Around 10 years ago or so, I was sitting with my laptop at a rather upscale coffee shop here in Lahore. When suddenly a gentleman of around my age suddenly plonked himself down, without warning, on the uneasy armchair opposite. Apologising for disturbing me, he wanted to know if I were a fortune-teller. I am not sure why but I hesitated before answering him. He would, I said, have to cross my palm with silver. As he reached into his pocket, I reassured him that I had been joking. Looking slightly put out, he apologised for the inconvenience while telling me that it had been an easy mistake on his part.
As he got up to leave, I noticed that the group of young women at the next table were looking my way. Yet before I could even smile at them, the one sitting nearest to me asked me the same question: was I a fortune-teller? I asked her why she would think that. It was, she informed me, because of the way I was dressed. This may have been a polite way of telling me that I looked a veritable ragamuffin that day. After all, as I recall, I had been wearing a long gypsy skirt with a shirt of some sort. But it was likely my hair that was the source of all the confusion. I had tied it up in two bunches, a large blue sequined butterfly on each side. Then, after a brief and pleasant exchange with the young woman I got back to work; sipping my extravagantly priced cup of Starbucks Joe in the most dangerous country in the world.
The Presidents Club ended its annual charity gala with some £2 million being raised. And with reports of sexual misconduct that included women being groped; of having these charitable men putting hands up their skirts or else pulling them on to laps. One guest even exposed himself to a hostess during the dinner
Yet as I did so, I pondered what had just occurred. The upshot being that men never think twice about approaching a woman sitting alone. Yet I liked this coffee shop for the simple reason that, back then at least, it would bar men entry in the evenings; unless accompanied by a woman. Several of my male friends found such ‘sexism’ utterly deplorable. For hell hath no fury like a man having his freedom of movement restricted based on his gender.
But when it comes to the most privileged of men, their entitlement knows no bounds. Thus they are more than happy to attend men-only charity gala dinners. Especially when these flash black-tie events hire all female staff to serve them. And so it was that the Presidents Club held its annual fundraiser earlier this month at The Dorchester hotel in Mayfair. Among the good causes being helped out was the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children.
The evening ended with some £2 million being raised. And with reports of sexual misconduct by many of the 360 moving-and-shaking men from the world of British politics to international finance to entertainment. The agency that hired the hostesses for the evening was requested to contract only those who were tall, thin and pretty. And the 130 that made the final cut were all directed to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels.
The reason we know all this now, despite the Presidents Club having been around for the last 33 years, is that London’s Financial Times ran an undercover report into this anachronistic Old Boys’ Club, truly earning its tagline of yesteryear: No FT, no comment. And the findings are damning. These include reports of women being groped; of these charitable men putting hands up their skirts; or else pulling them on to laps. One guest even exposed himself to a hostess during the dinner. And many more were said to have been invited upstairs to bed.
Following the sting, the Presidents Club has finally shut up shop. But not before Theresa May let rip at the appalling misogyny on display that sought to objectify women to the point where they are seen as to be any man’s for the taking. Sadly, though, all her education minister got for attending the dinner was slap on the wrist. Though this time there appears to be no Cabinet member on hand with a nice turn of chauvinistic phrase to confirm whether or not the Prime Minister verbally ‘bitch slapped’ him. But we do know that she didn’t go all out and fire him.
This was an opportunity lost. In that it failed to send the message that men will not be taken to task for sexual misconduct even when a woman is on top. And had Mrs May been a little wiser, she could also have given the boot to BoJo the Foreign Secretary. For although he didn’t grace the event with his presence — he had auctioned off a dinner in his company. Meaning that both men had actively legitimised this most sordid of affairs.
Similarly, the Milk Tray Man of British politics should investigate claims that one or more of his ministers had made it on to the guest list. And then he should have an unquiet word with Sadiq Khan regarding the fact that one of the joint chairmen of the Presidents Club not only sits on the board of the Department of Education — but also has strong links to the Mayor’s Fund for London. For it must be conveyed that money can’t buy either a free lunch or pass. And that politicians can’t keep selling out — not when it is the bodies of women that are used as barter.
In short, such gatherings have no place in modern Britain; especially given the global momentum of the #MeToo movement. That the fundraiser still went ahead tells us all we need to know about how rich and powerful men still consider it their fundamental right to behave badly.
The writer is the Deputy Managing Editor, Daily Times. She can be reached at [email protected] and tweets @humeiwei
Published in Daily Times, January 28th 2018.