Most of ye don’t know this, but I promised myself that 2019 was going to be the start of only looking forward. No looking back.
I’m still trying, and I hardly need to be telling some of ye that it hasn’t been easy. But when stuff I can’t change still manages to be rammed in front of me – there I am; feckin’ dragged back into conflicts I’d already deserted.
But one fire that I stoked up back then – and probably still over on the Broadsheet.ie contributors wall, that I’m never going to allow go out without a fight to the death, and that is Equality.
No specific brand or colour signature; but plain and simple, no additives; Equality.
Frilly Keane followers and readers over the last few years, and the more recent Vanessa off the Telly exploits will know exactly what I think of International Women’s Day. I’m not going any further on that, since I’m sick of it already and tisn’t even *lunch time.
But it’s just not in my nature to keep my trap shut; so, for the day that’s in it let me have these few moments to have a bitta’ve say and maybe light’em up a bit again; keep her lit like.
Equality means all of us.
It is not gender based or criteria based nor does it come with conditions.
And it should never be fixed to any one day of the year.
I am not an exception because I happen to be female, or a certain age, or pasty white, or chase fellas.
If I am qualified, I deserve every role I am entitled to be considered for, and measured along the same independent benchmarks as any other applicant.
I am entitled to be remunerated accordingly, and treated like anyone and everyone else with their hat in the ring; regardless of their gender, age, ethnicity, place on the spectrum, sexuality – or not, who they are related to, where they went to school, who they knock around with, or who they canvassed for.
I should not have to sue to secure equal treatment for anything – be it an appointment, an application for State support, private finance or gain access to education; at any level.
I am not a quota or the solution to a policy breach that needs to be ‘closed off’ to avoid criticism, bad PR, maintain compliance or keep an allocation of funding.
I am not the barrier to defend any inherent or perceived sexist ageist whatever ‘ist culture in an organisation. Nor should I be the treatment employed to reduce the risk of having to apologise for it.
That is exploitative, and deceptive; not Equality.
I deliberately carved this out today to remind myself of many things I suppose, and of the promises I intend to work on keeping.
But there is also this; I have ten, maybe 12, max, years left in me to leave it all out there; so lads, I’m not done yet.
xV
*sorry about the now meaningless time stamp. I actually submitted this earlier today to another forum here who subsequently rejected it earlier this evening.
Frilly Keane 