What does international Women’s day mean to you?

For me international women’s day is about celebrating sisterhood as well as highlighting the plight of women across the world who aren’t as fortunate as I am - highlighting all those areas in which women have so much more ground to gain in terms of opportunity and equal rights. It’s about acknowledging the fact that I am lucky enough to live in a certain bubble of middle-class white privilege. And whilst I get an enormous amount of support and solidarity from my incredible female friends and that is part of the celebration, I never ever want to forget that there are women who are in desperate situations around the globe who also need our shared solidarity. So, it’s about those two things for me.  

Do you think women in creative fields are supported within their industries?

My experience is twofold actually, because I started out in journalism as a staff writer on various newspapers, and when I started out in journalism and newspapers were still very male dominated spaces, there were certain women and they were the minority who were in positions of seniority who felt, I think they embodied the Margret Thatcher attitude of I’ve got to a senior place and I will feel threatened if someone else gets to my level. I felt I got the tail end of that, but the industry has massively changed over the last decade I would say, I am now a freelancer I have a column for a magazine that is run by two fantastic women.

As a podcaster and an author, I cannot speak highly enough about my fellow female creators. I feel like there is a general sense which I really subscribe to, that a rising tide raises all boats and that actually there is no point being in competition with each other because one person’s success helps another women achieve so that’s totally been my experience latterly, especially with podcasting actually it’s a really welcoming community.

Who is your Female icon?

Well one of my female icons is my best friend Emma who is a psychotherapist and the wisest and funniest person I know, because what she does day to day is a quiet sort of heroism, it doesn’t get loads of acknowledgment other than from her one on one clients, but she really changes people’s lives and she saves people’s lives on a daily basis. In terms of a broader icon I think Beyoncé is amazing and Michelle Obama is amazing and I know that is slightly clichéd but I just think they embody female strengths so well and Michelle Obama particularly embodies the strength that you get through being compassionate and sensitive which obviously I’m all about, she’s such a wonderful warm person. I feel like her kindness adds to her power and I love seeing that in women.

What are 4 words that best describe you?

Kind, strong, I think I am quite funny, tall and if I could add one… an over-thinker as evidence by the fact that I massively over thought this relatively simple question!