Thread by @volewriter

Just to tip you off, tonight's vintage mag clippings will be about the tax system and how it discriminated against women in the 70s, 80s and 90s. The effects of those policies are of course still being felt by #waspi women.

OK, remember the Equal Opportunities Act of 1975/6 that was supposed to bring parity to women's financial status? here's what it left out.

Here are some of the impacts of those exclusions, in 1976.

But...

So really, all the Equalities Act addressed - feebly, for decades - was 'equal pay for the same job', and we know how many dodges there were round that.

"Maddeningly". #waspi

1978, and married men are at the top of the tree financially. #waspi

1981.

The financial systems insisted on seeing women as 'dependants', and penalised them for it.

This was the practical impact by 1983.

1988, and Margaret Thatcher has made no move to improve the status of women in the world of finance and tax.

Letter to Cosmopolitan, 1979.

#waspi But now apparently it's women's fault for not having enough of a pension to retire on.

That previous cutting from 1973.

1973 again. Women's incomes kept deliberately low. #waspi

Some of the tax issues beginning to be rectified - in 1990!

The generation of women, esp married women, who worked through the 70s/80s must have lost so much money through this institutional discrimination. Obviously they lost out at the time, but they're still losing out because they never had a chance to build up pensions. #waspi

To be honest, I can't see why those women wouldn't have an excellent legal case for compensation against the government.

It is shocking and shameful that they were treated this way. As usual, I offer a huge THANK YOU to the women and men who fought against this blatant discrimination so that the current generation doesn't lose out the same way.

OK, I'm adding a bit more to this thread about how so many women were institutionally cheated out of a fair income by the government of the 70s and 80s. Here's something from 1976.

If you're a man or single woman, you get the disability pension. If you're a married or cohabiting woman, you have to pass a test first. (1980)

1983, and female carers can't get Invalidity Care Allowance.

Because wives and female partners are expected to do it out of womanly duty anyway.

1979 (1 of 2)

(2 of 2.)

So a lot of women will have been unable to work because they were carers, but received no benefits to support them in that role.

Basically, married women shouldn't be working outside the home, says the government.

So you do wonder how they were supposed to be building up pensions.

Women and the banks, 1986. (1 of 2)

(2 of 2.)

It comes to something when banks are the moral arbiters.

And again:

Husband's signature needed to claim free dental treatment. (1977)

1979, and here's a bit more on that carer's allowance to which women with partners were magically not entitled.

What was it like in the 70s/80s as a young single mum trying to claim the benefits to which you were entitled?

I hardly know where to start with this one.

Social Security Officers were clearly going well beyond their remit, and getting away with it till groups like Gingerbread spoke out.

That's the end of this thread. For those wanting a fuller picture, I've posted threads about women being denied entry into high-paying professions, and women being paid less than men long after the Equal Pay Act. Have a trawl through my media. x

Ooh, I fibbed: just come across another couple.