Motherhood & Politics // Where is the Girl Power?

It’s not often that I venture into the land of politics on this blog; I want it to be a (on the whole) positive space where we share our lives with you, rather than a place for me to rant. But today I have been irked, and I feel like I need to sit down and get this out.

Did you know that The Spice Girls released “Wannabe” exactly twenty years ago on Thursday? It’s a fact that makes me feel rather old, but equally it makes me so happy to see where the positive influence of Girl Power has taken us in that time.

Or so I thought, until I turned the radio on this morning.

I was rather shocked, when listening to the news, to hear that Tory Leader candidate Andrea Leadsom is reported to have claimed that being a Mother gives her the “edge” over Theresa May, who has said that she has never been able to conceive. I felt quite sick at hearing this; I have a number of friends who have struggled to conceive, and then some beginning the journey into the unknown to procreate. To gloat in such a manner that one has been fortunate enough to procreate, well it’s quite possibly the lowest blow one can deliver to a woman who is desperate to be a Mother.

Whether or not Andrea Leadsom actually said these things is a matter for another day. She is vehemently denying these words, and one has to look at the circumstances; it was printed in The Times (owned by the Murdoch’s) who are backing May for leader… Perhaps it’s all just a catty spin to make the matronly May seem softer?

Anyway, I digress.

Fundamentally, what I’m annoyed about boils down to the Sisterhood. Here we have two women vying to be the next Prime Minster. Two WOMEN. I mean, that’s pretty amazing isn’t it? No matter where your political views lie, for two women to be in the running to be Prime Minister is a rather awesome feat in a male dominated environment.

So, what do we do? Do we congratulate them? Do we praise their tenacity, their intelligence, their strength?

No. Of course not.

Once again it boils down to our ovaries.

Is it any wonder that we still struggle to be taken seriously as women?

Leadsom and May should be discussing policies. They should be putting their Brexit (*shudder*) plans forward. They should be conveying what they would bring to the table. They should not be cattily commenting about having the “edge” because one of them hasn’t peed alone for five (plus) years…

Further to this, they should be supporting each other. They should be sharing bottles of prosecco together and going “F****CK! One of us is going to run this country! Who run the UK? GIRLS!”. They should be role models; showing all of the young women of this country how to behave as a female in a powerful position.

The more we see women hating on each other in the press, the more our children are going to think that it’s the appropriate way to behave when competing for a job, or something they’re passionate about.

I’d love to hear interviews from both candidates praising each other; being positive about the fact that they’re both in the running to be Prime Minister. Congratulating each other on this amazing achievement for women.

So ladies, it’s time to stop fighting against each other and let’s embrace the Girl Power; this country needs positivity and pride at the moment, not handbags at dawn.

Hannah