Patriarchy

We went kayaking and rowing on Deer Lake today. Whilst I would have said I'd only ever done the Noddy version of kayaking anyway, I'd have been wrong, THIS was the Noddy version. Hell, we were even sharing the lake with pedalos.

This actually happened, this was actually said.

Young man working in the kayak rental hut, to Susan and me, with Austen back behind us.

'Which boat would you guys like?'
'We're not guys,'
'Isn't he with you?'
'We're not guys,'
'Is he with you?'
'Yes, but we're not guys,'

Seriously, I couldn't bear to ask. If we had one man with us, does that then make us men?

Later, the young woman working there,
'Do you guys...?'
'We're not guys,'
'No, but it's what I say,'
'It's sexist,'
'I know it's sexist,'
'Well then don't call us guys, if you know it's sexist, don't do it,'
'But it depends on your culture, some cultures are matriarchal, ours is patriarchal,'
'That's the point, that's the whole point, it's not SUPPOSED to be patriarchal, it's supposed to be egalitarian,'

Jesus H Christ, I mean JESUS H CHRIST!!!!!!

Meanwhile, we are told that the Liberal Democratic party in Britain, have produced a Manifesto for women, real women in fact. It's a good start, but the article on the F-Word's website, reminds us of key points agreed upon by the Women's Liberation Conference in 1978, and I think it is still a good starting point.

1. Equal pay for equal work.
2. Equal education and job opportunities.
3. Free contraception and abortion on demand.
4. Free 24-hour community-controlled childcare.
5. Legal and financial independence for women.
6. An end to discrimination against lesbians.
7. Freedom for all women from intimidation by the threat or use of male violence. An end to the laws, assumptions and institutions which perpetuate male dominance and men’s aggression towards women.

And let's face it, the 'assumptions and institutions which perpetuate male dominance' are all upheld by sexist language.