The Ideal Mother isn’t kind. She might only be a cultural myth. But this idealisation of the perfect caregiver is a harmful omnipresence in all of our families. The notion of the Ideal Mother – as portrayed in misogynist rags…
feminism
How To Create A Happy Mother Daughter Relationship
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about motherhood recently, specifically around how to make sure my girl and I have a happy mother daughter relationship – one that serves both of us long into the future. Like many mums…
In praise of female-friendly mechanics – a tale of everyday sexism
I hate getting my car fixed. New tyres, MOTs, dodgy exhausts – whenever something needs doing it fills me with dread. It’s not the cost. It’s the whole experience of going to a car mechanic that I hate. I find…
Get back your career confidence after children
“I don’t suppose I’ll ever get my career back,” she told me. “I’ve been out of the game for ten years. Nobody will want to employ me now.” Sounds familiar? Up and down the country, too many mothers are…
A mother’s CV
Mummy Curriculum vitae PERSONAL STATEMENT Dedicated, hard-working and supremely adaptable individual seeks more credit for doing a bloody hard job seven days a week. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE Leadership: skilled in growing, educating, nurturing, managing and caring for two small human…
MIND THE gender pay GAP
Does Carrie Gracie resigning from her £135K BBC job have anything to do with you and me? Carrie Gracie, former China editor for the BBC, recently quit her post and took demotion when she discovered her male equivalents earn 50%…
Why I posted #MeToo and what it taught me
I posted #MeToo on Facebook this Monday. Along with nearly 8 million other women who used the hashtag to remember suffering sexual assault and/or harassment. I didn’t give any details. I didn’t feel the need to then. And I wasn’t…
How tickling can teach your toddlers about sexual consent.
It’s International Day of the Girl. Hoorah! Wait. What does that mean? Well, it’s something the UN started five years ago: “The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls’ empowerment and the…
Is it possible to be a good mother and be creative?
This is a rare moment. I have the house to myself. I have no overdue work nagging at me. Sure there’s housework to do, but when isn’t there? I have some time. I feel like writing. And I have about…
One white wedding & two babies later. Am I still a feminist?
I remember arguing with a sixth-form classmate whose sole ambition was to get married and have children. “How can you want just that?” I screamed? “There’s more to life than that! What’s the point of you being here if that’s…