Fight Or Flight

Chapter 10 - English Language (Speaking and Listening)

Chapter 10

English Language - Speaking and Listening

In school, most of the time anyway, nobody paid Layla any attention. She was virtually anonymous. She seemed to drift along unnoticed, and no one seemed to care much about her. Apart from Ed. And me, of course.

The only time anyone ever paid her any attention was to abuse her - mostly verbal abuse, but she told me later, and I heard others say, that on one or two occasions, it was physical, too.

As part of our English Language coursework, we had to give a talk to the class on an issue we felt passionately about. I spoke out about the destruction of the small forest beyond the brook. How our local environment and our local history was being destroyed in the name of progress. For yet another road.

Other people spoke on a range of issues. Stuff like the re-introduction of capital punishment, pro-abortion, anti-abortion, too many foreign players in the Premier League, why we should get rid of school uniform, why the voting age should be lowered to sixteen.

But it was Layla's talk which provoked the biggest commotion and even Mr Mason responded defensively to her argument - which I still have a copy of today, and was titled: Feminism: Why We Need It More Than Ever.

She began her talk by attacking the school. She pointed out that the head and deputy head teachers in the school were all men, but that the majority of the classroom teachers were women. She attacked religious lesson, which taught creationism as if it were equal to the science of evolution. She argued this Biblical interpretation of creation was sexist and was partly responsible for women being treated as second-class citizens throughout history.

"Guess what?" she said, "the fall of man was all Eve's fault. Big surprise. So women are to blame for bringing evil into the world. Isn't that convenient! All the major world religions are sexist. Its leaders don't really care at all about spirituality or piety. It's all about power. Power over women. Controlling women's right to birth control, controlling how women dress, how they act. Shut up and cover up!"

"I agree!" shouted somebody from within the classroom.

"Ssshhh!" demanded Mr Mason.

Using the laptop for her powerpoint display - which throughout also contained loads of facts and figures, most I've forgotten now - she put up on the whiteboard a brilliant picture of punk rocker Iggy Pop wearing a dress. Alongside the picture was a quote from Iggy, which she read out for those who couldn't see it.

"I'm not ashamed to dress 'like a woman' because I don't think it's shameful to be a woman."

Lots of the lads and some of the girls laughed. Some even pretended to vomit at the sight of Iggy in a dress.

She then went on to argue that although women have made great advances during the 20th century, that sexism and misogyny was still an issue. She spoke about the suffragettes and how women had to once more take control of their destinies.

"Also, legend hasn't it around here that Witches Brook got its name because hundreds of years ago women accused of witchcraft were thrown into the water to find out if they really were witches. Again, religious people judging women, women who did not fit in with their beliefs about how women should act. Across England, throughout the Middle Ages, women were killed or tortured for not acting like proper women - whatever that is! Today, however, students at this school no longer call it Witches Brook, they call it something else. Can you guess?"

"Bitches Brook!" somebody shouted from the back of the class.

"Quiet!" Mr Mason said. "Continue please, Layla.