Female of the Species
With the Enniskillen council by-election just a few days away, the Ulster Unionists (and other parties) have been critical of Arlene Foster for taking on too many jobs. Why should a minister and an MLA seek another role as a councillor?
All part of the usual political rough and tumble, you may say. But has the former Environment Minister Sam Foster overplayed his hand in a letter to this week's "Fermanagh Herald"? Obviously there is history between the Fosters. But in his letter, the UUP man describes the late DUP Councillor Joe Dodds as "a man's man." He goes on to describe the UUP candidate Basil Johnston as "a single person", and then he continues "Seriously, I have to ask the question: how does Arlene expect to contend with the number of responsible roles she wants to carry and to do each one well, but not to neglect any, e.g. wife, mother, Councillor, MLA, and Minister of a Department?"
Whenever we talk about double jobbing by male MLAs and MPs we don't normally include descriptions such as "husband" or "father" in their CVs. Is it any more acceptable when talking about female politicians, especially when your assembly team is noticeably lacking in that regard?
I'm 
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~48~RS~)
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People have lives don't they? These lives are not totally abstract to their professions. Why isn't it a legitimate question when someone is applying for a third job to question how there are enough hours in the day to run a department, sit in planning meetings in Enniskillen Town hall on a Monday evening, be a representative legislator AND have a full family life? Is it not reasonable to ask which one of these, if any, will suffer?
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Hmmmm Michael,
So how does Reggie Empey manage to attend planning meetings in Belfast City Hall, run a Government Department and be a representative legislator?
Which suffers in Reg's life then, his family life or his constituents?
Or perhaps, is Reg able to carry out all of those simply because he's a man but it would be impossible for a poor weak little woman to fulfill all those terribly difficult tasks?
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I don't remember Reg looking to be a Councillor in a by election whilst at the same time running a department.
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Hmmm... Michael,
How does that explain the references in the Fermanagh Herald to the late former Councillors as a "man's man" ... It doesn't explain why there is a fascination within the UUP of how someone can be a wife and mother alongside political responsibilities but its not an issue to be a husband, father and politician.
Why was it somehow important to make an issue that the UUP candidate is "a single person"?
It would appear that only single, childless men need apply for UUP posts around the country.
All your wrigging is only making it worse. This isn't about fighting any election. Sam Foster, and by implication the UUP as a whole, were questioning how somone could possibly be a Councillor, not a candidate, and at the same time be a good mother, wife etc etc.
Sometimes its just best to stop digging...
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Sam Foster's comment is an example of unacceptable sexism. If a woman was rejected for a job on the basis that she was a mother or married or because she was just a woman she would have a solid case for discrimination. Double jobbing is another argument altogether but being a mother or being married shouldn't bar anyone from being in charge of anything. Perhaps it was just a slip of the tongue?
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Mark
ARLENE HAS PLENTY OF SPARE TIME
Sam Foster is quite wrong in suggesting that Arlene will have difficulty contending with taking on another elected role.
Given that the Executive is no longer operational she has loads of time to take on the work of a piffling Councillor. In fact, I would dare to suggest that if she wants to have another child now is the time to do it because this Assembly is slowly sinking under the weight of its own inertia.
I see lots of free time ahead for Arlene and the rest of the Wasters in the Assembly.
Susie
Carryduff
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Reg Empey I feel has badly let himself down. He issued a statement running down Arlene Foster for wanting to be a Minister, MLA and councillor. Someone remind me what does Reg and Michael McGimpsey do? Are they Minsters, MLA and councillors? Of course they are.
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amazing how quickly the DUP have been to condemn these comments about Arlene but yet there was silence and no condemnation at all when one of their members compared homosexuals to child abusers
what comment was more serious and dangerous?
I will let the rest of you decide....
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Traditional_Unionist
THE DUP ARE A DIFFERENT SPECIES
You forget that "comparing homosexuality with child abuse" is part of the daily lexicon of the DUP. That is their obsession.
I tell you, the DUP instil more fear in me than any sexual deviant.
Susie
Carryduff
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I honestly can't believe that Sam Foster was aiming to be sexist. He was merely pointing out that Arlene has several young children, she's an MLA, a Minister and wants to a councillor again.
How can she have a good balance between those? Surely, If she was to go to every meeting planned in those roles she would never see her family?
I am a young man who supports the UUP. Yes there is a dire lack of females, but this is changing at a low level. I know women, young and old, who vote UUP but getting them to stand for elections is a 'different kettle of fish'.
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Sam Foster's comments do appear to be sexist. I don't believe he set out to make a sexist comment but he did. He described the roles of 'wife' and 'mother' in a way that is very rarely (if ever) used against their male counterparts. How many male MLAs have had their ability to cope with or care for their children or cope with their jobs because they are a husband or father? As I said above having children shouldn't make it less likely that you are going to be accepted for a job. I am sure Arlene knows what the jobs entail and how much time they demand. She is not a fool.
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Fermanagh Unionist
Nice to see that an Ulster Unionist doesn't know when to stop digging.
We've now had two young male (unsurprisingly) members of the UUP defending Sam Foster and his sexist views. The point has been, and still remains, that those views would never have been made by Sam Foster about a male candidate - from whatever party.
How do male politicians ever "see their family" when they're going to meetings? I'm not surprised that any women in the UUP are reluctant to put themselves up for election, after all, their marital status, whether they have children, and no doubt their hair colour would all appear to be fair game for comment by Sam Foster.
So much for Reggie's UUP rebranding and overhaul. The Oul fellas are still in charge and the women make the tea. The natural Ulster Unionist order has been restored.
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