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Lerwick Up Helly Aa


peeriebryan
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Female squad members in Lerwick Up Helly Aa (2022 poll)  

26 members have voted

  1. 1. In principle, should women be allowed to participate in Lerwick Up Helly-Aa as squad members?

    • Yes
      11
    • No
      15
  2. 2. Is logistics (already high numbers of guizers, waiting lists for squads etc) a valid reason not to allow women to participate in Lerwick Up Helly-Aa as squad members?

    • Yes
      15
    • No
      11
  3. 3. The current ‘male only’ squad member demographic of Lerwick Up Helly-Aa is….

    • Sexist
      8
    • Traditional
      18


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To make this truly fair , the women who wanted to enter a squad, should also try and get their squad into some other Up Helly Aa's such as Delting for SMUHA, who also seem to be at full capacity, then they could make a fairer judgement.

But since Delting & SMUHA already have women taking part in squads, what would it prove?

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I think that the real power in Up Helly Aa is not the committee, but the unelected forum standing in the shadows. The committee members partners and the Hall hosts. They are the ones who really call the shots and probably the ones who need to be persuaded.

 

This is almost certainly true to an extent, but there are some that UHA is such a 'holy cow' to that they'd rather divorce, do everything they could to prevent UHA going ahead unless in its present form, and go bankrupt than accept any kind of change. There are as many of them as there ever were, and that goes for guizers and hostesses alike.

 

Arguably insane, perhaps, and a little scary when you meet up with people with such beliefs, but such is their devotion. Religion takes many forms and guises.

Edited by Ghostrider
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GR said 

 

 

his is almost certainly true to an extent, but there are some that UHA is such a 'holy cow' to that they'd rather divorce, do everything they could to prevent UHA going ahead unless in its present form

Could well be true, The people involved with Up Helly A' especially the committee, Jarl's squad and Hostesses  commit and invest what must be an incredible amount of their money and time into it, something I am sure onlookers never consider. The rest of us just go along for the ride. If they spit the dummy and just quit ,that would be the end of it. I can't see anyone else (in da Toon) picking up the tab, or putting in the time.  The public purse certainly couldn't rise to it.

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So far, the poll seems to be running fairly evenly between "sexist" and "traditional". 

 

Not unexpected but, what are women to do to get invited into a squad ?

 

Let's face it.  If no squad is willing to have women join their ranks, then they (women) have not made any progress whatsoever, and UHA will remain "sexist".

 

Personally, I do not believe that UHA is "sexist", nor do I believe that it is entirely "traditional" either.  It's just more of a "boys night out" as far as I can see.

 

After all, describing it as "sexist" is just another way of beating up on someone, or a group, that has a different opinion..  Just like describing it as "racist" because (as far as I am aware and, please correct me if I am wrong) there are no coloured members in any squad.

 

Will we ever see the day when  UHA has a coloured, female, lesbian (let's be "inclusive" here), beardless (?) Guizer Jarl(ess) ?  :twisted:

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So far, the poll seems to be running fairly evenly between "sexist" and "traditional". 

 

I struggled a little with this question as I think the origins of UHA were as likely designed around the way of life back then as opposed to deliberately excluding women. However whatever the original intentions were, life has moved on & I believe an increasing amount of women & men will view what has been the norm (for UHA) simply is not applicable for the future.

 

Not unexpected but, what are women to do to get invited into a squad ?

 

Let's face it.  If no squad is willing to have women join their ranks, then they (women) have not made any progress whatsoever, and UHA will remain "sexist".

 

For the men who would be happy enough of even welcome the inclusion of women to the squads it may well be difficult for them to speak up. It is never easy to be the first to break ranks in any situation. But it does happen in life.

 

 

 

Personally, I do not believe that UHA is "sexist", nor do I believe that it is entirely "traditional" either.  It's just more of a "boys night out"

 

There would seem to be an awful lot of women required/invited, as in the women attending the halls & the hostesses, to label it as more of a "boys night out".

 

After all, describing it as "sexist" is just another way of beating up on someone, or a group, that has a different opinion..  Just like describing it as "racist" because (as far as I am aware and, please correct me if I am wrong) there are no coloured members in any squad.

 

The words sexist & racist are legitimate words with meanings & not just empty, insulting slang. It may be an uncomfortable message but it needs to be addressed.

There may not be any other than white faces involved (I don't know) but if it ever came to be that someone were excluded on the basis of race that just wouldn't fly.

 

Will we ever see the day when  UHA has a coloured, female, lesbian (let's be "inclusive" here), beardless (?) Guizer Jarl(ess) ?  :twisted:

Well the female & beardless bit has already happened at SMUHA as I'm sure we all know & the sky didn't fall down, the world didn't stop turning & all the masculinity of the men involved in the event didn't crumble, as far as I hear! I believe a good time was had by all as usual.

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Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned

 

Like it or lump it ,I suspect da women will win in da end. 

 

Undoubtedly, they always do, but whether that 'win' is for the women who want to be guizers, the women who want women to only be hostesses and musicians, or whether the battle between those two camps ends up in UHA being consigned to history, and therefor a default win for the women who wish it didn't exist, is probably anyone's guess.

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To correct you Colin . I am aware that men of non-european descent, fae aa aerts, have been taking part, for a braw while noo.  We are all the same in the  mask. As you note the squad system involves squad members inviting in mates or family only, so it could be seen as exclusive. You literally have to be a friend of a friend. Same goes for sexual orientation, I think we have mostly all moved forward on on that one.

I don't think there has ever been any intention to be sexist, it just the way the system evolved. There's more evolving to be done.

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To correct you Colin . I am aware that men of non-european descent, fae aa aerts, have been taking part, for a braw while noo.  We are all the same in the  mask. As you note the squad system involves squad members inviting in mates or family only, so it could be seen as exclusive. You literally have to be a friend of a friend. Same goes for sexual orientation, I think we have mostly all moved forward on on that one.

I don't think there has ever been any intention to be sexist, it just the way the system evolved. There's more evolving to be done.

Didn't know for sure..  Thanks.

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