All the ways things are getting worse for women in 2024

‘People assume things will naturally get better over time, but this isn’t the case. We’re seeing worrying regressions.’

This is the warning from Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of Fawcett Society, as she reflects on the sorry state of affairs for women this year.

In 1918, the suffragettes prevailed and women got the vote. In 1967, the Abortion Act legalised abortion under certain conditions. In 1970, the Equal Pay Act passed into law.

Fast forward to 2024, and progress has slowed – some might say it feels like we’re going backwards.

The ever-present Andrew Tate effect has schools desperately implementing anti-misogyny lessons for their young male students.

The ground-breaking Barbie movie – branded a feminist masterpiece – was mocked at the Golden Globes by comedian Jo Koy, who implied it could never measure up to Oppenheimer because it was based on ‘a plastic doll with big boobies’. It’s not ironic at all.

American comedian Matt Rife landed a Netflix special in which his opening joke was about domestic violence, suggesting if the waitress at the centre of his anecdote had been able to cook, she wouldn’t have a black eye.