Tuesday night was the Women in Journalism Scotland Christmas party.
It was the group’s first outing for a good long while and its return at Glasgow’s Scotia Bar was given a hearty welcome – not least for the punch fountain and tasty feast.
Sure it’s great to have an excuse for a blether about who’s doing what where and a few sherries, but there’s more to it than that.
You’d think that in 2007 glass ceilings, inflexible bosses and other bits of inequality were consigned to history books.
Sadly, though, work still needs to be done. There can’t be many women who’ve been kicking about in the working world for more than a couple of years who don’t carry a few scars from having to fight their corners once or twice.
The work-life balance chestnut, the fact no one seems to care about your opinion if you have grey hair or slightly less perky tits, knowing damn fine the new lad in the office is paid more than you, missing out on the golf-course deals, nasty big boy bullies who don’t like women with ideas… and so it goes on.
Don’t get me wrong – I quite like men and most of them aren’t narrow-minded and sexist. It’s just a pity that the few chauvinistic dinosaurs left are so good at making an impression.