FSP Retail Blog

Sir Stuart of M&S was quoted in the Guardian at the weekend as saying “Women can get to the top of any single job that they want to in the UK. I mean, what else do you want to do, for God's sake? Women astronauts. Women miners. Women dentists. Women doctors. Women managing directors. What is it you haven't got?” (was this a personal rant or could anyone join in?)

I’m very much in favour of equality where all are treated on their own merits and the colour of their skin or what reproductive equipment they have is actually entirely ignored – many congratulations to Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Moore – but I think Sir Stuart is using the success of the determined few to paint an impossibly rosy picture.

I did wonder if I might have it all wrong when I read that the ratio of male to female town planners is relatively fairly evenly split (although this gives no account of status), but a closer look at the ONS figures showed that this is not typical. Sticking to the other trade we know and love, Retail supports nearly 3 million workers, of whom 62% are women. Of the men in the trade, only 43% work part-time, whereas 68% of women do. No matter how damned good those women are, the weightings are against them – how many part-timers do you know who make it to the top?

Sadly, the belief that it’s still a tough slog was echoed by a conversation with my children who pointed out that many heavily female dominated professions, boast a significant number of men at the top – hairdressing, cooking, dancing and, believe it or not Sir Stuart, retail.

Seems ladies, if you want a fighting chance, become a town planner.