Women in the United Kingdom were given equal rights in 1976!!!
Before that year, at 19, I had run a photographic studio * learned to develop black/white film and print (of course, I was so excited when my first print appeared that I opened the darkroom door! * Was used for various test shots for clients, chasing the white dove around the studio, trying to keep two photographers on schedule and one in particular from not spending a lot of time photographing nudes, while the other partner watched through the trap door designed for over head shots, not peeping! One of my legs disappeared down it a little way chasing the dove again! * My legs were used for the front cover of a magazine (funny thing was that I had freckles on them when they were chosen! But the client then wanted them airbrushed out! Impossible (I did also learn how to airbrush black/white photos. * Was chosen by Michael Hamlyn for the front cover of his Girls' yearly Annual (just had to take my make up off (Twiggy style) and put my hair in bunches and hug an Old English Sheep Dog. Said dog escaped studio and we all had to chase it around Piccadilly Circus to catch him or her! I moved on to other art related jobs until I had learned as much as I was going to then moved on
In 1970 I joined the art department of US music folio company, Charles Hansen' UK company and met the ebullient Allan Sanford, who I thoroughly enjoyed working with. He was a constant stream of ideas, and we discovered that I had a talent for negotiating and I think my first success was acquiring rights to publish the sheet music of Mungo Jerry's "IN THE SUMMERTIME" * Allan decided we should produce a lyrics and bio magazine of hit acts for newspaper stand distribution, and I had to suddenly become a journalist! Interviewed Sandy Shaw (the singer with a dislike of shoes), The Baron Knights and Joe Brown! * Had to take Harry Nilsson out for lunch and try and persuade him that a black/white photograph of him with a bottle of beer for the front cover was not going to make it very sellable in then prudish USA. Very enjoyable lunch with Harry (he loved his family and prior to becoming an amazing singer/songwriter worked on banks' computers - failed to get him to change his mind about cover. * Sadly, for the staff of the music print company Charles Hansen bought, he decided to sell his company to Chappell's Music. I had a great deal of respect for their UK MD, Frank Coachworth, but had no liking of a desk in the basement full of filing cabinets.
Bob Wise who built Music Sales into now one of the largest publishing companies had tried a few times to get me to work for him, but I had refused. Now, I approached him and became General Manager in 1971. * Bob was an amazing mentor - treated me as a woman, as an equal and didn't think there was anything I couldn't achieve.
In 1972, recommended by Lionel Conway (then head of Island Music Ltd) to Elton John's and Bernie Taupin's manager, I became General Manager of their publishing companies. Great fun, except I learned about brown nosers and politics for the first time. Fired by John Reid in 1973, I politely thanked him - was not enjoying either people with brown noses nor politicians.
In 1973, I joined Chrysalis Music Ltd as Professional Manager and in 1977 I became General Manager. * But only for about 7 months before I was invited to start Chrysalis' US publishing companies in 1978. And I was successful in establishing The Chrysalis Music Group USA as one of the leading independents and made the company a lot of money.
IN 1976 WHEN EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN BECAME THE LAW IN THE UK, I WAS HEAD HUNTED BY MAJOR MUSIC COMPANIES, BUT TO ADD TO THEIR QUOTE OF WOMEN EXECS AND ALTHOUGH THE SALARIES WERE HIGHER, I HAVE NEVER BEEN PART OF ANYONE'S QUOTA (or so I thought at that time, but sadly proved to be the case to my detriment).
ANYWAY, the point of this blog's title, is that the 1976 passing of the Equal Rights for women, did make a difference, slow but sure advancement for women. And earlier this year or late last year, the UK Government launched an initiative/law that there be at least 20% women on executive boards.
BUT IN THE USA, ALTHOUGH I WAS SUCCESSFUL, I DID NOT HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AS A RESIDENT ALIEN WOMEN, which I became IN 1979 (yes, of course - the year of the first Alien film!), == IN 1983, AS ONE OF THE THE THREE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS OF CHRYSALIS, I WAS PAID JUST $35,000 PA!!!
IT IS ASTOUNDING TO ME THAT OPRAH WINFREY IS NOT EQUAL TO MEN UNDER THE USA CONSTITUTION, NOR IS FORMER FIRST LADY, MRS. LAURA BUSH, NOR IS PRESIDENT OBAMA'S WIFE, MOTHER NOR THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS.
HOW CAN THIS BE RIGHT? IT SIMPLY ISN'T!
I APPRECIATE THAT I HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A BROTHER AND A FATHER AS THE MAIN CHARACTERS GROWING UP, AND EXCEPT IN OUR HAVING DIFFERENT ABILITIES,===== I'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF MY BEING A PERSON LESS EQUAL TO EITHER OF THEM=====.
IT IS RIDICULOUS! How do we call the USA a full democracy, and considered the Leader of the free world. WE SEND WOMEN TO WAR for democracy and they come back equally dead to a man, but are not equal; under the USA Constitution; people when it comes to their coming back, physically or mentally challenged.
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