Women In Revolt: the thrill of women's rage

Suzanne Moore wrote ten years about that women’s rage is “totally thrilling”. And she was right.

I saw the Women In Revolt exhibition at Tate Britain last week and I was totally thrilled.

Brexit: it’s not my fault. But it might be yours.

It’s nearly a month since the Brexit referendum and it feels like a year. But I’m still angry.

1992 and all that

I’m crying as I write this. It’s the morning after the election and everyone I know is in despair.

I’m not a political person. I can’t even do office politics. I don’t like game-playing and I’m rubbish at lying. I hate it when politicians, or political pundits, are on the news. It feels like a game, or a spectator sport.

Why I'm scared to leave my job

When Tuesday feels like Friday, and Sunday night feels like it did when you were at school, you know you are in the wrong job.

I'd love to stop what I'm doing and go and do something else but I'm very afraid that I will be stuck in the same job for ever. It's a bit like being in an abusive relationship. You keep reminding yourself of all the good reasons for staying, and you almost believe it. You try to imagine a different life, and it becomes harder and harder as time goes by. You do nothing for years, and then one day something snaps...

George Osborne ruined my holiday

George Osborne ruined my holiday... and that’s just for starters.

Cornwall is exactly 200 miles away from my house and I’m a long way from the border. I’ve left my worries behind. I haven’t written a things-to-do list for days. I’ve even forgotten what my own kitchen looks like: it’s been overwritten by the one in our rented accommodation.

Then Husband puts on the telly. It’s a day after ‘chancellor’ Osborne’s budget and it strikes fear into me. And anger into Husband. And reality comes crashing back.

There’s a reason I haven’t written much since the election. It’s easy to be flippant about the 80s revival. But it’s just too scary to look face-on at what’s actually happening.

So I’ll let Ian McMillan say it for me.

Don't let me down

I tried to do the middle-aged cynic bit. Because it’s a part I like to play and because it keeps me safe. That way you don’t get disappointed.

But there was no disappointment the morning after the election. Watching the news, I allowed myself for a little while to be moved. It was Jesse Jackson’s tears that finally did it.

It felt like 1997 again.

Maybe that’s my reason to be cynical. Because after the euphoria of that May night (which will always be a treasured memory, regardless of what came afterwards) the disappointment was worse. What can you say about Blair? ‘He’s not the messiah: he’s a very naughty boy.’

The expectations on Obama are even greater. I’m trying not to hope. I wish I could.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Barack Obama has brought hope to millions of people around the world. Millions of middle-aged people.

He was born in 1961 and everyone thinks he's young.