United Kingdom Culture and Society: Women in Culture
General
The post-World War II period has seen an increase in the participation of women in almost all areas of society in the United Kingdom. Today, women in the UK more or less have equality with men. They are active in most areas of society including politics, the economy, education, and social sectors.
The United Kingdom has seen various women’s equality movements, beginning in the late 19th century and continuing into the 21st. For the most part, women in the United Kingdom are well treated and enjoy a wide range of rights. Some discrimination, both subtle and overt, is still practiced, however, especially at the workplace.
In politics, women occupy about 32 percent of the seats in the country's parliament.
Increasing numbers of British women are taking up law as a profession.
In the medical field, women hold a majority of nursing and clerical jobs in the UK, and many women are doctors. In the business sector, an ever-growing number of women own and operate their own businesses.
The United Kingdom has a reputation for being a class-conscious society. While this is true, class has little impact on the opportunities available to women or their overall position in society. Women in the rural areas of the United Kingdom often have limited prospects, and the government has programs to increase opportunities for them. Urban women, on the other hand, have plenty of opportunities and access to all areas of society.
The United Kingdom is a melting pot of various ethnicities and sub-cultures, ranging from Asians to Africans and Muslims to Buddhists. The role of women does differ in accordance to the beliefs and customs of each of these ethnic and religious groups.
Women in the United Kingdom have no dress code restrictions of any sort.
Legal Rights
Women in the United Kingdom have the same legal rights as men. They earned full voting rights in 1928, have the right to drive vehicles, and can own and inherit property.
Abortions in England, Wales, and Scotland are legal to save a woman’s life, to preserve her physical or mental health, in cases of fetal impairment, or for economic or social reasons. Two physicians must certify that the procedure is necessary. Abortion is not legal in Northern Ireland.
Women in the United Kingdom can initiate divorce and can also claim custody of their children.
Education
British women have equal access to education. Literacy rates for women and men in the United Kingdom are about equal, and both stand at 99 percent. Almost all women in the United Kingdom complete both primary and secondary school. More than half go on to college or university, and women outnumber men in signing up for higher education courses. Boys and girls normally share the same classroom space.
About half of British women work outside the home. Educated women in the United Kingdom have the same access as men to job opportunities, though a modest level of discrimination does persist, especially in sectors commonly dominated by men.
Dating, Marriage, and Family
Men and women in the United Kingdom choose their own spouses, and dating is widely practiced. Women usually begin dating in their teens, and the most common places for meeting men are educational institutions, social events, parties, and nightclubs.
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have a minimum marriage age of 18 years, while Scotland’s is16. Most women in the UK marry in their early 30s. Polygamy is neither legally nor socially acceptable in the United Kingdom.
Women in the United Kingdom can keep their own surnames after marriage if they wish to do so. Women who take their husband’s names when they marry often revert to their maiden names in the event of a divorce, but this is a matter of choice.
In most marriages in the UK, husbands and wives make important decisions jointly and share the responsibility for household chores. Women usually have more responsibilities around the home, though, and are free to run their own homes however they choose. Recently, the number of single-parent households in the UK has been growing, with nine out of ten led by women.
Many women in the United Kingdom prefer to postpone having a family to concentrate on their careers, or choose to remain childless altogether. The culture does not criticize or stigmatize childless women in any way.
Women can hold assets separately from their husbands. In the event of a divorce, women are entitled to an equal share of the conjugal property, and can retain any property or assets they held before marriage. Custody of the children is usually granted to the mother, though fathers can lay claim to custody. If the parents are not able to reach an agreement regarding custody of the children, the court makes the final ruling.
Health
The government has instituted a Health Inequalities Unit within the Department of Health to ensure that all groups, including women, are provided equal access to health care.
The standards of health care in the United Kingdom are very high, with a maternal mortality rate of seven deaths per 100,000 live births, and an infant mortality rate of four fatalities per 1,000 live births.
British women have full rights to make their own healthcare decisions. Contraceptives are readily available and commonly used, with the majority of women age 15 to 49 using some form of contraceptive.
Statistical sources include:
US Central Intelligence Agency, World Factbook
World Bank, Databank
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