[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Livia

As a professional woman in a field where women are underrepresented I have to say I am totally against all-female shortlists. It is totally unfair. Because women have been oppressed in the past that is no reason to shift the oppression to another group now. Vacancies should be always be filled by the best person for the job, whether that's a man or a woman.

Do you not think there can be a bit of a "boys club" type attitude in certain fields though? Have you ever experienced that? It seems like it could go on in Politics

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Do you not think there can be a bit of a "boys club" type attitude in certain fields though? Have you ever experienced that? It seems like it could go on in Politics

To be honest, I found the Tories to be more classist than sexist. Although I have to say when I've been involved in selections for Councillors the old boys (because it is still mainly old boys, although that's slowly changing) much prefer a young pretty female face to an older experienced female. And they wanted to discount a female applicant because she had a young family... a question male applicants were never asked.

I was kind of head-hunted for my current job, but I am one of only a few females doing it. Things have to change naturally though, I reckon. You can't force change by using tools like biased shortlists because it just builds resentment.

I have a friend who works for an investment bank in the City and the horror stories I hear from her would never be allowed in my own field.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Livia

To be honest, I found the Tories to be more classist than sexist. Although I have to say when I've been involved in selections for Councillors the old boys (because it is still mainly old boys, although that's slowly changing) much prefer a young pretty female face to an older experienced female. And they wanted to discount a female applicant because she had a young family... a question male applicants were never asked.

I was kind of head-hunted for my current job, but I am one of only a few females doing it. Things have to change naturally though, I reckon. You can't force change by using tools like biased shortlists because it just builds resentment.

I have a friend who works for an investment bank in the City and the horror stories I hear from her would never be allowed in my own field.

I suppose you would hope it would die off along with the old dinosaurs like those ones. I take your point about natural change though, you're probably right

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I suppose you would hope it would die off along with the old dinosaurs like those ones. I take your point about natural change though, you're probably right

What are we waiting for here? for there to be more female Councillors or for male Councillors to stop employing pretty childless women?... You'll be waiting a loooong time. Old boys never die off, they're just replaced with younger old boys.