Team SCA have become the first all-female crew in 25 years to win a leg of the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race. More
Category Archives: Gender
Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – June 2015
On 19 June it is World Sickle Cell Day and with that in mind we have chosen Floella Benjamin, a patron of the Sickle Cell Society, as our Inspirational Diversity Champion for this month.
Floella is an actress, author, television presenter, singer, businesswoman and politician. Although she is particularly known as a presenter of children’s programmes such as Play School and Play Away, Floella has also appeared in pantomimes and radio programmes, written and appeared in several educational, religious and entertainment videos and been a narrator with a number of national orchestras.
Floella is also an author having written over 25 children’s books and written many articles for magazines including regular columns in ‘Parents’ and ‘TV Times’. In 1987 Floella set up her own television production company and since then she has produced hundreds of programmes, primarily for children.
Floella has sat on several boards and committees including, Ofcom Content Board, the Millennium Commission, the National Film & Television School and BAFTA.
In 2001 she was awarded the OBE ‘For Services to Broadcasting’ and in 2006, she was appointed as Chancellor of the University of Exeter.
In June 2010 Floella became a life peer with the title Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham in the County of Kent
To find out more about Floella and her work see her website at http://www.floellabenjamin.com/www.floellabenjamin.com or follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/FloellaBenjamin
Fifa 16: EA Sports game to feature women for first time
International womens’ teams will feature in the latest version of football video game Fifa 2016.
England captain Steph Houghton and her team-mates have been included along with 11 other womens’ teams in several game modes. More
We need more diverse voices in the media – including those from deprived backgrounds
Along with women, people from minorities and those with disabilities, we also need to hear from those who have suffered social deprivation. More
Pat Moss: The racing legend’s sister who beat the men
Sir Stirling Moss is not noted for his championing of female racing drivers. Women, says Formula 1 legend Moss, lack the balls – literally and metaphorically – to challenge the very best men, in any form of motorsport.
In his peacock pomp, Moss would blow kisses to women drivers as he lapped them. But mention his kid sister, Pat, and the grand old man of British racing driving adopts a more conciliatory stance. “What she managed to do was amazing, actually,” says Moss. More
Sexism in rugby? Women’s World Cup winners tackle new challenge
Katherine Merchant and Rochelle ‘Rocky’ Clark are Rugby World Cup winners with 156 caps between them.
But as women coaching men’s rugby teams, they still encounter on a routine basis the sort of sexist attitudes Merchant recounts. More
Women’s Sport Pioneers: Cyclist Beryl Burton
The hour record is considered one of cycling’s greatest challenges as riders push themselves physically and mentally to the limit.
On Saturday, Dame Sarah Storey’s lung-busting efforts at the Lee Valley Velodrome were not enough to better Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel’s women’s mark of 46.065km set in 2003.
And there is another record, set almost 50 years ago which is still standing today – the women’s 12-hour record – and it was made by Yorkshire housewife Beryl Burton. More
Reanne Evans: Ladies’ champion to face men in world qualifiers
Reanne Evans has accepted an invitation to take on the men in qualifying for the World Snooker Championship.
The 10-times ladies’ champion is now three wins away from being the first woman to play in the tournament’s main televised stages at the Crucible. More
Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – March 2015
International Women’s Day will be held on Sunday 8 March and with this in mind we have chosen Sandi Toksvig as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.
A passionate campaigner for equality and human rights, Sandi has led the charge for same-sex marriage in the UK, and is dedicated to celebrating and supporting women in today’s society.
One of the original members of the Comedy Store Players, Sandi’s hugely successful career has spanned several decades across television and theatre. She has written numerous works for the stage including her play Bully Boy at the St James Theatre, and seasons with the Nottingham Playhouse and the New Shakespeare Company at Regents Park.
A renowned broadcaster, Sandi’s work also includes Channel 4’s Fifteen to One, Behind the Headlines, The Big One with Mike McShane, Island Race with John McCarthy, Whose Line is it Anyway? and Call My Bluff. She is also a regular on BBC Radio 4 and is currently host of The News Quiz.
Sandi is the author of more than 20 novels. Her book Hitler’s Canary, which was based upon her family’s experiences living under occupation in Denmark during the Second World War, was published in 2005, and another book for children, Girls Are Best, was published in 2009. Her latest novel Valentine Grey was released in 2012, and she also has a regular column in Good Housekeeping.
In January Sandi was named President of Women of the Year, an organisation that has recognised, celebrated and inspired women of all backgrounds for 60 years and continues to shine a light on extraordinary women through an annual lunch, lecture and on-going foundation work. She is a long term supporter of the organisation and has compered the annual Lunch & Awards for more than ten years, she has also been one of the judges.
Sandi entered into a civil partnership with her partner Debbie in 2007. They renewed their vows in March 2014, when same-sex marriage was introduced in England and Wales, and in December 2014, their civil partnership was converted into a marriage.
For more information on Sandi, her life and work, see her website at http://sanditoksvig.com/
Clare Balding Backs Sports Careers for Girls
How did Clare Balding become the unofficial sporty head girl to the nation? How did she become such a part of the sporting DNA that she can step from Cheltenham to Crufts to the Olympics?
At the London Aquatics Centre, in the Olympic Park, the sports broadcaster talked about her career to hundreds of schoolgirls, in an event designed to encourage young women to think about jobs in sport.
It wasn’t necessarily about playing sport, she told them, but there were many sport-related jobs, everything from events organisers to surgeons to sports lawyers.
When she was at school people laughed at her when she said she wanted a career in sport. More