Sexism is dead say most British women

Glass ceiling: But most women do not believe that Britain is a sexist place It may come as a surprise to those who feel they’ve hit the glass ceiling or heard one too many blonde jokes. Most women do not believe that Britain is a sexist place, a poll has revealed. Fewer than four in ten say they have experienced derogatory remarks or behaviour because of their gender.
And the majority of men and women think both sexes are equally capable of handling challenging and traditionally male tasks, such as making a safe emergency landing in an aeroplane. The results of the survey, carried out for a group of charities and pressure groups, suggest that most women are far more concerned with solving day-to-day practical problems in their lives than fighting a battle for equality.
Nearly two-thirds of women say their biggest concern is balancing work and family life. Only one in 20 feels the greatest problem facing them is sexism at work – though three times as many men believe this is women’s major challenge.
Only one in five women describes herself as a feminist – and three out of four say they definitely would not use the label. The poll was carried out to mark today’s International Women’s Day by a group including poverty campaign organisation ActionAid, domestic violence campaigners Women’s Aid, feminist pressure group the Fawcett Society, and political freedom campaigners Amnesty International. It followed figures published to mark the same occasion by the Government’s Office for National Statistics, which showed that men and women now have an equal chance of making it to the top ranks of managers and officials in business and the public sector. But Amnesty International’s UK director Kate Allen said the findings still showed a ‘worrying’ gap between men and women. She added: ‘Unless attempts are made to change such attitudes in every section of society, some women will always be treated as second-class citizens. ‘Amnesty International has found from its work that it is these negative views which in the most extreme instances can lead to  abusive behaviour towards women and a basic denial of women’s rights.’ The poll of 1,028 participants,  carried out by Ipsos Mori, found that 47 per cent of women did not believe men and women are treated equally in Britain. However, 34 per cent said treatment is equal. Some 38 per cent of women said they had personally experienced ‘sexist remarks or sexist behaviour’, including physical contact. The figure rose to 60 per cent among women under 30.
However, 15 per cent of men said they had also been on the receiving end of sexist behaviour. Only 6 per cent of women said the greatest challenge facing women in Britain was sexism at work. The survey also asked whether a woman would be as good as a man at refereeing a World Cup final. The question, posed not long after presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray resigned from Sky TV because of their controversial remarks about a female linesman, revealed that 41 per cent of men and 49 per cent of women thought a woman referee would perform the job as well as a man could.