Woman’s Hour list was lacking a wit
RADIO 4’s Woman’s Hour published a Power List of those who have had “the biggest impact on the lives of women over the last 70 years”.
But like all those lists, it leaves you thinking – really?
On it were Margaret Thatcher, Beyonce and Bridget Jones – a fictional character.
Well, I can’t honestly say that any of them made a huge impact on my life.
Give me Charlotte Bronte, who wrote Jane Eyre, any day over Bridget’s admittedly amusing antics.
And while it’s good to see a woman climb the greasy political pole, having a female PM then or now hasn’t radically altered the lives of ordinary women.
What about the Queen who, despite huge changes in society and umpteen family problems of her own, has steadfastly carried on with the day job.
Or American civil rights activist Rosa Parks?
Or Mother Theresa, who fed and nursed the starving, impoverished people of India?
And when it comes to singers, give me Ella Fitzgerald over Beyonce any day.
All lists are open to interpretation, of course.
For witty one-liners, is there anyone to beat writer Dorothy Parker – who doesn’t even get a mention on this Power List.
She’d make mincemeat of these suggestions.