The Iron Lady or a woman conforming to patriarchal expectations in 1980s Britain? A Feminist icon or the feminine face of patriarchal politics? Since the end of her almost twelve-year term as Prime Minister in 1990, the legacy of Margaret Thatcher is one that has been widely debated in Britain.
The literary creations of Elizabeth Gaskell have had an irrefutable legacy that, from the mid-twentieth century, marked her out amongst critics as one of the most important and esteemed writers of the Victorian era. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of her literary career was that she seemed to just fall into it at the age of 38. After the tragic death of her infant son William, her husband, also named William, suggested she start writing as a means of distraction from her grief.
Mary Wollstonecraft is often regarded as the catalyst for Western Feminism, hence her nickname as its ‘mother’. Her revolutionary book ‘Vindication of the Rights of Women’ altered the future of women in the West. Not only did it attack the existing patriarchy, but it pushed for a more equal society and encouraged the recognition of women as valuable assets, just as much as men were.
In June 2005, the Football Association (FA) of England hosted the UEFA Women’s European Championships for the first time. The aim of hosting was to spread awareness of women’s football. At this point, the Lionesses were not full-time professionals and had side-jobs accompanying their positions as footballers. It is, therefore, no surprise that they failed to make it out of the group stages after winning just one match against Finland before losing against Denmark and Sweden.
Within the collective memory of queer Britain, the Wolfenden Report – a 1957 publication that recommended the decriminalisation of private gay sex between men – could be seen to have lost much of its widespread recognition in recent years.
