Dignity in Dying: The first chance for MPs to discuss the laws on euthanasia

On the 27th March Parliament will debate the Director of Public Prosecutions’ Guidelines on Assisted Suicide.

The current law offers no clarity to those wishing to help end the life of a terminally ill loved one, as decisions differ in harshness from judge to judge. 

Please urge your local MP to attend this vital vote and to support a flexible approach to those who compassionately assist a suffering partner or relative.  

The pressure group Dignity in Dying have issued a simple to understand question and answer page about the guidelines and what it means to those suffering at the hands of existing euthanasia laws in Britain.  

On July 4th, members plan to lobby MPs by meeting politicians in Parliament and raising awareness of the issue. The organisation is encouraging members of the public to come along and talk to decision makers, bumping up the matter in the government's agenda. 

You can register to take part here on the Dignity in Dying website.

Happy International Women's Day!

Society has come a long way, but we haven't reached total social equality just yet. 

Women have access to birth control, legal rights, enfranchisement, and increased opportunities in the workplace; in some cases, groups of young women have surpassed young men as earners. 

However, equality is not just achieved by encouraging women to break into the workplace (although this is still a contentious issue). The next problem we face is removing the stigma attached to specific gender roles so that everybody can follow a career path, in the household or workplace, regardless of biological sex. 

I know many men who are naturally paternal, but would never choose to be the more domesticated partner in their relationship. Despite being organised, caring, and nurturing enough to fill the role perfectly, none even see it as an option. Not because of lack of desire, but because of the criticism leveled at "stay-at-home" dads.  

In contrast, women who decide to stay at home are championed by gimmick-laden supermarket adverts and Card Factory-backed festivals. "That's why mums go to Iceland" states a new child-bearing celebrity each month. "Mums are great" according to Persil, on account of a woman-with-child's ability to remove stains from a viscose/cotton blend school shirt. 

This might seem positive, but it isn't. 

The lack of male presence is worrying. It is sending out an insulting message to our young people.
The message? Full-time parenting is good enough for women but not good enough for any self-respecting man.
This is because caring for a young child and maintaining a household is not seen as a worthy task in its own right, but commendable only by a woman's standards. 

A woman is seen as powerful if she rises to a man's job because she has surpassed herself. Yet, being a house-parent, which contributes to the economy in unimaginable ways, is beneath any self respecting male. 

This attitude is dictating how people live their lives; it affects us all. It means that society is filled with males and females acting on expectations rather than acting on individual personalities and desires.
Our society will be healthy and organic only when the boardroom is filled exclusively with people who want to be there, and the home is inhabited exclusively by the parents who want to be there.
Gender, on both accounts, should contribute towards nothing. 

Happy International Women's Day everybody. Let's hope we progress a little more each year.

"International Women's Day" lino cut, by Carlos Barberena