Is it really a hardship for women?

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/328gmx6

Why the hardship for women, men have had to work until they were 65 for years, one more year should not hurt anyone seeing that unlike in the past, these days people live for many years after they retire.

I also believe that women once had the choice of retiring at 60 or working on till they were 65

[Booldawg]

they spend all their time either crying in the toilets or rushing off to buy chocolate. and when they're not doing that they're having babies ;-)

[mccfluff]

not all of us have babies or cry in the toilet, hold my hands up to the choc thing.

i expect to work till i drop

[rowanwitch]

or helping non gardeners identify plants

[squarebear]

I thought suffragettes had fought for equal rights for women? Surely, to make them a step more equal with this must be seen as a great triumph for all women.

[katekoala]

Nope - women fight for equal rights and to be treated the same; therefore, cant whinge when they are ! (BTW I am female!) am just sick of selective discrimination when it suite people

[redcrx]

i returned to work 2 weeks (plus extra days before that but thats illegal so i wont mention it) i dont think that i will be one to complain about working to 65.

[milly143]

Totally agree Kate. Women always seem to bang on about wanted equal rights, but only when it suits. (I'm female too).

[katekoala]

I bet some women will be grateful they can work till that age

Disagree with Booldawg - dont cry in toilets or have any babies. Yes to chocolate - but that is purely to keep me going, as with mccfluff - i work bloody long hours and work hard

[redcrx]

redcrx i returned to work 2 weeks *after the births of my children

[eyethenkyew]

No, no, I'm all for the missus carrying on for an extra year to help keep me in the style to which I'm trying to become accustomed.

[ChuckFickens]

I think there is a generation (myself included) that are now pretty much expecting to have to keep working until we drop regardless of the official retirement age.

there is no way the state pension (if it even still exists when I hit 65/66) will cover even the basic costs of living.

[joko]

so you bang on about stuff that doesnt bother you do you?
in my experience people tend to moan about stuff that offends or angers them..not when things are ok...

why would women bang about something if its largely a benefit to them?
are you suggesting women complain because things are better for them and demand they are made worse?

i get sick of people making judgements on people for human nature...lets be realistic here...

[jake-the-peg]

There is more than one view of equality

Given that women on average live longer than men perhaps their retirement age should actually be later.

That would base equality on the average length of time in retirement

[eyethenkyew]

Be fair, a woman needs something to do after her child bearing days are over - right?

[milly143]

Joko - if you're post is reffering to mine, then it makes no sense. Why would I moan about something that doesn't bother me?

I'm grateful that women of previous generations worked hard to give me equal opportunities but I expect then to be treated in the same way as a man, i.e. I will have to work for as long as a male. And really by the time I reach 65 there will probably not be a state pension at all so I will have to work until I pop my clogs anyway.

[joko]

milly...you said "women bang on about equal rights, but only when it suits them"...as though there is something wrong with that... do you suggest they should bang on about it when they are perfectly happy wth the particlular situation?

[milly143]

I still don't get what you are saying Joko. What I mean is that women shouldn't moan when they are expected to be treated the same as men, i.e. working until 65.

[joko]

i agree milly.

but also you cant expect them to bang on and claim equality and demand changes for themselves when the changes dont benefit them at all. they just wont. who would. so of course you are only going to hear about the changes that they dont like

people will always complain about things that cause them upheaval..human nature.

[sophie_1003]

I think the reason why it is an extra burden on women is because for a good part of their lives they are expected to do two jobs; be a housewife and mum AND work full time so a bit of extra time off at the end of womens careers is deserved. However; if there is equality in households where men and women share 50/50 the burden of housework and childcare then matching retirement ages makes sense. Unfortunately I doubt this is the case in the majority of households.