Women know their place, but Bloke FM ignores them
WITH Ireland’s Bloke FM culture being so jarringly out of tune with reality, the only surprising thing about the revelation women account for just 33% of voices on radio is that the figure is actually that high.
As an occasional contributor to Radio Bloke (though I may not be asked back much after this column), I probably benefit from the one-sided slant myself, as when political shows are taken on their own, the figure drops to 26%, according to a study compiled by Women On Air.
On an RTÉ panel show with a representative from the save the Seanad group Democracy Matters, I remarked that while democracy did matter, the Upper House did not, and asked him why he was using his time to try and keep alive an organisation of the living dead instead of campaigning for a more relevant change in public life — such as helping to increase the appallingly low level of women representatives in Irish politics.
Indeed, I probably did not endear myself to the host much by going on to point out on air that, yet again, an all-male panel was also discussing the X-case situation and a woman’s right to choose, or more accurately, a woman’s lack of choice, in this country.
As a listener, I lost count of the number of such discussions this year in which only men’s voices were allowed to be heard on the national airwaves.
The low point came on one edition of Today With Pat Kenny where five men, and not a single woman, talked about abortion.
Many programmes do try to find women to participate but the search is stymied, at least in part, by the scarcity of women TDs and senators.
After a group of Catholic bishops issued a statement on the X case, Newstalk Breakfast presenter Chris Donoghue acknowledged the problem on the subsequent panel discussion by stating: “Here we are, four blokes in suits talking about a statement issued by four blokes in dresses regarding women’s rights.”
On that occasion two women deputies had to pull out of the show at the last minute, but the fact female representation in the Irish parliament lags behind some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa which we as a society usually, and condescendingly, look down upon as less progressive, cannot be the whole reason.
If women can be so easily shut out of a national debate on an issue like abortion, what chance do they have of being heard on traditional “men’s issues” like the economy (because, of course, women have nothing to do with masculine things like work and money)?
Comedian Harry Enfield used to do a brilliant parody of 1950s-style public information films called ‘Women — Know Your Place!’ highlighting attitudes which the radio survey suggest linger today. One of the black-and-white films opens with a women approaching a car and the concerned, clipped, British male voiceover despairing: “Shes getting in the wrong side — she’s getting in the driver’s side!”
On how a lady should behave at a dinner party when politics is discussed, a woman who attempts to join in about the economy, rather than talk about kittens, is rounded on: “Oh dear, what’s this? One of the women is about to embarrass us all! The lady has foolishly attempted to join in the conversation with a wild and dangerous opinion of her own! What half-baked drivel! See how the men look at her with utter contempt.”
Sadly, the ghost of that announcer could still be said to echo in the darker reaches of Bloke FM.
While there may be some flaws in the Women On Air survey — it covered RTE1, Newstalk, and Today FM for only one week in February, and weighted weekly shows the same as daily ones — it does highlight a serious situation.
The not-for-profit group found that in terms of women used on radio, 26% were experts in their field, 22% politicians, and 17% celebrities.
Indeed, if Joan Burton was not on radio so much — usually pushing her stealth bid to topple Labour leader Eamon Gilmore by pointedly slipping in the fact he is always out of the country — the numbers for politicians would be even lower.
But then with only two women allowed in the 15-member Cabinet — and them given the roles of housekeeper (Burton at welfare), and the nanny (Frances Fitzgerald as Children’s Minister) what can we expect?
This situation is probably not unconnected with Taoiseach Enda Kenny being one of the few people in public life to still refer to a group of people he calls “housewives”.
At least, thanks to the EU, women in the public service are no longer automatically ordered to become “housewives” by the State on getting married, but the slow progress of women’s equality is highlighted by the fact it was not until 1980 that Ireland got its first woman bus driver, or woman political correspondent — a year after Britain had elected a woman prime minister.
The second-class status of women in Irish society was thrown into sharp and ugly focus again by the death of Savita Halappanavar. Her voice was ignored when she pleaded for a termination she hoped would save her life. Only one woman’s voice was heard in the Dáil when that scandal broke across leader’s questions — and that was a heckle.
With no women leaders in the Dáil it was left to exasperated Independent TD Joan Collins to shout out that X-case legislation could no longer be ignored by the overwhelmingly male legislature as it had been for the previous two decades.
The shut-out from political discussion is part of that wider problem. On the BBC’s flagship current affairs show Newsnight it is not uncommon to see a woman presenter and three experts, who also happen to be women, discussing the economy — imagine that happening on Irish TV!?!
Indeed, our cousins across the sea are even to replace the traditional, gravely, male Scottish voice that has announced the classified football results for the past four decades with — of all things — a woman.
Women — know your place! It is on the airwaves — shame the bosses at Radio Bloke are not listening.
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