The Audio Long Read ‘Pretty birds and silly moos’: the women behind the Sex Discrimination Act
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Mar 9, 2026 A vivid account of campaigning for the Sex Discrimination Act, from newsroom sexism to mass petitions and public stunts. It traces landmark moments like strikes, parliamentary battles and the creation of a watchdog. The story highlights strategic litigation, cross-party surprises and tensions within the movement as activists pushed law and public opinion to change.
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Reporter Told To Spy In Changing Rooms
- Celia Brayfield described routine workplace sexism at newspapers, including editors asking her to spy in women's changing rooms and restrictions on women wearing trousers.
- She and colleagues used underground press and Women in Media to publish feminist pieces editors rejected, turning workplace humiliation into activism.
Sexism Was Systemic Not Anecdotal
- Postwar workplaces normalized a pay gap where women earned roughly four-fifths of men's wages and were blocked from senior roles.
- Political resistance ran deep: Churchill once made equal-pay votes a confidence motion to block reform.
Dagenham Strike Led To Compromised Law
- The 1968 Ford Dagenham strike by 187 sewing machinists forced attention when Employment Secretary Barbara Castle negotiated a partial pay rise.
- The resulting Equal Pay Act (1970) was a compromise with delayed implementation and narrow criteria for equality.