Doncaster Voices: Do Doncaster women get a fairer deal these days?

FRANK ARROWSMITH,

Gender Equality made great strides in my lifetime I grew up in a time of male dominance within the family and society in general the reasons for this have been very well documented but it’s been a long and sometimes painful journey attempting to close the gender gap. Over the last 100 years, , in the UK we have seen many significant milestones that show gender equality can become a reality but it took swathes of legislation to close the gap and at the time these were hard fought battles .Looking at Doncaster, in the electoral field progress can be demonstrated Mayor, MPs local Councillors and women head a number of important organisations in the borough But we are still trailing dozens of other countries in areas like primary education, economic participation, pay scales and healthcare, the cuts to a vital women’s service Doncaster Women’s Aid show it’s a work in progress

ELORA HUGHES, DONCASTER YOUTH COUNCILLOR

I believe that Doncaster provides women a much fairer deal than what it gave them in the past. I believe some of this is down to the many women that we now have in powerful positions across Doncaster who are all helping to bring about change and equality. As many people are aware Doncaster has a female Mayor, Ros Jones and two female MPs Rosie Winterton and Caroline Flint all who have been elected and re-elected into their roles. I believe these women along with many others have help Doncaster to provide women a place in society, they know and understand what females want and can do as well as what they need and can make steps to put it into action. Although there are still things we can do

to make life fairer for women in Doncaster such as completely eradicating the gender pay gap, I believe that we are on the right path to making Doncaster equally fair for both genders.

DEANNA MILLER, DONCASTER YOUTH COUNCILLOR

I strongly believe that Doncaster gives women a very fair deal. We have the Ladies day at St Leger which most definitely makes the event more enjoyable for all people, we also have a female major, two female MP’s and a female chief executive of the Doncaster council which in my opinion are very highly respectable jobs, which I think is absolutely brilliant! There is still room for improvement but I think Doncaster is already on the pathway to great success for the future, especially since they have already included women in many events and professions. Equality is extremely important and vital if we want to move forward and like I said, I already believe we are doing that. To conclude, although

Doncaster is not perfect, women have a much fairer deal than they would in many other places.

AIMEE CROSSLAND, DONCASTER MEMBER OF YOUTH PARLIAMENT

Does Doncaster area now give women a fair deal? You only have to look at the top 10 highly influential people list across Doncaster to answer that question. Two female MPs, a Female Mayor and a Female Chief Executive of our Council. These are all incredible gains for women in our area. Young women have influential role models to aspire to. These gains show women that they are valued. However, women still suffer more than men. As a young woman, I am scared to walk the streets at night because of the amount of assaults against women. In addition, Doncaster Women’s Aid is under constant threat of closure, meaning that women may find it more difficult to access vital support. Overall Doncaster has some fairness around women but it still has so much to improve on and women won’t have a truly fair deal until Doncaster fixes it.

MARGARET HERBERT, DONCASTER RESIDENT

Not every woman will agree with me, but after living in a City for some years, I was pleased to return back to my home town where I find woman much more sociable and caring towards each other. I do talks on behalf of the Grand Theatre and attend many ladies groups, including WI ladies, Church and Village groups, various classes who do wonderful arts and crafts, groups who do great charity work, e g Doncaster hospitals, animal charities and many others. There are great afternoon teas in the Mansion House, Walker’s Nurseries, but to name two places, mainly run by ladies and well attended by ladies. There are good nurseries for working Mum’s . There always seems to be a kind friendly face willing to listen to your problems. Great Ladies Days at the Race Course – so yes in my opinion Doncaster gives woman a very fair deal.

*If you want to get involved, submit 150 words, name, title & photo to [email protected] and your views may appear next week when the subject is: “Is Doncaster area fully disabled friendly?”

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