50 Things

Malari

Just heard on the radio about this website: http://www.50things.ie/

It's celebrating 50 years of the contraceptive pill and asks you to vote for the things you think have changed Ireland most in the last 50 years, within different categories.

I found some of the choices really interesting, because I can't imagine my life without the possibility of contraception, ATMs(!), women working after marriage.

What do you think?

krudler

Decriminalisation of homosexuality is an important one.

Malari

krudler wrote: »

Decriminalisation of homosexuality is an important one.

Important, but maybe not something that has a widespread impact. Contraception affects virtually everyone.

Pandoras Twist

In no particular order:

Removal of the marriage bar

The rise of the internet

The reduction in the power of the catholic church, as well as associated scandals

Joining the EU

My birth

krudler

The reduction (and eventual fall, hopefully) of the church then, that wretched organisation had this country in a guilt ridden stranglehold for decades, now nobody cares what those pious hypocrites have to say, and the country is all the better for it.

The_Morrigan

I'm surprised the hosting of the special olympics wasn't included in the cultural section - that was a great event for Ireland.

LittleBook

An Irish site celebrating 50 years of the pill in Ireland?? Er, OK :pac:

From the recent Irish Times special celebrating the 40-year anniversary of the IWLM, I thought these lists were great:

Ten Things That Changed Women's Lives

Ten Things That Irish Women Couldn't Do in 1970

My personal choices from those listed would be:

Political/Social - EU
Regulatory/Legislative - a tough one but I'll go with contraception
Culture - Attitude to church
Media/Innovation/Technology - Internet
Commercial/Business - IFSC

Malari

LittleBook wrote: »

An Irish site celebrating 50 years of the pill in Ireland?? Er, OK :pac:

No, just 50 years of the pill It was introduced in Ireland much later.

LittleBook wrote: »

From the recent Irish Times special celebrating the 40-year anniversary of the IWLM, I thought these lists were great:

Ten Things That Changed Women's Lives

Ten Things That Irish Women Couldn't Do in 1970

I think the first list is tongue in cheek a bit? The second one I find fascinating to think these were things that were common-place so recently. I find it hard to believe my mother's generation were the first to have some of these rights :eek:
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LittleBook

When I read it at first, yes, I thought it was a bit tongue in cheek but when I read the attached articles I realised these really are common, day-to-day things that have done a lot for the advancement and general comfort of women ... particularly the childcare and household things.

Thankfully most of us have no concept of what life was like before the washing machine, nappies and the like!!

hunnymonster

on the 50things website, I would question whether better health care should be on the list. My mum was able to have a baby a couple of miles from home, today she would have to travel to 3 hospitals away because the maternity services have been cut in the two closest hospitals. I now live near the 2nd biggest city in the country and have no choice of which hospital to have a baby in, in my mothers day there would have been a choice of 4 in the same city.

hunnymonster

I hadn't realised women sitting in jurys was so recent.

Malari

LittleBook wrote: »

Thankfully most of us have no concept of what life was like before the washing machine, nappies and the like!!

I actually remember those terrycloth nappies being used on my younger siblings! Obviously for me too, but I don't actually remember that. And I'm only 32!

The_Morrigan

Malari wrote: »

I actually remember those terrycloth nappies being used on my younger siblings! Obviously for me too, but I don't actually remember that. And I'm only 32!

I'm 29 and they were used on me and my younger siblings and cousins...forgot that till it was mentioned here!!

hunnymonster

My brother was born in 1976 and apparently it was a hot summer so our well at home ran dry. Mum had to carry water from a local stream to wash nappies.:eek: I'm all for getting back to nature but there are limits.

LittleBook

hunnymonster wrote: »

I hadn't realised women sitting in jurys was so recent.

I read something by one of the women involved in securing this right (possibly Mairin de Burca, I'll check later) where she told how she got a phone call from a women asking how dare she (de Burca) meddle and make this woman obliged to do jury duty now and how she should have minded her own business ... very early days obviously but it gives you an idea of how inured some wome were to the mentality of the time.

mardybumbum

- The Peace Process
- The fall of the catholic church
- Ireland joining the EU

Catari Jaguar

Father Ted should be in the Cultural list. Bloody U2 :rolleyes:

And as for Dana winning Eurovision... where is Dustin's song entry?! Where is Jedward?! Where is Maniac 2000?!!

Eve_Dublin

cherub rock wrote: »

Where is Maniac 2000?!!

Hee hee! Was that an Irish hit? Jesus is there nothing we CAN´T do?