The Stage’s “equal roles” survey

Posted on March 10, 2009
Filed Under Consultation, Equality, London, Media, Opinion Comment | Comments Off

In response to research across Europe by Equity and other unions which shows that older actresses work less and earn less than their male counterparts, the Stage nespaper has launched its own on-line survey into into how well women are represented in dramas, both on television and in the theatre. (to take part in the survey see below)

Over a thousand people have now signed a petition, started by a group of Equity members with the union’s backing, calling for urgent action to address the imbalance.

Research across 20 European countries conducted by unions representing nearly 80,000 performers has found that actresses have fewer work opportunities and get paid less than men and that this gets worse as actresses get older.

The research has been presented to Arts Minister Barbara Follett MP by Equity Vice President Jean Rogers (on the right of the picture) and Equity General Secretary Christine Payne.

Responding to the findings, Barbara Follett said: “Just imagine what we would have missed if some of our finest actresses had been overlooked in the way this research suggests is happening today. Just imagine artistic life without performers like Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Vanessa Redgrave.”

The research, conducted by Industrial Relations Research Unit at Warwick University and commissioned by the International Federation of Actors, found that:
• men have longer careers as performers than women;
• women are over-represented in the lowest income group and under-represented in the highest income group;
• women believe they fair less well than men in the number and variety of roles and pay and are type-cast more often;
• an overwhelming majority of women see ageing as a disadvantage to them getting work whereas men were evenly split with half seeing it as an advantage and half a disadvantage;
• men are overwhelmingly positive about the way their gender and age are represented in performing work whereas women are far more negative.

Equity General Secretary Christine Payne commented: “This important piece of research makes clear what many actresses have know for too long – that as they get older it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain a career. Any solution to this must involve writers, directors, producers and, perhaps most importantly, commissioning editors of the major television companies. We urge the Government, broadcasters and producers to take note of these findings and to take action to ensure that the real lives of real women are reflected on our stages and screens.”

Equity Vice-President Jean Rogers added: “My own life experience bears out everything this research has found. It cannot be right for the entertainment industry to discard so many talented performers just because they are female and have ‘reached a certain age’.”

A PDF of the full research findings can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
http://www.equity.org.uk/Documents/Gender%20Research%20-%20EuroFIA_english.pdf

From http://www.equity.org.uk/article.aspx?id=145

Equal Roles Survey

Recent research by the International Federation of Actors revealed that female performers earn less and have shorter careers than their male counterparts, and do not feel that TV or theatre represents them in a realistic way.

We want to know what you think and we are now conducting our own questionnaire into how well women are represented in dramas, both on television and in the theatre.

Please follow the link below to complete the short survey, which will take less than five minutes. http://www.thestage.co.uk/equalroles/

Equity petition for equal representation of women in TV and film gains momentum

Over three thousand people, including some of the UK’s best known performers, have signed a petition calling on TV companies to address the imbalance of male and female roles on UK television. Recent research reveals that for every two male roles in a drama there is just one female..

Make sure you join in the protest! Click here to go to the petition. http://www.gopetition.com/online/24658.html

The petition is open to the viewing public to sign. Equity is calling on members to sign the petitio and to forward it to your friends and family. If we get real numbers, we can have a real effect.

Leading performers who have backed this campaign lead by a group of Equity members and backed by the union include: Penelope Wilton, Julie Walters, Imelda Staunton, Harriet Walter, Lindsay Duncan, Charles Dance, David Soul and Roger Lloyd Pack.

Maxine Peake, star of Channel 4’s Red Riding, commented: “I want to see more female driven dramas and about people who have lived.” Louise Jameson of East Enders fame added: “It is shocking that in 2009 we are still debating this issue of equal representation and equal pay for equal work. Only by unionising, only by putting our collective voices with, for and behind each other will anything move forward. I urge everyone, male and female, to join this campaign for the sake of the craft we are all so in love with.”

The text of the petition reads: “Over half the viewing public is female, yet in TV drama for every female character, there are two male characters – (35.3% female roles to 63.5% male roles). Whilst leading parts are frequently played by male actors over 45, women in this age group start to disappear from our screens. The message this sends to viewers is distorted and distorting. We call on all the major UK television channels to take action to correct this imbalance.”

Other signatories include Janet Jefferies, Miriam Margolyes, Stella Maris, Richard O’Callaghan, Tim Pigott-Smith, Pooky Quesnel, Carol Royle, Susan Wooldridge, journalist Arabella Weir and playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker.

Download a paper version of the petition http://www.equity.org.uk/Documents/petition.pdf

http://www.equity.org.uk/article.aspx?id=151

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See also:

Women on top
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An exposed bra. Skimpy hotpants. Does dressing like a soft porn star actually empower a woman, or is she simply exploiting herself, asks Katharine Whitehorn.

Last week the National Union of Journalists, backed by Equity, the actors’ union, held a conference in London about images of women in the media.

Images which range from the depiction of Madonna’s latest struggle with family life to women forced into Asian marriages.

But more typically reacting to Gail Trimble’s University Challenge success by inviting her to do a “tasteful” photo shoot for the men’s magazine Nuts. Tasteful meaning, I suppose, wearing a mortarboard as well as a casually opened academic gown. Unsurprisingly, she turned them down.

Inevitably, much of the discussion revolved around the presence, or sad lack of it, of female journalists, photographers, producers and editors, who control it all. …

You can read or listen to Katherine Whitehorn’s comments in full at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7928947.stm

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