Living alone hasn’t been easy during this crisis. Last night a spider the size of a toddler sauntered into my bathroom and, while I was grateful for the company, I desperately wished there was someone else around. Like one of those man people.
I can now also hardly see anything after dark as most of my lightbulbs have gone and changing them involves a ladder, the right spec and most importantly an electrician. A head torch is much easier. But for all that, I’m also grateful to have my own space and only myself to row about chores with, and believe you me, we have had some right humdingers about who’s turn it is to unstack the dishwasher. “Oh, shall I just do it … AGAIN,” I passive-aggressively yap to myself. Yep, we’re at that stage folks.
But having said all that, I have real sympathy for my many female friends who are trapped at home, looking after their children, trying to home-school, worrying about their parents and still doing the lion’s share of the household chores. I know a lot of men are doing way more than they have ever done, but the bulk of domestic and caring logistics and grunt work is still done by women. One load of laundry and whacking some fish fingers in the oven does not mean the arrival of feminist nirvana. I’ve also noticed that, with so many of my friends, even though both are working from home and pledge to share the load, she still ends up fielding conference calls while negotiating with small children in tears about doing Joe Wicks every morning. I detect much simmering rage.
It’s important to say we know that it is men who have been more at risk from the virus, but many women feel they are taking the emotional strain of this crisis. That’s borne out in a new poll by Ipsos MORI and the Fawcett Society, which says that 61 per cent of women are finding it harder to stay positive day-to-day compared with 47 per cent of men. Half of women say they are very concerned about the risk the virus poses to the country compared with a third of men, and 70 per cent have avoided leaving the house compared with 57 per cent of men. Women are also more concerned about coming out of lockdown, sending children back to school, using public transport, going to bars or restaurants and attending big gatherings.
With all this anxiety, it’s unsurprising that the analysis suggests women have been more lukewarm to our leaders than men and have found it harder to “rally round the flag” — when the crisis hit in March, government satisfaction rose by just six points among women compared with 11 points among men. The political optics have been very male-dominated, which has probably not helped.
This cruel crisis is hitting all of us in different ways. But women often end up bearing the brunt of any crisis with their own jobs, unpaid labour and cuts to services they rely on to look after their families. This rather male-led Government must remember that.
Simply fabulous Pelosi
I snorted with laughter when I saw Nancy Pelosi suggest Donald Trump should be wary of taking hydroxychloroquine because he’s “morbidly obese”. I’m in no position to applaud fat shaming but it was so satisfying to see this ludicrous bully, who is so derogatory about how women look, get some back. I once met Pelosi and she was simply fabulous. Generous, smart, full of stories, and sporting the best blow dry I’ve ever seen.
