“LET US IN”
[a letter urging
that women undergraduates should be allowed to debate in the Oxford Union] Cherwell (Oxford)
February 1959)
Sir. We feel
that there is no good reason whv women should be deprived of debating membership
of the Union. According to your own correspondents the general standard of male
undergraduate speakers, especially this term, is deplorably low.
The present
male establishment at the Union recognises the ability of women speakers by
inviting them as guests. It is not unlikely that among the woman
undergraduates there are some speakers of calibre who would help to raise the
standard. The Schools' results show that the average intelligence of women in
Oxford is certainly no lower than that of men. In most undergraduate circles
including political discussion, women play a full and active part. The Liberal
Club have recently had a woman as President and the Labour Club a woman
Secretary, who was defeated for the Chairmanship by only one vote. Last term's
Cherwell had a woman Editor, and the present President and Secretary of E.T.C.
arc both women.
Congregation
have no\w admitted women's colleges to equal status with men's, and Oxford may
soon have its first woman Vice-Chancellor.
The Union stands alone, no longer
accompanicd ev en by the House of Lords, as a symbol of male reaction. It is
time such an anachronism was abolished from a University which should be the
home of progressive thinking. We are only seeking debating rights. and those
men who feel they would not like their club room to be tainted by feminine
influence mav rest assured: we will not invade their seclusion.
We appeal
to
all thinking men to support our motion when it comes before the Union.
Yours
sincerely, Aelfthryth Buzzard , Frances
Kaldor, Somerville
College