Women in Kuwait have finally won the vote - although not in time for the upcoming election, unfortunately. The Guardian has some very interesting excerpts from the world’s media on the issue.

In Jordan, the American first lady made one of her first forays into public speaking, taking the opportunity to promote for women’s rights - both political and economic - in the Middle East. The sentiment behind the speech was good, but the audience could only muster a “polite, although unenthusiastic, response”.

Meanwhile, the French government has launched a new attempt to close the gender gap - reakoned to be 25% between women and men in full time work - setting a five year deadline for equal pay. The Guardian reports that critics of the new bill say it is toothless - it represents yet another attempt to get employers to close the gender pay gap themselves.

Interesting side note - apparently Chirac once said his ideal woman “served the men at table, never sat down with them, and never spoke”. Not a feminist then.

But if you’re wondering who is, then this is the place to look. Emily Wilson sparked contraversy - again - in her Guardian column, by naming the, frankly pretty repugnant, Julie Burchill as one of the most interesting feminists alive today. Readers wrote in with their own suggestions from the obvious - Julie Bindel, to the less obvious - Baroness Brenda Hale, the first woman to become a Law Lord.

Posted by Jess McCabe on 22 May 2005, at 10:11 PM