Sexist laws in the last 100 years
A UN council member once described the UK as having a sexist “boys club culture” and honestly it is not that surprising.
For centuries the leading men in the UK have all been the same carbon copies of each other - posh boys with an over-accentuated English accent from Eton (and Oxbridge) with funny hair, whereas the women have had to fight, hunger strike, riot and in some cases, throw themselves under horses for the simple, ‘radical’ notion of being heard.
While the women were fighting for the right to vote, own land and divorce their abusive husbands, the men in a change of decision-making in the UK were not only ignoring the cries of women but also having the time of their lives creating ridiculous and horrifying laws.
Some of the most shocking sexist laws that existed in the UK were only eradicated in the last 100 years if not the last 50. The grim reality that men were legally allowed to rape their wives until 1991 (just over 20 years ago) while violence against women and girls wasn’t officially recognised as a violation of their human rights until 1993 (20 years ago) and Pubs could refuse to serve women on the basis of their gender alone until 1982 (40 years ago!). Our parents were being discriminated against every single day.
Let’s start with The Matrimonial Causes Act of 1923 and to quote our fav Gabor sister, Zsa Zsa “I have learned that not diamonds but divorce lawyers are a girl’s best friend.”
It was only when the Matrimonial Causes Act 1923 was implemented that women petitioned for divorce if their husbands had been unfaithful.
Before The Matrimonial Causes Act was passed, only men were allowed to divorce a spouse due to adultery, whereas women required another offence such as incest, cruelty or desertion. This double standard law meant a man could suspect his wife of cheating, leave her, take the children, take the house, take the money and leave his wife with nothing.
Moving on to one of the most shocking statutes yet, where under a law which ran for almost 400 years, women could be tortured for annoying their husbands.
A law passed in 1585, which made it illegal for women to "cause a nuisance with abusive or argumentative language", in other words, women who dared to ask anything of their husbands - let alone challenge them (such as asking them to take the bins out, have a "common" accent, or a good gossip) could be punished. For this terrible crime, they had to wear a scold's bridle (google at your own risk) a metal cage that fitted on the head with a metal spike to hold the tongue down. The last time it was used was in 1856, however, the law wasn't actually repealed until 1967. It’s all very Handmaid’s Tale, isn’t it?
The only conclusion to draw from this inhumane law is that the men realised a loophole - they can not lose arguments if their women are physically forbidden from having them…
Fancy a pint or happy hour with the girls in the local pub after a long day at work? Well if you’re a woman in the 60s, 70s and 80s, tough luck. Up until 1982, it was perfectly legal for bartenders to refuse to serve women in British pubs, which were classed as traditionally “male environments”. And then there’s “the gentleman’s” Garrick Club in London which continues this “tradition” where women can’t be served but they can serve men. Right, well, good to know our place then.
Only 40 years ago did this change following the legal case of solicitor Tess Gill and journalist Anna Coote. The pair were banned from El Vino pub on Fleet Street for standing with their male colleagues at the bar, rather than sitting at the designated tables that women were confined to. El Vino had argued that the ban ensured female patrons were not jostled at the bar and claimed that it was upholding ‘old-fashioned ideas of chivalry’, words which always inspire progressive change. Tess and Anna took their case to the Court of Appeal, where the ban was overturned in a landmark ruling, a massive win for women, who could no longer be refused service in pubs.
Following the decision, Gill, Cootes and other women headed straight to the bar at El Vino, leading one bartender to comment, “There are more women at the bar than men - it’s chaos”. Chaos or incredible?
These are only SOME of the very many laws implemented for men by men limiting and controlling women’s every move. However, due to the resilience, courage and sheer fight put up by our grandmothers, mothers and second-wave feminist sisters, only a limited number of these sexist laws still exist today. I think it’s time to give our grandmothers a rest, learn from their fight and finish the job… The Offences Against the Person Act 1861 we’re looking at you! Let’s say NO to criminalising women for abortions.
Sexist laws in the last 100 years
Though Gavin may be right in what heshe says, and the laws Proudman describes eye opening, especially given the way she describes them, there's unfortunately far more than saying no to criminalising women for abortions today's women need to say or do to re-establish what our ancestors achieved in terms of women's (or human) rights.
I'm about 40 now and regarding this part of my life I feel like getting a T-shirt with a "I can't believe I still gotta fight for this" print.
Charlotte Proudman is a hero just for pointing that out.
All of the oppressed and marginalised people should become Feminists.
Only a revolt of the 99.5% can jolt this system into equality and equity. Go Charlotte!