April 2008
Fawcett Society campaign
launch:
Against Sexism
in the City
London, UK
Sexism and the City - Fawcett's ground-breaking new
campaign - joins the dots between women's
experiences in the workplace and a wider culture in
which women are subject to sexist stereotypes and
are increasingly sexually objectified.
The
City of London is one of the most economically
prosperous areas in the world. But behind the
conspicuous wealth of the City lies a hidden story
of disadvantage and discrimination affecting women
at all levels of business, perpetuating poverty,
discrimination, and absence from the corridors of
power.
Nearly 40 years on from the outlawing of
discrimination against women in the workplace –
sexism in the City remains rife.
- 30,000 women lose their jobs in the UK each year
simply because they are pregnant.
- Only 11% of FTSE 100 company directors are women
- Nearly 1 in 5 women who work in London earn less
than the London Living Wage.
- Women in London earn 23% less than their male
counterparts.
Polly Courtney was one of three women who spoke at
the Fawcett Society campaign launch to explain what
she had experienced as a city employee, and what she
thought should be done to combat the issues.
Courtney is the author of Golden Handcuffs, a
fictional account of her time in investment banking.
