BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?

Subject: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 02:02 PM

For those of us who even pay passing notice of the "news" in the UK, we can't have missed the 'Strictly' debacle.

BBC drop a mature life-long professional in the field, and replace her with a much younger attractive singer, who happened to win the show.

Remaining on the show are three mature male professionals. And the incredibly ancient Brucie.

Public are up in arms complaining about it.

Are the BBC upper ranks misogynist to be dropping the only mature female on the show, and would it have been both prudent an ethical for Alisha to have declined the job on those grounds?

Where does this seemingly silly situation, leave feminism or 'female solidarity', in the UK today? Do young women care anymore about the struggle for equality, or are we too complacent now?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 02:18 PM

News Article Here

Should have linked something to the above post, but here's an article on the subject.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 04:27 PM

I had entirely missed the trivia aspect of that and never watch the dancing reality show. However, yes, ageism is rampant on TV (just look at the news presenters who can barely master the aphabet) and is worse for women - but it is so in real life and virtual life too. Not long ago I was asked why I was on Facebook which was allegedly for "young people".

Does ageism trump anti-sexism? In shallow pools I fear so.

Crow Sister, as Tom Robinson said "Better decide which side you're on".

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 05:01 PM

Fair comment RB, I'd only observed the Beebs recent axing of some older female characters, and not considered broader implications.

Still, I think the Beeb, as a taxpayer funded institution has an unswewerving obligation to provide a service - which rises above the more McD impulses and consumerist demands of 'Hello' mag buyers.

If they are worthy of our license fee, then they should be better than this.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 05:20 PM

Yes. And have you decided yet whether you are young or old, by absolute or relative standards?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 05:24 PM

We get a similar situation in the US with female 'news' anchors/readers.

They are ALL hired with 'image' in mind. The men can be old, bald, fat or jowly, but the women, it seems, must be youngish and attractive. (To be fair, 'some' of them are also competent and aware...but that, I guess, is just a bonus-- some are real air-heads with whiny voices.)

I don't know if there is any cure for this attitude. In cases where one can sorta 'prove' that an older woman was let go to bring on 'scenery', there is sometimes legal relief possible....but 'proof'??

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 05:45 PM

Relative standards? I've no idea.
By general or popular media standards, I do not consider myself "young".
Within the folk community, I am generally younger than average.

The term I used in relation to the 66 yr. old (Arlene Philips) in question, was "mature", which is in my view a more generally descriptive - and importantly - less reductionist term.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Paul Burke
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 06:20 PM

The BBC have been on the back foot since the Kelly murder. St. Anthony Blair was worse than her, and has set the low expectations ever sibce.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 09:21 PM

"...the women, it seems, must be youngish and attractive. (To be fair, 'some' of them are also competent and aware...but that, I guess, is just a bonus-- some are real air-heads with whiny voices.)"
Bill D

Not "whiny", so much, but something I can only describe as "creaky". What is it with some young women?? It is like they are squeezing the voice out of their throats.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 10:39 PM

Ebbie... I have been commenting on that for 2-3 years, but I never had a good description of it before...thank you!

Along with that funny rising inflex^ion that sounds like asking a question instead of a declarative sentence, there are some strange vocal things going on.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 09:10 AM

Until the MEN start complaining about this problem, NOTHING will change.

It's total crap. Total shit...but then...that's the BBC for you, from top....to bottom...

And trust me, they don't want wrinkly tops, or wrinkly bottoms, unless of course, they are male.

And they wonder why women put them through terrible plastic surgery, starve themselves half to death..etc..etc..etc..

We need the men to fight this one alongside us.

Oh..and by the way, despite it being *your* BBC in the leaflets, it ain't...it's *theirs*

Ho hum....

And now, back to Miss Dixon who knows zilch about ballroom dancing, but is probably fancied something rotten by the producer...

Bring back Arlene!

AND..take the BBC to court over Sexism, because as you say above, why the hell are the fellas allowed on there in their 70s and 80s, whilst Arlene has been thrown overboard...

Yeesh! What an Institution!

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Emma B
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 09:34 AM

"Television as a mirror to our society presents to us all a received image of how we should look, think and conduct ourselves. It manipulates us in a subliminal way. In its casual disregard of older employees and particularly women, and in the glamour it bestows on youth, it powerfully reinforces prejudice in every social strata.

Racism and sexism have been described as a bit like drunk-driving — once the subject of jokes acceptable in company and on TV, yet now totally unacceptable.
Ageism, however, despite legislation, is viewed like breaking the speed limit — everyone still does it and doesn't mind admitting it if caught, apart from the penalty points and fine

Angela Rippon revealed how John Birt, when he was Director General, in a show of creepy, gut-wrenching sexism responded to her complaint about not being given work by patronisingly putting his arm around her and saying: 'Now Angie, you must realise your time is over.'
Would he have said that to John Humphrys, now in his 60s but still incredibly active in the BBC?"

- Selina Scott on the culture of ageism in our society

Last year Selina Scott, 58, won a £250,000 ageism payout and apology from Channel Five, despite 'evidence'/ diatribe from Michael Winner (at 74 is a bit of a gargoyle himself) who compared her to a sad, unemployed has-been, rising up like one of the witches in Macbeth and wanting to know why she couldn't be happy with a cup of cocoa and some chocolate digestives.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: longboat (inactive)
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 02:44 PM

I have but one question: Why do any of you watch these so called "reality shows", whichever ones they are, anyway?
Too much time on your hands perhaps?
If this is the case then television surely is the mirror of modern day society

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Paco O'Barmy
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 03:19 PM

Get real ladies! Did I choose my wife because she was a rampant intellectual, or because she looked good in a mini skirt? Doh... welcome to the real world ladies...nature/procreation...survival of the species ...etc

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Paco O'Barmy
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 03:35 PM

Rachel Riley on Countdown? Woof!!!

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: longboat (inactive)
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 03:37 PM

paco griffin the perfect example of why we shouldn't let just anybody breed.
Tell us paco, did ya parents have children that survived birth. Oh and about your wife? I hear Nick is complete freekin' bimbo! That should suit you limited intellect to a tee.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 26 Sep 09 - 04:32 PM

The trouble is mini-skirts get longer....and mini-minds get smaller...

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Sep 09 - 12:03 AM

Bill and Ebbie...it's a Valley Girl inflection and here, even some of the young guys do it, too.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC & Female Solidarity?
From: Gurney
Date: 27 Sep 09 - 12:18 AM

The most popular news-reader in NZ was sacked a couple of years ago in similar circumstances. Howls of protest followed, so the channel published her salary figure.   The howls became more muted.

I still think she's among the world's stunners, but you can see their point.