So far we have two Eds, two Millibands, one David and a Balls.
Three men, no women.
Does this look like the right kind of leadership election?
Going by theyworkforyou.com's listed voting records
there's not a huge amount to choose between -
Unhelpfully, theyworkforyou.com's list doesn't include a "women's issue" voting record, though of course the whole list is of interest to both women and men.
Contrary to the media's simplistic and superficial 'take' on the gender imbalance in Parliament and Government, "women" does not ..........
mean 'female persons'.
It is short-hand.
It means "people who are more likely to understand how some issues impact more adversely on women's lives than men's".
In theory the gender of the people in positions of power oughtn't to matter.
Experience, sadly, has proved otherwise.
Unless "women" are present in sufficient numbers "women's issues" don't get properly addressed.
It was one of Labour's triumphs in Government that the hugely increased number of Labour women MPs and Government ministers did bring many "women's issues" onto the national agenda - to the benefit of women, children and families across the country.
Child tax credits. The minimum wage.
Flexible working. Sure Start child care centres
Increased maternity leave and parental leave.
The reformation of domestic violence provision
to recognise that both genders are victims
Some of which the new Coalitition Government says
our country cannot afford at the current level
and should be withdrawn from those women and men
on moderate and middle incomes.
So when it is pointed out that we only have men challenging for leadership of the Labour Party, we need to remember we were rightfully scornful of the Tory mantra about "change".
The question "Where are the women in this election?" isn't some silly notion of needing a "change" from a man always being Labour leader. It expresses a concern about getting a leader who understands how Labour's policies and decisions must not unfairly disadvantage women compared to men, or men compared to women.
So far, there is no evidence on which to form an opinion.
But we have almost four months to find out.
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