DAME Jenni Murray wants to ban girls from wearing uniform skirts in school. Of course she does. Hasn’t that woman done enough damage? If ever the book Boomers: The Men and Women Who Promised Freedom and Delivered Disaster by Helen Andrews was relevant to someone in Britain, Jenni Murray is front and centre. Feminists like her are the primary reason that relations between the sexes are at such a low ebb. Will we ever be rid of them?
The Dame tells us: ‘I was going through my wardrobe recently, wondering whether it was too soon to wear outfits more suited to spring, when I realised, I own hardly any skirts. I don’t remember the last time I wore one, instead opting for the comfort and ease of trousers, jeans or leggings. No more hunting for a pair of tights without ladders that actually fit.’
Well, blow me down with a feather but I would never have guessed that Murray owned hardly any skirts, because of course comfort trumps all. Also, you do not always have to wear tights with a dress or skirt; I agree they can be uncomfortable.
As Murray shuffles off the feminist stage, she demands that girls be prohibited from wearing skirts as uniform in schools for the following hodge-podge of reasons: sexual harassment, girls being ‘continually subjected to boys’ leering and lewd comments’, not being able to go to the top of the bus while wearing a skirt, girls not wanting to do physical activity, and the inability to do cartwheels. I’d like to know the last time the Dame did a cartwheel but that’s a different story.
It’s convenient to blame all modern ills, lack of exercise, sexual assault and the reduction in the number of cartwheels on the poor unsuspecting, innocent skirt. Honestly, give me a break. The real clanger came with ‘previous studies found wearing gender-specific school uniforms reminded children they are a “boy” or a “girl” rather than a “pupil”.’
And there it is. We just cannot have anything reminding students that they are either girls or boys, and that there is a big difference between the two. That’s what Murray doesn’t like: the feminine. In fact, that’s what feminists hate the most: anything that is feminine, be it mothers looking after their own children, domestic work or even heaven forfend, the dress and the skirt.
She also declares: Take the sex out of school.
And who, might I ask, put the sex in there? Oh yes, the feminists and all the sexual revolutionaries of the sixties. They debased the entire culture so that girls and boys barely know how to interact with each other that doesn’t include sending each other photos of their swimsuit area.
The feminist ‘liberators’ were the ones who had the luxury of a broadly conservative, Christian childhood but decided to burn the whole place down for those coming after. And I’m sure you all agree that it’s going well.
Also, have you noticed that those who shout the loudest about diversity are those who seek to crush it at every opportunity? The feminists do not want diversity between the sexes; they want sameness, in particular they want women to be more like men; to wear the trousers, literally. And to play football. Lord, save me from the media obsession of women’s football.
Now, I believe the skirts in schools are often immodest and too short; they should be longer. But I doubt if squeezing girls into the hideous regulation trousers are going to make matters any better.
In fact, schools are pretty much the only place where teenage girls still wear skirts; if you look at them outside school, they wear leggings, tracksuits or stretch jeans. (And let me tell you teenagers are just as conformist as they ever were. It is an identikit of leggings, tracksuits, and the regulation hideous American sports apparel. Why? Just why.)
But I’m not here to beat up on the kids. No, it’s the adults who really annoy me. Next time you are out, especially at an airport, take a good look around. I love to people-watch (it’s what I miss most when I am at home) but why is nearly everyone dressed like a slob?
The women now seem to think that leggings are suitable attire outside the gym. Let me tell you: they are not. I would rather not see the clear outline of all that is private, thank you very much. The men are not much better. Grown men wearing tracksuits in public. Why do they think this is acceptable?
I’ve been in Dublin airport a few times in the last few weeks, and they have this helpful announcement as we prepare to go through security: ‘Please take off all hoodies’. To which I add in a rather loud voice, yes please take off all hoodies and place them in the nearest bin.
Dame Jenni Murray is the reason why I have tried over the last year to purchase and wear more skirts and dresses. And ladies who are reading this: I encourage you to do the same. You may feel this is all a bit pointless, what with Russia and Gaza and all the rest of it, why do I care? I have explained before, dear reader, what I wear, the clothes I put on my back, is one thing I can control, and we should be as counter-cultural about it as possible. Nothing immodest, mind, but something feminine.
I admit this can be difficult in winter as so many of today’s clothes are made from light material. But this is where the undergarment such as the humble thermal vest can make a light dress wearable. And those cycling shorts or leggings people think are acceptable as outer garments? If you wear these under the skirt and dress, your outfit can be warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
And don’t start me on summer. Why does everyone think the minute it hits 16 degrees you can take all your clothes off? Just stop it. If you went to Paris and Madrid in double that temperature you wouldn’t see that much flesh. It’s a battle, an up-at-dawn siege every single day.
I leave you with this anecdote. I was once doing my people-watching in a coffee shop and I noticed a young lady wearing a very simple, feminine and pretty tea-dress. The young lady herself was not stunning but pretty. I was sure she was on a date. I just thought how lovely she looked; it was so unusual to see that these days. She genuinely lit up the room in an understated classic fashion.
So, ladies, take a few hours, go to your wardrobe, and really look at what you have. Try to wear more feminine clothes, and if you don’t have any, when it comes to buying clothes choose a dress or a skirt over trousers.
Whatever you do in life, just make sure it is directly opposite to what Dame Jenni Murray wants.