I’m going to revisit feminism because: a. its relevant, b. its important, c. its funny and a really easy source for winding everybody up. And also because I just listened to a debate on the radio asking: can a man ever be a feminist? Which is as stupid a question as it is rhetorical because if only women are allowed then they’re just singing to the choir as its obviously the men that really needed changing.

I am a feminist. I think. And then comes the ‘why?’ And that’s when it all becomes a bit stereotypical and pigeon-holing and predictably stupid. I was listening to the radio because I was cooking. OMG! A man! Cooking!! At home!!! (you’re allowed to be Gordon Ramsey or Heston Blumenthal but cook in your own kitchen and people get impressed or feel sorry for you).

And I used to get phone calls from my daughters whilst I was out shopping requesting… female products. Sanitary towels, tampons, eeeuuuuwwww. And I was never bothered. Yeah ok, ya want the purple pack ‘with wings’, yeah? Having the conversation never bothered me, buying the products never bothered me.

I also strongly believe (again, I have fairly high-powered working daughters and wife so its in my best interests) in workplace equality and equal pay. Nothing else makes any sense at all. The best person for the job is the best person for the job, whether they possess tits or not. Ooops.

So, politically, practically and consciously I am a feminist by almost all definitions (that I’d be prepared to listen to). Then comes the stupidity. Someone compiled a list of adverts from all over the world (including even the UK!!!!) which ‘objectify women’! Which use a pair of legs, a cleavage, a pert derriere, to attract the attention of… probably men, in an attempt to sell stuff. And that’s the red line to which ‘real’ feminists apparently sit on one side, and I’m firmly on the other. For one simple reason. Men like to look at beautiful women. If they didn’t the world would be totally fucked. Or perhaps, literally, not fucked at all. Either way, big trouble. If men were no longer allowed to, even internally, drool over provocative images then that would mean that the total and complete emasculation of half the world’s population had occurred, in the name of political fucking correctness, political castration would have occurred.

And furthermore, the debate enters totally FUBAR levels of insanity when a pole dancer is the definition of ‘objectification’ whereas Beyonce doing the same thing in her latest video is ’empowerment’, taking control of her body as she sees fit. And she’s well fit.

Do feminists really want to live in a world in which men have been conditioned to no longer be stimulated by their presence? If that’s where we’re headed, shoot me now.

Otherwise, have a fab Sunday

A xxxx