On International Women’s Day 2023, the DFC team was encouraged to think about women who have inspired them. It was a thought-provoking exercise. Here are some of the responses to the challenge ‘Let us know about the women who inspire you and why’.

Kirstie Davies, Commercial and Contracts Compliance Officer:
Who: Emma Watson
I find Emma Watson inspirational as she has used the platform she began to build as Hermione Grainger in the iconic film series of Harry Potter to make society a better place, particularly for women and the underprivileged. Emma is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and helped to launch the UN gender equality campaign called HeForShe, which encourages men to support feminist movements. She also designs fair trade fashion and helped to build People Tree, which specialises in eco-friendly clothing. Emma once said that “young girls are told you have to be a delicate princess. Hermione taught them that you can be the warrior” and as a girl who grew up during the Harry Potter era, I believe this to be true. Emma is a fantastic role model and as she once famously said, “girls should never be afraid to be smart.”

Tina Iacono, Business Support:
Who: Dame Vivienne Westwood
Dame Vivienne Westwood is my inspirational woman of choice. Her influence continues to inspire and impact the fashion world, despite her death late last year. Born in 1941 she helped to initiate the punk movement of the 70s and 80s and brought new wave styles into mainstream fashion. Throughout her career, she spoke out about the effects of climate change and over-consumption. She advocated for sustainability and discouraged the heavy consumerism which characterises the modern world. I feel her individuality and originality has cemented her as a hugely influential figure, providing inspiration for women across the world.

Nick Swailes, Associate:
Who: “The Six Who Sat”
Each year my wife gives an assembly at her school on International Women’s Day. As an incredibly dedicated teacher she puts a lot (probably too much) of time into preparing for it, including talking to me about the theme, the examples and the stories behind them. Now, it would be very easy for me to tell you about being inspired by my wife, but it would also be a bit weird and self-serving (and she would hate it!). I specifically find the stories in the world of sport as interesting as they are sad. Sport is, at its heart, meritocratic – so who cares what gender the competitors are (spoiler: it’s usually men who care).

So instead of waxing lyrical about my wife, I’m going to talk about an example of some of the inspirational women she discussed in this year’s assembly, Lynn Blackstone, Pat Barrett, Liz Franceschini, Nina Kuscsik, Cathy Miller and Jane Muhrcke – or “the six who sat”.

At the beginning of the New York city marathon in 1972, six female runners were due start their race. This was the first time women were actually allowed to complete, the organisation behind the marathon lifted the ban on female runners. Why were they banned before? Hard to justify now but at the time the reasons excuses ranged from them “being a distraction” all the way to it being “dangerous for women to compete”.

Terrifyingly several doctors, coaches and organisers (presumably all male) cited fears that a woman’s uterus would fall out if they “ran too far or too fast” (yes, you read that right). Many women had run in events in the past, but always either: with a concession – a different start time or a different route; or, via necessarily sneakier means – running under pseudonyms, or register with only their initials. In 1972, whilst they were finally allowed to compete, again there was a catch – the women would start 10 minutes before the men and race separately. Except they didn’t. After the starting pistol went off, the six who sat, sat. They peacefully protested the unequal treatment and ten minutes later they started running.

Obviously the race organisers took this with immense dignity pettiness and recorded their race times as +10 minutes from what they actually ran. This, unfortunately for my gender, was in keeping with approach taken by race officials at the time where previous races saw women runners harassed, pelted and verbally abused. Soon after the organisers scrapped the separate starts, and finally men and women would race together. The six who sat were not the only women who had to take dramatic steps to change and get representation for women in running. But they did what they felt was right, for the benefit of their entire gender. It’s tragic that these women had to do anything at all – after all, all the six wanted to do was run.

Weimiao Lu, Engineer:
Who: Sheryl Sandberg
My inspirational figure is Sheryl Sandberg. Her book “Lean in” is a life-changer for me and influenced how I position myself in workplace and life. She is truly a great inspiration to women all around the world.

Anna Powell, Business Support:
Who: Ida Parker
I come from a family of strong, capable, hardworking women. My Nanna is my inspiration. Fiercely independent, patient and accomplished. Born in 1901, one of ten children, she moved forwards with dignity and determination to be successful in her own right, with encouragement from her mother who was ambitious for her daughters. Surviving four near-fatal illnesses (no NHS until 1948), she owned a drapery business and enjoyed duties as an Air Raid warden in World War II recounting that; “I put out incendiary bombs with a bucket of sand.” She loved to drive despite never having a driving lesson (they didn’t exist then), buying her first car in 1926. A keen photographer, milliner and golfer, she turned down six marriage proposals before my Grandfather; “swept her off her feet” in her early forties. Had she been born in my generation, perhaps she would have had the chance to study fashion at Art College like she so longed to do, and been able to vote before she turned 27! I would love to have had the chance to ask her how she navigated through the gender constraints of her time.

Featured image from left to right: Ida Parker, Emma Watson ©UN Women/Simon Luethi, Sheryl Sandberg ©Drew Altizer (Flickr), Dame Vivienne Westwood © Southbank Centre (Flickr)