Lerwick Up Helly Aa

[EM]

So, are you saying that despite the previous alleged official line', and widespread belief being 'there is no rule banning female participants', a ban on female participants does actually currently exist?

Yes.

 

If so, has it existed for some time, and the belief it didn't was simply another myth, or has the rule been introduced recently?

 

Off hand I don't remember the year, but it was certainly pre-WWII and probably pre-WWI.

 

 

 

 UHA has seen numerous changes and an evolution over time, 

Very true, it could be said to have a tradition of gradual change. The key to this is the intangible “Spirit of Up-Helly-Aa.” Organisation and governance is consensually based rather than an adversarial system as familiarly used in Westminster. The Committee's remit is to the guizers and they are completely in tune with how the guizers interpret the “Spirit of Up-Helly-Aa.” Consequently, when changes do happen, they are never controversial.

 

 

Any change in gender roles within UHA will have to come from the inside,

Exactly so.

 

... having the same old chestnut arguments trotted out every year by those outside UHA, when its been established they won't and can't, and indeed shouldn't change a damn thing, as its not the ousiders party, has gotten very irksome.

Tedious indeed.  It is completely pointless and only engenders ill feeling.

 

By all accounts all UHA participants, guisers, hostessess and guests, are either supportive of or at least happy to leave alone the gender defined roles currently in place, and the rest of folk need to accept that its not their business to interfere in it, and live with it.

Something which dilettante UHA attackers really miss is the "have your cake and eat it" angle.  All the UHAs are different, so taking part in two is not the same thing done twice. Many, many women like to both guize in the rurals, and also enjoy the very different Lerwick formula. When you can have two different types of event, why would you want just one?

[Bluemire]

The Lerwick Up Helly Aa is a tradition. There are many traditions all over the world that don't have as much hassle as this. Women are involved in the whole thing and it's getting so tedious and repetitive that every year Christmas is finished, new year is finished then what a surprise they start on about this equality bruck. I am a woman, I am a massive Up Helly Aa supporter but only for it to remain as it is. If it changes I will wash my hands of it all together and know many who feel the same. If women are so desperate go to a country festival... there is plenty of them!

[Guest Mr.Brown]

Never heard of a stag do destination that was decided on the quality of the coffee houses on offer Equality Street, still it is said there is a first time for everything! I also suspect a lot of the forward thinkers & liberal minded would not be nearly so much if it were their loved ones involved in certain offerings that Amsterdam & some other places are particularly famed for.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Mr.Brown

[Guest Mr.Brown]

^ Suffice to say there may well be a good enough argument for the status quo of Lerwick UHA remaining as is but I'm not convinced the "Amsterdam" one is it! I do though admire the energy of any one who can keep going on their feet, drunk or sober, all night & wish I had even half of it!

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

Absolutely hitting the nail on the head!

 

 

 

Imagine you're organising a stag do. You're the best man and you're all flying to Amsterdam. The groom is a pretty popular guy, but he's only wanting 22 pals to come away with him (for whatever reason). One of the boys drops out so your wife suggests one of her female pals that would like to come along. Does saying 'no' to that idea make you a backward, sexist, misogynistic dinosaur?

 

You can attach all the tradition and gravitas you want to Up Helly Aa, but for most of us it's a p1ss-up comparable to the scenario above, where the best craic is on the bus where you spend most of the night singing, drinking, making crude jokes and talking sh1te. While I know for a fact that there are many women that excel in this pursuit as much as men, I suspect most of us would rather just keep it as it is.

 

To conflate the dynamics of this boozy party with the Equal Pay for Women issue, or even the vile treatment of women by abusive, powerful men from Westminister to Hollywood is disingenuous and ridiculous. In doing so we cast both male and female participants in this fantastic festival as complicit villains or meek, subservient spectators of sex discrimination.

There are more men wanting to go out in squads than there are places. There are more lasses wanting to go to halls than there are tickets. A few shrill letters to the Shetland times have not diminished their enthusiasm for the festival. Be 'offended' all you want, but come next Tuesday men and women will be dancing the night away and not giving a flying... torch.

So then, what about transgenders?  Or those who identify as gender fluid?  Can they be Lerwick UHA guizers regardless of whether they are CIS-gender females but now identify as FtM or gender fluid or Gender X (Gender X now accepted in more than one country as opposed to F or M)?

 

Careful now with the equal pay scenario - just when did any large employer last consult with its workforce regarding having the following day off work especially if it's a 'private party' folk have attended?  See, there just might be some folk who object to the whole isles being subjected to post offices closures, etc.; how does that pan out?  Is that at extra day's holiday in addition to other annual leave or is it a day forced upon employees?  Either way, the country UHAs don't result in mass closures of establishments for 'private parties'.

[Equality Street]

 

Absolutely hitting the nail on the head!

 

 

Imagine you're organising a stag do. You're the best man and you're all flying to Amsterdam. The groom is a pretty popular guy, but he's only wanting 22 pals to come away with him (for whatever reason). One of the boys drops out so your wife suggests one of her female pals that would like to come along. Does saying 'no' to that idea make you a backward, sexist, misogynistic dinosaur?

 

You can attach all the tradition and gravitas you want to Up Helly Aa, but for most of us it's a p1ss-up comparable to the scenario above, where the best craic is on the bus where you spend most of the night singing, drinking, making crude jokes and talking sh1te. While I know for a fact that there are many women that excel in this pursuit as much as men, I suspect most of us would rather just keep it as it is.

 

To conflate the dynamics of this boozy party with the Equal Pay for Women issue, or even the vile treatment of women by abusive, powerful men from Westminister to Hollywood is disingenuous and ridiculous. In doing so we cast both male and female participants in this fantastic festival as complicit villains or meek, subservient spectators of sex discrimination.

There are more men wanting to go out in squads than there are places. There are more lasses wanting to go to halls than there are tickets. A few shrill letters to the Shetland times have not diminished their enthusiasm for the festival. Be 'offended' all you want, but come next Tuesday men and women will be dancing the night away and not giving a flying... torch.

So then, what about transgenders?  Or those who identify as gender fluid?  Can they be Lerwick UHA guizers regardless of whether they are CIS-gender females but now identify as FtM or gender fluid or Gender X (Gender X now accepted in more than one country as opposed to F or M)?

 

Careful now with the equal pay scenario - just when did any large employer last consult with its workforce regarding having the following day off work especially if it's a 'private party' folk have attended?  See, there just might be some folk who object to the whole isles being subjected to post offices closures, etc.; how does that pan out?  Is that at extra day's holiday in addition to other annual leave or is it a day forced upon employees?  Either way, the country UHAs don't result in mass closures of establishments for 'private parties'.

 

What a time to be alive! The internet gives you the joy of complaining about a day off people have enjoyed for the best part of a century, and now we're being chastised for not factoring in gender-fluidity into a p1ss up 

 

I for one welcome our trans-sexual future. What a glorious day it will be when some wag shouts "grip his surgically accentuated clitoris!" before the torches fly in !

Edited January 22, 2018 by Equality Street

[Urabug]

I'm not going to get involved in this discussion, but correct me if I am wrong,are they not a ladies only football team ,a ladies rowing team ,darts teams ect.

 

So what is so wrong with a Mens only Up Helly  Aa team, as long as we can all watch them play..

[Guest tiodylb17]

Its a public holiday , various regions and places have different dates for public holidays for their own regional festivals,traditions etc.

Edited January 22, 2018 by tiodylb17

[Rasmie]

I have never been in a job, where I get public holidays on the set day.  Lately not had Christmas or Ne'erday, or UHA Wednesday off. They've always been added into my annual holiday entitlement. There are a lot of people in jobs that do not have the luxury of office hours never mind public holidays, so are self reliant. (any day off is welcome.) However I have nearly always had an extra holiday compared to my colleagues South - the Up Helly Aa holiday. Anyway Wednesday was always a "traditional" day off in the recent past for retail outlets in all parts of Shetland.

[Ghostrider]

So, never mind the sexism, the EU will close them down for too much steuych if their torch handles aren't properly dry. The BBC certainly knew the right time to break this news.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42873645

[LGR PATONEXCHANGE]

It surely a positive sign that equal rights are well established when all there is to greet about is no getting to spend a single Tuesday night of a Shetland winter, inebriated in the back of a truck and briefly wandering about in da wind a rain we a burning stick speaking a load of excrement.

 

Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia.......... Where are all the Pusey hats ?

Edited January 31, 2018 by LGR PATONEXCHANGE

[suuusssiiieee]

Talking Up Helly Aa,  the Legion last night at £30 quid a ticket was a big disappointment according to someone i spoke with this morning.

 

Sadly i can only see that place going one way and that's down.

[George.]

Goodness, no buses at the north end of the island today. Bet that it's running up and down at the south end, though. That's Lerwicks Up Helly Aa for you. The whole world has to stop for it - regardless.

Edited January 31, 2018 by George.

[Frances144]

Talking Up Helly Aa,  the Legion last night at £30 quid a ticket was a big disappointment according to someone i spoke with this morning.

 

Sadly i can only see that place going one way and that's down.

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2018/01/30/watch-x-factors-wagner-helly

 

A new low.

[John Allan]

 

Talking Up Helly Aa,  the Legion last night at £30 quid a ticket was a big disappointment according to someone i spoke with this morning.

 

Sadly i can only see that place going one way and that's down.

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2018/01/30/watch-x-factors-wagner-helly

 

A new low.

 

 

Wagner was here? That's answers why I didn't earn a single penny busking for the Tourist folk. They was all saving their 10p coins to throw at the main event