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Originally Posted by Jamie89

Why is that hilarious? This thread is about somebody's job role and people don't seem to want to discuss what the actual role will involve and what education and training and experience Lily might have in relation to that. Yes 19 seems really young, and someone who isn't biologically a woman taking on a womans role of course sounds bizarre on the face of it. But can we not look at it any deeper that? People are bringing up things like menstruation/womens rights and issues/things that can only affect a biological female and stating that the person in this role needs to have first hand experience of these things, but I haven't seen anything that relates to womens rights and womens personal issues in the actual role description, and surely that should be the center of what this debate is about? I find it bizarre that that is being ignored and replaced with issues that from what I've read don't seem to factor into the role, and that people who want to actually consider and discuss those things should be mocked for it? That when discussing someone's job role the idea that they might be competent at it is something that shouldn't even be considered because on the surface it seems unusual, and that because it hasn't happened before it's something that should never happen.

Quoting from the article:

Congratulating the teenager on her election, Teresa Murray, Medway councillor and vice-chairwoman of the executive committee of Rochester and Strood CLP, acknowledged that “Lily will have to work very hard to convince other people that her very presence there is not going to undermine them”.

The Labour councillor said that “lived experience as a woman” should be considered an advantage — but not a prerequisite — for the role of women’s officer. She added: “Someone who is an accountant would probably make a better treasurer initially, but that doesn’t mean we should only give the role to an accountant.”

Does that strike you as someone chosen because they are the best person for the role? Or does it more imply a complete mismatch that may work if the wind blows in the correct direction. That quote comes from one of those responsible for the decision.