Whilst Emer O’Kelly claims to be feministic in her views, Caitlin Moran in her book How to be a Woman calls on all the mná in the hood to stand on our well worn kitchen chairs and shout ‘I AM A FEMINIST’ (she likes the aul block capitals). The book has been reviewed and talked about by those far more learned than I. Agree with Moran or not, this is an in your face, honest and funny exploration and account of feminism as she sees it, one that should be read by men and women alike. She calls a spade a spade or in her case, her c...t a foof. Now, I don’t live in North London, have a successful journalistic career nor am I married to a rock critic (though when it comes to Bruce, Himself thinks he is). When it comes to feminist ideologies I’m not well read and our circumstances and lifestyles differ but I share her views on certain matters; heels, handbags, capsule wardrobes and children. The former I don’t understand or have, the latter I have, should understand, but mostly I don’t.
She can take particular topics for granted. For example, that you have your career sorted by the time you are 35. Not I. I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up (hence the lack of a capsule wardrobe) and I know of many other women, and men, who are in the same boat. Does this lessen our value to feminist culture? Should we promptly jump down from our chairs if we do not have careers under our belts? With Caitlin Moran it’s a given that you keep your career after you have children. It would be, in her case, as such a career lends itself to flexibility for her and her husband. She does not pass comment on those who are a drain on society. She commendably just wants us all to be ‘The Guys’.
So, to stoke up the feminist fire why not put these two ladies in a room together, over a pot of tay and a few buns (no...not fairy cakes, buns). Each woman is articulate, intelligent, learned and opinionated in their own way. They can thus discuss the real issues like waxing, botox, hairstyles and handbags and accordingly put the world to rights.