The Queen has now presented, Sarah Clarke, the incoming Usher of the Black Rod with her ebony Black Rod staff and chain of office. This is an historic moment, not least because it is the first time a woman has been appointed as Lady Usher of the Black Rod in the 650 years the role has existed. It also coincides with the year we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of votes for women in the UK. Although appointed to the role in November 2017, Sarah Clarke takes up the role this year by being presented with the black rod by the Queen and by being introduced to the House of Lords next week.
For further details on what an Usher of the Black Rod is, see:
For an article on the above, see my Marching As One collection on my Google+ or follow the link below:
What's the relevance of this appointment to feminism? It breaks another glass ceiling for women that after so many centuries, a woman has finally been given this historic and prestigious honour. It also constitutes an advancement for the political status of women because it is a senior political role.
Nevertheless, there's still a long way to go before we reach gender parity in politics, as the 50/50 parliament campaign shows.
For more on this campaign see:
https://5050parliament.co.uk/
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