A big part of creating Above Water is to showcase the 'ordinary' women who are doing extraordinary things. In doing so the hope is that it will not only provide a source of inspiration, especially for The Future Generation, but to also help challenge the ill conceived perception of women in the 21st Century. Whilst we may have come along way since MaryAnn Evans had to write under the pen name of George Eliot to get her work noticed, I still believe that we have a long way to go until men and women are on equal footing. The 9.4% gender pay gap highlights this implicitly.
I know first hand of the impact being surrounded by determined and active women has on you - both in terms of your outlook and yuour actions. From Grandma, to Mum, to Aunty Helen to my incredible diverse and solid group of girlfriends - they have taught me the importance of being yourself, self belief and independence. These women have also taught me how central it is to have strong women role models and mentors in life.
As I'm sure many daughters would agree, the woman who has had the greatest impact on me is of course my Mum. However up until now I think I've overlooked how much of an incredible woman she is and also how highly regarded she is in her field. Last month when a video of the North East Shadow MPC voting to hold BoE interest rates popped up on my Facebook feed I watched it. When the camera zoomed in on a woman in a white jacket looking very, very serious I suddenly realised it was my Mum – bloody hell!! There she was, good old ‘Regulation Anne’ – I had no idea she sat on this. CEO of Latimer Hinks, ranked in the Legal 500 and prior Undersheriff of Co. Durham she’s a real exemplar that if you work hard enough in life you really can get anywhere you want to.
One of the first women to be appointed Undersheriff of Durham 2009-2016
Mum hasn’t only given me a strong work ethic – she’s also taught me about the importance of being an independent woman and ‘leaning in’. I have no doubt that she’s dealt with endless discrimination, outrageous sexism and had to work twice as hard as a man to get to where she is today. Very much ahead of her time, Mum was one of the first women within her generation to go to university and then one of the first women to pursue a professional legal career in what was then, a very male dominated field.
Mum was, and still is, at the very forefront of feminism. I tend to be pretty vocal about feminism and having seen the impacts of severe gender discrimination in Uganda, I feel more strongly than ever about the importance of equality between sexes. My Mum on the other hand takes the complete opposite approach – she’s far more pragmatic and discreet than me. I don’t even think she’d describe herself as a feminist. Not once have I ever seen her be outraged by the latest sexism story in the press, not once have I heard her shout ‘women are equal to men, go forth and fight for your rights’, not once have I heard her complain about glass ceilings. Instead she’s effectively changed ill conceived perceptions of women by silently getting her head down and getting on with the case in hand. As she says, actions speak louder than words.
Has being an independent, career driven woman come at a cost? Probably. I don’t think Mum would ever admit it but I think she may reflect and wish she’d spent more time with my brother and I growing up. I don’t think that this is confined to Mum though – Dad no doubt have these feelings too. At school I remember being the only girl in my house and year whose parents were both professionals working full time and long hours. Whilst I was (and still am) really proud of my Mum having a successful career, I have no doubt that it must have been hard for her – she must have felt a huge amount of guilt and pressure being at work whilst other mothers were at home cooking tea for their children. More importantly though would I have changed having an independent, career driven mum? Absolutely not. She’s taught me the importance of independence, the importance of having purpose and the importance of integrity. So much of who I am is a result of her and without the likes of Mum, we, as women, wouldn’t have the opportunities we have today. Opportunities which we as women we so frequently overlook.
How have the women in your life impacted you? Let us know and share your story here #abovewater
