Redbrick Celebrates: International Women's Day

From role models to family members, Redbrick Writers come together to celebrate the important women in their lives

Cara-Louise Scott

Digital Editor

Cheryl Scott

The woman that has inspired me most in my life is my mum, Cheryl. I know this is the case for many people, but I wanted to highlight how lucky I feel to have been brought up by my loving, funny mum, and specifically in the last three years, she has been there for me through the worst times of my life. Three years ago, my family went through a rough time to say the least, and even with everything that was going on, my mum was the strongest woman every day, keeping us going and being there to make us smile. She loves with her whole heart and is the kindest person to her friends, helping them through tough parts of their lives too. She will drop everything to be there for someone. It’s just who she is.

is one cause I particularly admire.

Let Girl’s Learn is a charity I learned of a few years ago, established by Michelle Obama alongside education activist Malala Yousafzai. It is one of the many human rights causes Michelle has advocated for but stands out to me as a global initiative I would like to get involved with as an aspiring social advocate. Her devotion to helping others but staying true to herself and reminding others they are capable of the same and even more, is why she is my inspiration.

Caitlin McGraw Redbrick Writer

Leah Williamson

assment and court battles in the public spotlight, Megan Thee Stallion has remained strong and inspiring. She testified at the trial of the man who shot her in 2020 and received some form of justice when he was convicted, yet the bullying and accusations she has faced signal wider problems in the court of public opinion and maledominated rap industry. Tracks on her 2022 album Traumazine, like ‘Anxiety’, channelled complex emotions from her difficult experiences and allowed Megan to reclaim her story

Disney, she underwent many different phases of her music career as she navigated through her twenties, facing misogynistic backlash constantly. Although some of the aspects of her more ‘scandalous’ phases were not completely positive, such as drug promotion, Miley has consistently spoken out about her mistakes and how she has learnt from them; she has always been candid, honest, and true to herself, something that has stuck with me. It now seems as if she has entered a more peaceful era of her life and is thriving in her thirties. She is promoting female empowerment, and producing and performing inspiring music, as she has always done so well.

Ilina Jha Redbrick Writer

my mother today.

James Evenden Film Editor

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh's victory as Best Actress at the Oscars for her starring role in the amazing Everything Everywhere All At Once is not just a landmark achievement for acting, but for portrayals of Asian women in cinema too.

If she wasn’t already amazing enough, in October she completed the London Marathon for a second time (crazy, I know) and nearly dropped out half way through because she was feeling really rough. However, unsurprisingly, she persisted and completed it. We found out the next day after a test that she had run 26.2 miles with Covid! Even more crazy!

I admire her hugely, she has given me the strength to be who I am today, and I will always be grateful to have her in my life. Every day.

Michelle Obama

A change maker, leader, and pioneer are just a few ways to describe former First Lady of The United States, Michelle Obama. Her work as an advocate for many social issues over the years has inspired me to be more intentional about what I can do make a difference despite how small I may feel in the face of many pervading social issues across the globe. Her continuous effort to champion access to education for girls who are denied the right to go to school in countries today,

Admittedly, all 23 players from the England women’s national football team’s European Championshipwinning squad are inspirational, as winning the home tournament in 2022 was a group achieve ment. However, it is captain Leah Williamson who I find particularly inspiring for her performances and actions, both on and off the pitch.

Not only did she lead the Lionesses to their first major tournament title, but she did it as a young player with only six World Cup minutes and three months as team captain under her belt.

Yet none of this seemed to phase Williamson, whose passion and leadership led the Lionesses unbeaten across six matches to become champions of Europe. She also sported a rainbow captain’s armband throughout the tournament to show support for LGBTQ+ rights and has continued to have a positive off-pitch impact. She teamed up with Arsenal teammate Lotte Wubben-Moy to secure equal gender access to sports in school PE lessons and cement the legacy of the Euros by providing future opportunities for girls around the country.

Megan Thee Stallion

Following two years of physical suffering, online har-

Megan’s transparency and honesty about grief, processing pain and maintaining strength encapsulate an empowering and admirable woman.

Polly Watton Redbrick Writer

Miley Cyrus

After the successful release of her recent single, ‘Flowers,’ Miley Cyrus is being branded as ‘empowering,’ ‘confident’ and ‘inspirational.’ Miley has always encapsulated these characteristics for me, and has been my role model since the first episode of Hannah Montana I ever persuaded my mum to put on the TV. Since leaving

My mother inspires me in so many ways. Despite having to give up work due to chronic illness many years ago, she hasn’t let that hold her back from living the life she wants. Be it completing a garden design course, attending literary classes, chairing our local Arts Society, volunteering as a parent helper at a primary school, and – most challenging of all – raising three children, my mother is certainly a busy lady.

Yeoh’s performance should be celebrated as one that is filled with genuine heart and struggle that elevates her beyond stereotypical depictions of Asian women that have been persistent for too long. Yeoh has had an amazing year, and her recent first win for an Asian actress at the SAGs has cemented her reputation as an influential figure at the forefront of a hopeful renaissance in Asian representation. As James Hong got up at the SAGs and celebrated the progress that Asians have made in their box-office earnings, it is hard to refute that Michelle Yeoh’s gripping performance has been a big reason for that.

Dan Hunt

Jacinda Ardern

Earlier this year New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, resigned her post and left Premier House for the last time. She was New Zealand’s third female Prime Minister, the youngest female head of government in the world when she entered office, and also the second elected head of government to give birth while in office.

I know it has not been easy juggling all of this, but she has been a fantastic, hardworking mother, never failing to support me and my siblings academically and personally. Plus in a world in which so many parents still unthinkingly impose gender stereotypes on their children, my mother’s resistance to such stereotypes – such as buying my brother the fairy dress he wanted – inspires me. It may be cheesy to say, but I wouldn’t be who I am without

Her five-and-a-half years as Prime Minister were defined by the Christchurch Mosque Shootings, and the COVID-19 pandemic, but she will be remembered for her compassionate leadership, which drew praise from around the world. When faced with impossible and heartbreaking challenges, her calm, measured and empathetic approach aided New Zealand through the toughest of times. She may have just quit the most powerful job in New Zealand, but aged just 42, the world truly is her oyster.