The Last Frontier!

I'm going to upset Germaine Greer with this post, but I could care less! I wish she would read it, actually!

All the 'kafuffle' that's going on at the moment about coming to the decision allowing women to become members of Brisbane's oldest, elitist, old-world gentlemen's "Tattersall's Club" is really a bit of silly nonsense, in my humble opinion. Comments like "the club remains open to allegations of sexism while the skirt ban remains in force" are good publicity for the Tatt's Club. These comments are probably being bandied around by some left-over leftist from the Women's Rights' Movement...some women's libber who can't find her bra when she really needs it!

The Tattersall's Club is a men's club. Why change it? Let men have their club to go to, to talk sport, business and whatever else it is they talk about, without women hogging the polished silky oak and maple bars, card rooms, billiard tables, Turkish baths, library etc. Surely to goodness women don't have to poke their noses in everywhere! The Tatt's Club is one of the last-standing male bastions. Let the men have it to themselves! There are few places left that they can go without women other perhaps, than sitting under the hot sun in a 'tinnie' fishing with their mates or hiding in the shed with an eskie full of 'coldies' watching the cricket on the smuggled-in spare television when the fish aren't biting!

My boss, when I lived and worked in Brisbane, was a member of the Tattersall's Club. He went to 'his club' every day for lunch and conversation with his peers. Frequently, he would regale me with interesting stories told to him by his fellow members. He, his wife and I often went to the Tattersall's Club Ladies' Day race meetings.

At one stage, our company (fashion industry) experienced a 'take-over'. All the southern hierarchy came up to Brisbane to introduce themselves to the 'trade'. A business luncheon was organised and held at the Tattersall's Club. John, my boss, (I was his secretary-"2-IC") received special permission from the Tatt's committee to allow me to act as 'greeting-hostess' to greet and meet the guests, all men, as they arrived. As soon as they were all in attendance, I left the men to their "men's business" and I went back to our office/showrooms. I was the first female allowed to perform that task. John had to do a lot of talking to convince the "powers-that-were" to let me act as hostess but he won the day!

I say let the Tattersall's Club remain exclusively a gentlemen's club, except for special functions etc., as they have done throughout the years. Women should form a similar club if they're so determined.

Sorry, Germaine!