Lesson 16BBC interviewer: Its probably true to say that women have been affected more than men by recent changes in the way we actually live. Over a hundred years ago people began to question whether men were really so much wiser, stronger, altogether more sensible and simply better than women as the laws of the country made out. In the end women got the vote, and very recentlyin 1975the Sex Discrimination Act was passed. But its doubtful whether legislation has changed the way we women actually think. A lot is heard about the dilemma of womens two roles. How can a woman be a wife and mother and have a full-time job as well? In this new series we are going to try to find out what people are really thinking and feeling about this problem, and how it affects their personal lives. In the studio with me today is Mrs. Marina Spiden, who recently experienced the problem of having too much to do at home. With Mrs. Spiden are her husband Brian, her mother Mrs. Vera Cresswell and Mr. Tom Penman, their local newsagent. Mrs. Spiden . tell us what happened will you? Mrs. Spiden: Well . you just said it . the problem of having too much to do at home. I do an afternoon job so I have to get the housework and shopping . er . done in the morning. And one morning you see . er . I just couldnt stand it no more. The . the baby was bawling her head off. Jimmythats my little boy . hes twohad thrown the radio out of the window . Interviewer: Really! Mrs. Spiden: Yes really . The dog . you know . had made a . a mess on the carpet. And there was Brianmy husbandthere he was snoring a way on the settee. Didnt lift a finger he didnt . not a finger to help me. Mr. Spiden: Now now love . Dont get all her up about it again . I mean thats your side of the story . Interviewer: Of course Mr. Spiden . Wed like to hear your side later. So . what did you do about it? Mrs. Spiden: Well . What do you do when youve got something youre fed up with or . or . you dont want like . You put them up for sale dont you? And thats exactly what I did do. Put the whole damn lot of em up for sale. Interviewer: The family you mean. Mrs. Spiden: Yes . the family . including the dog. Mr. Penman: She came into my shop that very day and Tom, she says, Ive just about had enough of it. Im sick of slaving for a husband what sleeps all day. So here you are, she says. And she gives me an advert on a card to put up in the window of the paper shop. Interviewer: What did it say? Mr. Penman: Ive got it here. Interviewer: Read it for us will you? Mr. Penman: For SaleOne house-trained dog, one reasonably trained boy of two years, one baby girl of two weeks and one man that needs training. Any offers considered. Apply within. Interviewer: And were there any offers? Mrs Cresswell: It was me what wrote that advert. You see . I live with Marina and Brian . Mr Spiden: She and her dog . Mr. Penman: Oh yes. Caused quite a stir it did. I should say I had inquiries from . from about a couple of dozen housewives in all. Interviewer: And what offers did they make? Mr. Penman: Well one woman offered 25p. She said thats all a man was worth. Interviewer: What about you Mr. Spiden? What was your reaction to the advertisement? Mr. Spiden: Well . you can imagine . My wife told me about it but I thought she was joking. Little did I realize . I was bloody furious when I saw it there. It wasnt till next morning. We live upstairs of the paper shop and when I come down to go on my milk round . Interviewer: Yes of course . youre a milkman . Mrs. Spiden: Thats right. I often have a dekko at the adverts Tom puts up. And when I saw that one sort of . staring me in the face . I nearly blew me top. Interviewer: What did you do? Mrs. Cresswell: Ill tell you what he did. He came and blamed me for everything. Mr. Spiden: Well it was you . wannit . that egged her on. It was you that wrote the advert. Mr. Penman: It was a big joke really. Just that Brian took it all the wrong way. Know what he did? When he come off his milk round he barges into the shop and he says, Take that bloody advert out and put one in for me. Ask some kind taxi-driver or someone to come and take my mother-in-law back to Birmingham. Mr. Spiden: But its all blown over now . innit. Its done us a world of good in a way. Were the best of friends again. Even the dog started to .Interviewer: Im going to talk to you now about the suffragette movement. Were you yourself ever a suffragette? Mrs. Bruce: No, I did not approve of suffragettes. I did not want to have the vote. I felt the man of the house should be in charge of that section. And the woman, of course, to look after the home and the children. I think that voting was unnecessary, at that time. But Im not going to say now, th