50 years of progress (and why the work isn’t done yet)
“We’ll never solve the feminization of power until we solve the masculinity of wealth.”
Today is a landmark day! It marks 50 years since the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 was passed as law in the UK - a milestone worth celebrating, reflecting how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go.
It’s shocking to remember that before the Act, women in the UK could be refused the right to open a bank account without a male co-signatory or guarantor, effectively requiring “a man to accompany” them in financial life. It sounds almost unbelievable today, but it really wasn’t that long ago.
And yet: even now, the issue of women and money is far from settled. Society still places complex demands on how women relate to money: how they should ask for it, whether they feel entitled to it, how they feel when they hold it or use it.
A great example of this is the research commissioned by Starling Bank under its “Make Money Equal” campaign, which shows how the language and imagery used when talking about money differ significantly by gender. For instance:
65 % of financial articles aimed at women define them as “excessive spenders”, advising them to cut back, save small amounts or rely on a partner.
By contrast, articles aimed at men frame them as savvy investors, active decision-makers, taking risks, seeking opportunities.
And visual media still show women depicted with piggy banks, pennies and pastel colours, as if money were pocket money, while men are portrayed in suits, counting notes and closing deals.
What this means is that the story around women and money remains gendered, even when we assume things are “equal.”
These portrayals matter. They seek to infantilise women, often framing us not just as cautious but as irresponsible: too emotional, frivolous or incapable of handling our own finances. The narrative is that women “splurge” on the wrong things and must learn to “save their pennies,” while men are cast as competent, strategic and powerful. When we see those messages repeated everywhere, they can unwittingly affect how we see ourselves, and how confident we feel talking about, asking for and earning money.
But we don’t have to accept those stories.
For us in the legal profession, and particularly for women in leadership or advising women, this matters a great deal. Confidence with money, clarity around billing, negotiation of fees, creating value and being paid accordingly: all of these sit at the intersection of gender, money and culture. It’s not simply a question of legal rights being in place (though they are), but of the stories we tell ourselves and each other about finance.
At Female Lawyers’ Club, we believe this is one of the “hidden” blockers for many women: the way money conversations are framed, how we internalise messages about money, and how we act (or don’t act) as a result.
With that in mind, I’m delighted to invite you to our next Fees & Billing Roundtable, on 25 November. This session will provide a safe space to talk about these issues: how we talk about value, ask for fees, set billing terms, manage financial conversations with clients, and how we shift our beliefs about money in the context of our careers and leadership.
If you’d like to be part of this movement, a community of women who are reclaiming confidence around money and taking ownership of their financial success, I’d love you to join us.
Join Female Lawyers’ Club and be part of the next generation of women lawyers rewriting the rules around money, success and power.
Here’s to fifty years of progress, and to continuing the work of making money genuinely equal.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Rachel