Unit 4 Unusual interests
3 While you read
It's a man's world?
For the last thirty years,we've been told that the war of the sexes is over
and that women now have equal rights with men.
To try to prove this,
some have pointed to the way in which women have reached the highest offices.
Mrs Thatcher,for example,led Britain for thirteen years,
whilst many other countres have also recently elected their first female leaders.
In the traditionally male-dominated world of sport,
women have also made great progress.
In kick-boxing,for instance,two young Scottish women
have forced their way into the British team.
Whilst many conservative commentators may disapprove,
kate Kearney and Teresa Dewan
are proud of the fact that they can not only take on men,
but can even beat them.'We usually give them a good fight,'said Teresa,
'but a man never likes to be beaten buy a woman.
They usually go off in huff afterwards.You should see their faces!'
However,several recent news stories
have highlighted the fact that women are still being discriminated
against in all areas of life.
A survey last year showed that on average
women earn 30% less than men and that in many companies,
there is still a glass ceiling,prevening women from getting the top jobs.
As if this wasn't bad enough,
evidence also suggests
that women do more than their fair there of the work in the home.
Women today have the burden of having to go out
and fight for their rights in the workplace-
and are then still expected to come home and cook and clean.
Sadly,despite the success of women like the Scottish kick-boxers,
sexism is also still alive and well in sport.
The unofficial world women's lightweight boxing champion,Jane Crouch,
is today waiting to hear whether the British Boxing Board of Control
(BBBC)will allow her to continue her career.
The BBBC is deciding whether women boxers will be allowed to box officially
or whether they will have to remain in the shadowy world of inofficial boxing.
Miss Crouch could expect to earn around $100,000 a year if she is given a licence.
However,there has been much opposition to the spectacle of women in the boxing ring.
There was laughter at the BBBC inquiry this week
when it was suggested that women should not be licensed to box
because they were biologically and emotionally unstable.
To counter these arguments,Miss Crouch's lawyer,Dinah Rose,
said sarcastically:'We are all taking a hell of a risk allowing women to pilot aeroplanes,aren't we?
Perhaps all women airline pilots should be tested to see if they suffer from emotional instability.'
'I would certainly want research on that,if I were responsible for them.'
replied Adrian Blackson,the BBBC's chief medical officer.
'And perhaps we should also say that only men are stable enough to look after children.'
Miss Rose asked,
to which Mr Blackson could only respond by saying,'That's an interesting question.'
Miss Rose went on to suggest that it was men who were more likely to be unstable,
to commit violent crimes or commit suicide.
Mr Blackson told the inquiry that until further research had been done,
the BBBC should not allow Miss Crouch to box.
1 Boxing joke
When I was a kid,we couldn't afford a TV,so one day,
my dad drilled a hole through the wall.
which meant we could look into the house next door.
After that,we used to watch the boxing and the wrestling every night...
until we finally realised that the neighbours didn't have a TV either.