Despite all the abuse, would I still recommend a career in politics for women? Hell, yes |
AS we celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, you might be shocked to know that only a generation ago, my mum was forced to give up her career in the bank when she got married.
Known as the ‘marriage bar’, this practice only legally ended in the early 1970s.
When I say ‘forced’, of course I mean leaving without putting up a fight or feeling aggrieved, because that was simply ‘what was done’.
Or you may be astonished to learn that it was only in the 1990s that female police officers were deemed emotionally stable enough to carry a gun, previously dealing with major terrorist incidents armed with only a police-issue handbag and a pair of American tan tights for protection.
Alex Kane: Nationalism has missed its moment on Irish unity
It seems like a lifetime ago, but actually it is still tangible enough for there to be lived experience.
In my lifetime I have met some of the most incredibly inspiring women who continue to push boundaries.
However, as a woman with a public platform, and a recent career in politics, there are a number of things which I consider to be universally true.
No........