Jessica Butcher

Last updated
Jessica Butcher

MBE
NationalityBritish
Occupation Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) commissioner
Years activeNovember 2020–present

Jessica Butcher MBE [1] is the co-founder of Blippar and social media video platform Tick. [2] In 2012, she was listed as Fortune 's "10 Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs", [3] and one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2014. [4] She was one of four new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) board commissioners appointed in November 2020. [1] She is the daughter of late Conservative MP for Coventry South West, John Butcher. [5]

Contents

Views on feminism and gender pay gap

Butcher has described herself as an "old-school feminist" who is critical of modern feminism. [6] In a TEDx talk in 2018 called "Is modern feminism starting to undermine itself?" [7] Butcher said: "Feminism, like other forms of identity politics, has become obsessed with female victimhood. Whereas it once used to be about the portrayal of women as mature, equal partners in society, it now seems more to be about girl power – and yet it disempowers, assumes that we're weak and defenceless, like children." [6] She added: "Working-class girls have been deprived of jobs that they love such as Page 3 girls and [Formula One] grid girls because other women disapprove of them. What happened to 'my body, my choice'?" [6]

She has argued that feminists have a victim mentality and seek to find discrimination where none exists, and that where gender discrimination "the most productive reaction to [gender discrimination] is not wounded insecurity ... [but to] take the onus to circumvent the situation in some way", adding: "It should be about resilience, and I feel that the narrative of discrimination and victimhood undermines both that confidence and that resilience and also the individual onus to take ownership of how you put yourself forward, and to mould yourself, change yourself to the circumstances as required." [6]

She also criticised the MeToo movement, arguing that ruined the careers of men indiscriminately; "some possibly justly, but without any due process, no innocence until proven guilty". [6]

Butcher is a critic of narratives around the gender pay gap; in a 2018 CityAM article she wrote that "these disparities are hugely affected by a potential positive: female choice". [6] In her TEDx talk, she said "the pay gap is negligible". [8] This was criticised by Sian Elliott, policy officer at the Trades Union Congress, who said: "Women's choices are constrained when it comes to work because of the unequal division of care between men and women, and that women have very little choice but to go into part-time work because of the lack of flexible quality jobs, and a lack of affordable flexible childcare. ... It is a necessity that many women have to go into part-time work because they need to be able to balance work and care." [6]

EHRC role

She is currently one of four Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) board commissioners appointed by Liz Truss, Minister for Women and Equalities, whose job it is to enforce the Equality Act 2010, and in doing so reduce inequalities, prejudice and discrimination. The EHRC periodically intervenes in legal action against discrimination, including a case where a job offer was withdrawn because the woman was pregnant. [6] Butcher's views on feminism and the gender pay gap have been criticised as incompatible with her EHRC role; the pay gap is a major focus for the EHRC, which takes legal action against employers that fail to report gender pay gaps for their workforces. [6] Her appointment was criticised by Sam Smethers, (then) chief executive of the Fawcett Society, [6] and British historian Kate Williams. [9] [10] However, figures such as fathers' rights group Fathers4Justice [11] and Brexit activist Darren Grimes [12] have supported her appointment to the role.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexism</span> Prejudice or discrimination based on a persons sex or gender

Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but primarily affects women and girls. It has been linked to gender roles and stereotypes, and may include the belief that one sex or gender is intrinsically superior to another. Extreme sexism may foster sexual harassment, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. Discrimination in this context is defined as discrimination toward people based on their gender identity or their gender or sex differences. An example of this is workplace inequality. Sexism may arise from social or cultural customs and norms.

Liberal feminism, also called mainstream feminism, is a main branch of feminism defined by its focus on achieving gender equality through political and legal reform within the framework of liberal democracy and informed by a human rights perspective. It is often considered culturally progressive and economically center-right to center-left. As the oldest of the "Big Three" schools of feminist thought, liberal feminism has its roots in 19th century first-wave feminism seeking recognition of women as equal citizens, focusing particularly on women's suffrage and access to education, the effort associated with 19th century liberalism and progressivism. Liberal feminism "works within the structure of mainstream society to integrate women into that structure." Liberal feminism places great emphasis on the public world, especially laws, political institutions, education and working life, and considers the denial of equal legal and political rights as the main obstacle to equality. As such liberal feminists have worked to bring women into the political mainstream. Liberal feminism is inclusive and socially progressive, while broadly supporting existing institutions of power in liberal democratic societies, and is associated with centrism and reformism. Liberal feminism tends to be adopted by white middle-class women who do not disagree with the current social structure; Zhang and Rios found that liberal feminism with its focus on equality is viewed as the dominant and "default" form of feminism. Liberal feminism actively supports men's involvement in feminism and both women and men have always been active participants in the movement; progressive men had an important role alongside women in the struggle for equal political rights since the movement was launched in the 19th century.

This is an index of articles related to the issue of feminism, women's liberation, the women's movement, and women's rights.

Equal pay for equal work is the concept of labour rights that individuals in the same workplace be given equal pay. It is most commonly used in the context of sexual discrimination, in relation to the gender pay gap. Equal pay relates to the full range of payments and benefits, including basic pay, non-salary payments, bonuses and allowances. Some countries have moved faster than others in addressing equal pay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex Discrimination Act 1975</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which protected men and women from discrimination on the grounds of sex or marital status. The Act concerned employment, training, education, harassment, the provision of goods and services, and the disposal of premises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kishwer Falkner, Baroness Falkner of Margravine</span> British Baroness (born 1955)

Kishwer Falkner, Baroness Falkner of Margravine is a British politician and life peer who is a non-aligned member of the House of Lords. She was the Chairman of the EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee in the House of Lords from 2015 to 2019.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is a non-departmental public body in Great Britain, established by the Equality Act 2006 with effect from 1 October 2007. The Commission has responsibility for the promotion and enforcement of equality and non-discrimination laws in England, Scotland and Wales. It took over the responsibilities of the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission. The EHRC also has responsibility for other aspects of equality law: age, sexual orientation and religion or belief. A national human rights institution, it seeks to promote and protect human rights throughout Great Britain.

Since the 19th century, men have taken part in significant cultural and political responses to feminism within each "wave" of the movement. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in a range of social relations, generally done through a "strategic leveraging" of male privilege. Feminist men have also argued alongside writers like bell hooks, however, that men's liberation from the socio-cultural constraints of sexism and gender roles is a necessary part of feminist activism and scholarship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government Equalities Office</span> Unit of the British government

The Government Equalities Office (GEO) is the unit of the British government with responsibility for social equality. The office has lead responsibility for gender equality within the UK government, together with a responsibility to provide advice on all other forms of equality to other UK government departments. The unit is based at the Cabinet Office. Prior to April 2019, the GEO was led concurrently by Cabinet Secretaries at the Home Office, DFID and DfE. The day-to-day responsibility for policy on these issues was not transferred to GEO when it was created. The Equalities Office currently leads the Discrimination Law Review, which developed the Equality Act 2010 that replaced previous anti-discrimination legislation. The current minister responsible for GEO is Kemi Badenoch, who also serves as Secretary of State for Business and Trade in the Rishi Sunak government.

Gender inequality is the social phenomenon in which people are not treated equally on the basis of gender. This inequality can be caused by gender discrimination or sexism. The treatment may arise from distinctions regarding biology, psychology, or cultural norms prevalent in the society. Some of these distinctions are empirically grounded, while others appear to be social constructs. While current policies around the world cause inequality among individuals, it is women who are most affected. Gender inequality weakens women in many areas such as health, education, and business life. Studies show the different experiences of genders across many domains including education, life expectancy, personality, interests, family life, careers, and political affiliation. Gender inequality is experienced differently across different cultures and also affects non-binary people.

The Equality Act 2006 was complemented with specific duties later on. The general Equality Duty states that people should not be discriminated according to their age, race, gender, religion, disability and sexual orientation and required public bodies to take seriously threats of harassment or discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment.

Equality and diversity is a term used in the United Kingdom to define and champion equality, diversity and human rights as defining values of society. It promotes equality of opportunity for all, giving every individual the chance to achieve their potential, free from prejudice and discrimination.

The feminist movement has affected change in Western society, including women's suffrage; greater access to education; more equitable pay with men; the right to initiate divorce proceedings; the right of women to make individual decisions regarding pregnancy ; and the right to own property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helena Dalli</span> Maltese politician (born 1962)

Helena Dalli is a Maltese politician serving as European Commissioner for Equality since 1 December 2019. She is a member of the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gender pay gap</span> Average difference in remuneration amounts between men and women

The gender pay gap or gender wage gap is the average difference between the remuneration for men and women who are working. Women are generally found to be paid less than men. There are two distinct numbers regarding the pay gap: non-adjusted versus adjusted pay gap. The latter typically takes into account differences in hours worked, occupations chosen, education and job experience. In the United States, for example, the non-adjusted average woman's annual salary is 79–83% of the average man's salary, compared to 95–99% for the adjusted average salary.

Gender inequality is any situation in which people are not treated equally on the basis of gender. In the United Kingdom, the genders are unequally impacted by economic policies, face different levels of media attention, and face inequality in education and employment, which includes a persistent national gender pay gap. Furthermore, according to numerous sources, there exists a pervasive lad culture which has decreased the ability of women to participate in different parts of society.

The gender pay gap in New Zealand is the difference in the median hourly wages of men and women in New Zealand. In 2020 the gender pay gap is 9.5%. It is an economic indicator used to measure pay equality. The gender pay gap is an official statistic published annually by Stats NZ sourced from the Household Labour Force Survey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's empowerment</span> Giving rights, freedom to make decisions and strengthening women to stand on their own

Women's empowerment may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training. Women's empowerment equips and allows women to make life-determining decisions through the different societal problems. They may have the opportunity to re-define gender roles or other such roles, which allow them more freedom to pursue desired goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feminism in South Africa</span>

Feminism in South Africa concerns the organised efforts to improve the rights of the girls and women of South Africa. These efforts are largely linked to issues of feminism and gender equality on one hand, and racial equality and the political freedoms of African and other non-White South African ethnic groups on the other. Early feminist efforts concerned the suffrage of White women, allowing them to vote in elections beginning from 1930s, and significant activism in the 1950s to demand equal pay of men and women. The 1980s were a major turning point in the advancement of South African women, and in 1994, following the end of the apartheid regime, the status of women was bolstered by changes to the country's constitution. Since the end of apartheid, South African feminism is a contribution associated with the liberation and democratization of the country, however, the movement still struggles with the embedded conservative and patriarchal views within some segments of South African society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transgender rights in the United Kingdom</span>

Transgender rights in the United Kingdom have varied significantly over time, with the British transgender community facing ongoing challenges not experienced by cisgender (cis) Britons. These include various laws and public attitudes in regards to identity documents, as well as anti-discrimination measures used by or pertaining to transgender people, in the areas of employment, education, housing and social services, amongst others.

References

  1. 1 2 "Four new commissioners appointed to board of Equality and Human Rights Commission". Scottish Legal News. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  2. ↑ Murray-Serter, Dan (21 January 2019). "From Unicorn To Phoenix, What Makes This Entrepreneur Tick The Second Time Around?". Forbes. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  3. ↑ Leahey, Colleen (27 September 2012). "10 Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs". Fortune. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "Who are the 100 Women 2014?". BBC News. 26 October 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Farewell to former city MP". Coventry Telegraph. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jayanetti, Chaminda (22 November 2020). "New equalities commissioner attacked 'modern feminism' and #MeToo". The Observer. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  7. ↑ Butcher, Jessica (5 September 2018). "Is Modern Feminism starting to undermine Itself?". TEDxAstonUniversity . YouTube . Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  8. ↑ Da Silva, Chantal (22 November 2020). "New equalities commissioner blamed #MeToo and modern feminism for 'undermining' women's self-confidence" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-08. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  9. ↑ @KateWilliamsme (November 22, 2020). "If #JessicaButcher really cared about working class teenagers trying to get into modelling, then perhaps she might engage with the abuse, exploitation and shockingly low pay many young models encounter and how they are pushed /trafficked into 'yachting'. But she won't" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ↑ Milton, Josh (22 November 2020). "New British equalities commissioner has a chilling history of attacking fundamental human rights movements". PinkNews. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  11. ↑ @F4JOfficial (November 22, 2020). "A NEW VOICE OF SANITY & EQUALITY? One of the new equality commissioners @jessbutcher says modern feminism disempowers women & blames #MeToo for ruining men's reputations" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ @darrengrimes_ (November 22, 2020). "If I ever had children (God help them), I'd want them to grow up with role models like ⁦@jessbutcher⁩ in life. I wouldn't want them to be raised to believe that they cannot achieve in life after a constant attrition of their morale by Guardianistas" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.