Man-Made ─ Why So Few Women Are in Positions of Power

Why are so few women in positions of power? Why are government, business, the institutions and so much of British life dominated by men? Eva Tutchell and John Edmonds find the answers by interviewing over a hundred successful women and discovering what it takes for a woman to get to the top. The statistics are startling. Britain is an 80/20 nation: 80 per cent of the most powerful jobs are occupied by men and only 20 per cent by women. Tutchell and Edmonds uncover the cultural and historical reasons for this extraordinary imbalance of power. Their book is entitled Man-Made because men have made the rules and women must do their best to fit in. In spite of its claim to be a modern nation, Britain is conditioned by a legacy that views men as doers and leaders and expects women to be helpers and supporters. Many men still judge women more by their appearance than by their ability. Most shocking of all, Man-Made reveals that the birth of children pushes the careers of most women into crisis. Mothers are paid less and promoted less. Ambitious women are tempted to make their children a€?invisiblea€? to employers. Man-Made provides a rigorous and convincing analysis of the inadequacy of current policy and proposes a more thoroughgoing programme to achieve fairness and equality. Tutchell and Edmonds speculate about whether a new generation of female activists can produce the political pressure to change the culture of Britain.

Eva Tutchell is an expert on gender issues, advising public authorities on challenges and solutions. Starting out as a secondary school teacher, Evaa€?s work has covered all age groups. Her book, Dolls and Dungarees is recommended reading for primary school teachers, she has researched the attitudes of teenagers and particularly of teenage boys, has published guidance for schools and colleges on disordered eating and has developed and taught a module on gender for use in universities. John Edmonds is a trade unionist and specialist in work organisation. Until 2003 John was General Secretary of the 700,000 member GMB trade union where he increased the representation of women throughout the union. He also served as TUC President. More recently John has focused on environmental issues and on a more inclusive system of education and training. He is a Visiting Fellow at Kinga€?s College, London, studying labour markets and gender equality.