It’s hard to believe, but until the early 70s, women at my university were not allowed to wear trousers. They were there on sufferance anyway, and would have to resign from any government job as soon as they got married, so no sense giving them a false idea of freedom.
My friend Lisa’s mother went to UCD in those dark days. One day, pumped up on Betty Friedan and Simone de Beauvoir, the ‘girls’ decided to protest. All the female Arts students showed up wearing trousers to their lectures in Theater L.
Some old git of a Philosophy professor picked out an unfortunate victim from the front of the room. He asked her to stand up in front of the class of hundreds, and turn around.
‘Gentlemen,’ he boomed. (Ooh, I’m getting mad just writing this.) ‘I ask you, does the END justify the JEANS?’
Two words for you, dude: Mary Robinson.
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