Anne Robinson's Trouble with Women documentary sparks gender equality debate
The broadcaster's BBC1 documentary split opinion on social media
Anne Robinson's BBC1 documentary, The Trouble with Women with Anne Robinson, has split opinion on social media and sparked an online debate on gender equality.
The documentary, presented by Robinson, aimed to unearth what modern women want at home and in the workplace."I've got 50 years' experience of what it is to be a woman in the work place and in the home, and I'm fascinated to find out how much equality British women feel they've achieved and what they still want to change," the presenter and broadcaster said.
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Robinson interviewed a variety of women during the hour-long programme, dealing with topics ranging from #MeToo to the banning of Formula One 'grid girls', several of whom she spoke to. Robinson also interviewed a househusband and his breadwinning wife, and a group of care assistants in Glasgow, who successfully sued after learning that their council paid higher rates for traditionally male-dominated municipal roles, such as bin collecting.
However, some social media users seemed to find the film and Robinson's choice of interview subjects problematic. "Anne Robinson's documentary ...was supposed to highlight the problems women face in this male-dominated world," one Twitter user wrote. "Yet she defends F1 grid girls and women undergoing hideous surgery to make themselves noticeable in a man's world."
"I agree in principle with Ann that women should have their own bodily autonomy [sic]," one Twitter user wrote. "But we can't overlook the role our culture plays in expecting women to be sex objects for the pleasure of men."
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Another Twitter user criticised the treatment of the househusband and his breadwinning wife during the show, writing: "I'm having issues with this programme. A woman is not 'lucky' to have a man to be at home whilst she works. Any man who is worth his salt can cook, clean and care as well as a woman. Equality *should* be the norm."
The Trouble with Women with Anne Robinson aired on Thursday 14th June and is now available on BBC iPlayer
