My thoughts today (and other days) are with females working as Firefighters. They continue to suffer horrendous abuse, bullying and misogyny. I was working when our Brigade accepted our first female recruit, gradually things became better, more women joined and it was not considered unusual. This was aided by our union, the FBU, and a progressive county council, a process that was subject to a constant barrage of abuse from the press and right wing politicians. In my last ten years I witnessed the deterioration in the progress made over the previous 20 years, this was aided and abetted by a management for whom it was convenient as it pandered to the bullies and didn’t affect them in their Masonic lodges!
So, on International Women’s Day, I appeal to all men who rely on the “macho” image of the job they do (whatever it is) for their own identity to instead get their inner strength from being fair and honest with themselves and others. To female and ethnic minority Firefighters – some of us tried, it cost us dearly, but we tried.
