It seems not a lot of women want to appear as a panel member on the Australian current affairs TV show Q&A. Apparently, this is a serious problem. And judging by the recent article penned by the show’s producer Amanda Collinge ( Producer reveals the disturbing reason why Q&A has a “problem” with women ), the disturbing cause is that there is something wrong with men.
This appears to be the go-to explanation for women these days when other women don’t behave the way they’d like them to.
Women don’t want to be involved in politics? It’s because there’s something wrong with men.
Women don’t want to become engineers and computer programmers? It’s because there’s something wrong with men.
Women don’t like having to defend their opinions on TV? It’s because there’s something wrong with men.
Okay, which is it? Are women such fragile, incapable, creatures so lacking in autonomy and agency they expect men and society to make special allowances for them in order to accommodate their unique sensitivities?
Or are women strong, agentic individuals who dismiss traditional stereotypes of the “weaker sex”; who are as able and capable as men, need and expect no special treatment and want nothing other than equal opportunity in society?
These are mutually exclusive positions. The farce of women demanding they be seen as the latter while embodying the former has gone on without challenge long enough.
Pick one, ladies!