'This House Believes that A Woman's Place is in the Kitchen': a report on a recent debate, by Sarina, year 10

Despite the heaviness of the matter the atmosphere was light and jovial as three boys and three girls made sexist remarks and pretended that this was totally normal. The audience had more than doubled since last week’s comparatively tame debate on Self Harming, clearly drawn to the ‘awesome power’ of being able to yell at each other and be feminist at the same time. The opposition claimed passionately that, "A man who believes a woman's place in the kitchen clearly can't deal with her in the world." To which the rather sarcastic male debater on the proposition shot back, "We do know what to do with women in the world, we send them back to the kitchen". There may have been a definite tone of sarcasm, but hearing this comment from a sixth-former at a 'prestigious' all-boys school was a little alarming.

Of course it was going to be ridiculous. At an all-girls school, not even the bravest of sixth-form boys would have calmly walked in and claimed their utter apathy towards women's rights. Even David Lloyd George wouldn't have done that, and his house was bombed by suffragettes. Frankly the fact that it didn't disintegrate into a bar brawl speaks volumes to the patience and self-control of LHS students. Just for the record, we could have taken them.

Personally, I feel that while the answer is obvious, a woman can go wherever she pleases (as long as it isn’t against the law); this shows a deeper, emerging problem in our society. Feminism is going wrong.

This isn't an overnight revelation that has appeared only at a small school debate and we certainly aren't saying that women should be subservient to men; the thing is they don't have to be so irritating about it. Feminism is not saying that all men are evil, that all girls have the right to strip down naked in public and dance. Feminism is not having our rights handed down to us by a group of middle aged white stereotypical men, as if we are sat at a 'slightly less capable' table. Feminism is about standing up and having your say about something you believe in. If women achieve, it will inspire others and motivate them, opening doors to even more women. The same applies to men, or to any other group. To achieve as a woman, all you have to do, or all you should have to do, is prove that you're a capable, intelligent person. Nothing more.