By Robin Jenkins: Swayne O’Pie has been rebuffed once in his bid to get Gloucestershire people on board with his campaign to improve the lot of men in Britain.
Last year he had a meeting in a Cheltenham pub lined up but, following complaints from women, it refused to let him stage the event there.
But that has not put the 68-year-old, who lives in Wotton-under-Edge and is the founder of The Society to Establish a Minister for Men, off.
He is keen to spread his message, that there should be a minister for men as well as for women, across the country and is targeting his home county.
If he can find a venue that will hold 50 to 60 people, he will give an initial talk he hopes would lead on to the formation of a Gloucestershire branch of his campaign.
It would meet regularly, supporting his bid to get the Government to make the ministerial appointment.
The retired lecturer says he has nothing against women but feels the balance to protect their needs has tipped too far. Men, he argues, are being discriminated against.
Being a father of three grown-up men, who has been divorced from his wife for many years, he says he knows a thing or two about what men need.
He said: “Women have had the vote for 100 years and their issues are now very well addressed at every level and in every area of the political system.
“That’s fine and there has been a minister for women since 1997.
“However, the many issues faced by men and boys today are nowhere represented.”
Mr O’Pie, who used to be in the Fathers 4 Justice group, is appealing to people in Cheltenham or Gloucester to help him find a venue willing to host his meeting. He can be contacted at ministerformen@gmail.com.
If the meeting takes place, he has promised to donate half of the money raised through an entrance fee to a local charity, possibly Sue Ryder as it has a much respected hospice in Leckhampton, Cheltenham.
He will give his talk in the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution on March 21 but very much wants to give it in Gloucestershire soon too.
Mr O’Pie said he was one of a team of about 10 people behind the campaign and that an online petition would soon be set up.
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Last year he had a meeting in a Cheltenham pub lined up but, following complaints from women, it refused to let him stage the event there.But that has not put the 68-year-old, who lives in Wotton-under-Edge and is the founder of The Society to Establish a Minister for Men, off.
He is keen to spread his message, that there should be a minister for men as well as for women, across the country and is targeting his home county.
If he can find a venue that will hold 50 to 60 people, he will give an initial talk he hopes would lead on to the formation of a Gloucestershire branch of his campaign.
It would meet regularly, supporting his bid to get the Government to make the ministerial appointment.
The retired lecturer says he has nothing against women but feels the balance to protect their needs has tipped too far. Men, he argues, are being discriminated against.
Being a father of three grown-up men, who has been divorced from his wife for many years, he says he knows a thing or two about what men need.
He said: “Women have had the vote for 100 years and their issues are now very well addressed at every level and in every area of the political system.
“That’s fine and there has been a minister for women since 1997.
“However, the many issues faced by men and boys today are nowhere represented.”
Mr O’Pie, who used to be in the Fathers 4 Justice group, is appealing to people in Cheltenham or Gloucester to help him find a venue willing to host his meeting. He can be contacted at ministerformen@gmail.com.
If the meeting takes place, he has promised to donate half of the money raised through an entrance fee to a local charity, possibly Sue Ryder as it has a much respected hospice in Leckhampton, Cheltenham.
He will give his talk in the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution on March 21 but very much wants to give it in Gloucestershire soon too.
Mr O’Pie said he was one of a team of about 10 people behind the campaign and that an online petition would soon be set up.
Source and video
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