Equality is a long time coming

Equality - it's still a long time coming and particularly in the small pond that is English poetry where the shortlists, the prizes and the jobs are rather unevenly doled out to the boys.

So I think we should stop skirting around the edges, of worrying about what voicing an opinion will do to our prospects, or of being seen as embittered hags.

It is, in fact, our responsibility to speak out......

Here is the life-affirming raison d'etre of the new Equality and Human Rights Commission, from its own website:

"The Equality and Human Rights Commission is charged by law with a vital mandate. To protect individuals against discrimination, to enforce the laws on equality and to promote fairness and human rights for everyone."

And there's an interesting theme on the title page: Fairer Britain.

It states: "We focus on the need, for all who live in Britain, to have a deeper sense of commitment and mutual respect based on shared values with fairness at their core. We see our role as helping people who might not otherwise meet to get to know and understand one another better.

"Equality isn’t a minority interest: a fairer society benefits everyone in terms of economic prosperity, quality of life and good relations within and among communities.

"The responsibility for building a successful society rests with all of us."

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