Remember: it’s not ‘women’s rights’, it’s, Human Rights!