Today I want to talk about yesterday. It is coincidental there are two other women cropped up on my radar so what follows is a post about three women; the struggles they are faced and the role models they became.
I’m a man. I cannot write in empathy but with sympathy of the inequalities that we, as a society, face.
The first woman is cycling record breaker Tessie Reynolds who 122 years ago today was the first woman to cycle from Brighton to London and then back again – oh, she was only 16! Reynolds cycled the distance in only 8.5 hours. There is no doubt this is an achievement to be celebrated by today’s standards – even with our advances in bicycle technology etc,. but this is particularly important owing to enormous equalities in society at the time. For a woman to exert herself this much, there was wonder from medical professionals about the physical and emotional damage such a strain as this could have. Crazy stuff! The fact she pursued this goal, along with the fact she defied societal norms by wearing knickerbockers rather than a skirt, illustrates the ridiculous struggles she faced and the role model she became. To read more about her, click here.
The above photo is taken from a website about Sheila Hanlon
Yesterday I went down to London as I wanted to be in the capital at the moment the Queen became the longest ever reigning monarch in our history. At midday I watched a flotilla parade along the Thames and at 5.30pm, a town crier assembled outside Buckingham Palace to make the announcement. Despite reading the Queen requested a mess not to be made, I expected some more pomp. The small flotilla seemed the only official recognition as I later found out the town crier was there off his own back and not sanctioned by the Palace. I noticed his shoes did not look like ‘Palace shoes’ and I am sure I saw on the back of his scroll was an advertised for a Chinese restaurant. Hmmmm. The Queen stated she did not want a celebration but continued her daily tasks. You may not be as much as a Royalist as I am, but the fact that our Head of State is a woman holds so high. She is the most recognisable figure on planet earth. Rumour has it at first Winston Churchill had hesitations about her. This was short lived as she went on to became a much loved figure of British Politics.
Here’s part of the flotilla:
Here’s the town crier:
The final woman is Charlotte Proudman who I noticed in news articles today. To briefly sum out, a new contact on LinkedIn messaged her and stated about her “stunning” profile picture. I believe this evening there is talk about the context not being properly understood. Apparently the man in question, Carter-Silk, who also said she “won the prize” for best photo claims that the comments were made in relation to the professional manner she portrayed herself. Hmmm. Yes. No. Commenting on a profile picture on LinkedIn and describing it as stunning is objectifying her. Paying a man or a woman you see in a pub or club a compliment is one thing. This was surely inappropriate. She has not simply bowed from this but called for a public apology.
I need to go out now so I have not had time to proof read everything. Let’s hope it makes some kind of sense. Maybe.
Sam x
