Insight, inspiration and positivity: WIJ Scotland celebrates the Big Five at V&A Dundee
Pippa Crerar, Catriona MacPhee, Ayesha Hazarika and Gabriella Bennett. Pictures: Laura A Tiliman
By Claire Thomson, WiJ Scotland mentee
“Don’t give up on your ambition. Have each other’s professional backs. You don’t always have to agree with each other. Create your own gangs of advisors. As women, remove the shame of failing.”
The reason why Women in Journalism (WIJ) Scotland was established five years ago was perfectly summed up by Ayesha Hazarika, political commentator, broadcaster and comedian, in her after-dinner speech at The Big Five celebration event.
I first discovered WIJ Scotland in December 2021 when I applied to the mentorship scheme as an aspiring sports journalist. Less than nine months on and my career aims are beginning to become a reality, thanks to the volunteer-run organisation.
I was so excited to come together with other women with career goals like mine at the V&A Dundee to celebrate everything that WIJ Scotland has done to campaign for gender equality and equal opportunities in Scottish media.
Between the meeting of new people and putting faces to names, there was the opportunity to explore the new exhibition uncovering the story of Valentines, Scotland’s most successful commercial photographers. The V&A Dundee also kindly opened their exhibition on ground-breaking Scottish dancer and choreographer, Michael Clark, to the guests of WIJ Scotland’s five-year summit, which was an excellent immersive experience.
The first panel of the event chaired by broadcast and print sports journalist and my incredible mentor, Heather Dewar. ‘Moving the Goalposts: how to get more woman into sports journalism (and make them want to stay)’ featured four of Scotland’s most influential women in the sports journalism industry.
Following the launch of WIJ Scotland’s Sexist Shame of the Beautiful Game campaign a few months ago, Ginny Clark, Scotland’s first female sports editor of a national newspaper, Elizabeth McLaughlin, Sports Journalism Degree Programme Leader at the University of West of Scotland and Press & Journal sports reporter, Sophie Goodwin, discussed their personal experiences of being a female in a male dominated sector and some of the challenges that they have faced as a result.
It was eye-opening to delve deeper into the obstacles preventing women from staying in the industry. Everything from long working weeks and non-existent maternity leave to male dominated, intimidating press boxes and gossiping cliques on pitch side. The panel went on to discuss how things are changing and barriers are slowly being broken down. Knowing that there are strong women in the industry who I can follow is encouraging and gives me hope moving forward.
A short, witty presentation entitled ‘Why data journalism isn’t only for bros’ by Data Content Lead Lesley-Anne Kelly and Special Projects Editor Cheryl Livingstone, both from headline sponsor DC Thomson, gave an outlook on a new approach of teamwork and how to celebrate the successes of everyone involved by giving credit where credit is due. With an all-female team of data journalists, the pair certainly did prove that data journalism is no longer a ‘lads’ domain.
The next panel – Culture Clash: is arts journalism at a crossroads? – was introduced by Director of the V&A Dundee, Leonie Bell, who perfectly articulated the different concepts of culture and set the stage for the speakers. Chaired by arts journalist Anna Burnside, the panel featured arts journalists Claire Sawers and Jan Patience and music writer Arusa Qureshi. Similarly to the sports journalism panel, the speakers discussed the barriers they’ve faced when it comes to budgets and accessibility in arts journalism.
Talking confidence, making room for ambition and WIJ Scotland’s collective voice, co-chairs Gabriella Bennett and Catriona MacPhee reminded us in the first of the speeches that much has changed for the better for women’s equality and that every day we achieve more by working together and empowering each other.
This was followed by WIJ Scotland founders Shelley Jofre and Libby Brooks, who reflected on the achievements of the past five years, proving that you can achieve your goals and become stronger when other women are there to support you.
The final keynote speech before the three-course gala dinner at Tatha, V&A Dundee’s restaurant with wonderful views over the River Tay, needed no introduction. Daily Mirror political editor Pippa Crerar (soon to be Guardian political editor), who is known for breaking scoops on Barnard Castle and the Downing Street ‘partygate scandals’, took the floor by storm making her first ever speech to her peers.
She talked about juggling a successful career with raising children and male colleagues, who are sharing parental duties and leave – a sign of the changing times.
It was an honour to hear how far someone can come both personally and professionally with hard work and determination - helping to pave the way for upcoming, young female journalists - providing political insight, positivity and most of all, optimism for the future.