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What does it mean to be an ‘empowered woman’ in 2019?

The phrase ‘empowered woman’ is intrinsically loaded with underlying meaning and misunderstood perceptions. When many of us hear the phrase, most people envision a sexually-promiscuous woman who refuses to have children and most likely drinks scotch.

Arguably, its meaning has dramatically changed in the last year, ever since actress Alyssa Milano’s ‘Me Too’ tweet went viral.

2018 has not been the easiest of times for Irish women.

Watching the news everyday has been a tortuous experience, with violence against women splashed across every publication, the media raining debilitating double standards upon anyone remotely famous and the paparazzi splashing unflattering female body images across the internet.

Two massively painful rape trials have illuminated the imperative need for changes in the Irish law regarding sexual violence and assault, and the horrific way in which women are treated and cross-examined in the courtroom.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The Repeal movement was draining for everyone involved, the right to bodily autonomy is still undeniably under threat.

It’s worth noting that standards are changing all around us, lines are being drawn, boundaries are being set. Finally, I might add.

Women are always hyper-aware of the need for self-protection, especially when it comes to sex and dating.

We’ve all held our keys in between our knuckles as we walk down a dimly-lit road at night, we’ve all experienced unwanted attention on nights out, and we’ve all worried about what we wear, and the negative consequences our clothes could potentially bring.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Standards of relationships are changing in conjunction, as women entering the dating world have new questions which they are asking of potential lovers.

This also stands for workplace relationships, women are fighting back against pay inequality and sexism which are prevalent even in first-world countries such as Ireland and the UK.

Watching Little Mix and Ariana Grande fight back against Piers Morgan's recent sexist comments has been such a breath of fresh air.

The #MeToo and TimesUp movements have been eye-opening experiences for men, women and intersex people worldwide, with every facet of society examining its own behaviour with a new lens.

Unlike most men, women are expected to be looking for love around every corner.

During our teens and 20s, being single is depicted as a hugely empowering, freeing experience, yet a shadow dawns on the eve of our 30th birthdays: the misogynistic view that our biological clocks are ticking, and where on earth is our husband?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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I have learnt many things from relationships, mainly that learning who you are can often only become a reality when you face tough aspects of life alone.

This is not true for everyone, of course, but many women in this day and age have to shrug off countless societal pressures and notions which are veiled in misogyny and shame.

Female empowerment in this article can only be relevant to my personal experiences, women are extremely complex beings and each feels empowered in totally different ways.

For women with disabilities, of different ages, gender binaries, classes and ethnicities, feeling good about ourselves comes in all shapes and forms.

Sex is power, #MeToo has taught me that. I cannot speak for other women, especially those in the LGBT+ community, but as a heterosexual woman, I have also learned many other hard lessons about the need to empower myself and have control over my body and mind.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Women are not therapists, we cannot be expected to handle the emotional baggage of other people.

We have enough of our own. Watching Ariana get blamed for Mac Miller's death is a primary example of the degradation placed on people for leaving toxic relationships.

 Ariana Grande has entered ultimate female empowerment mode, sporting a friendship ring instead of her recent engagement rock, and regularly posting images of classic film stars and female icon moments on her Instagram account.

Her new music video will be a tribute to classic movies with female leads such as 13 Going On 30, Mean Girls, Bring It On and Legally Blonde.

Thank u, next; Ari’s latest phenomenally successful single, pays homage to her past loves before declaring that her relationship with herself is now a priority.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Reports claim that her ex-fiancé, Pete Davidson, did not support her sufficiently following the death of Mac Miller, her former love.

Ariana explained how toxic her relationship with Miller was; she endured the pain of watching someone they love struggle through addiction but realised that it was expected of her to ‘fix’ his pain, to mother him through his issues.

Her realisation that she could not carry out this burden was imperative.

When Davidson joked about swapping Grande’s birth control pills on Saturday Night Live, the reaction was mixed.

Many wondered why controversy erupted over the comment, yet many reflected on the notion of literally trapping a woman into staying with you through pregnancy, a huge emotional and physical ordeal for women.

Realise that we are not defined by our relationship status, and to have a relationship with yourself can be an incredibly growth experience.

Letting go of the pressure to always have an ‘other half’ can be freeing in itself. Don’t underestimate the value of your friendships, especially female ones.

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SEX is empowering:

Learning what you like (this applies to anyone with a sexual partner- in a relationship or not) is CRUCIAL.

Women have always been expected to satisfy men in terms of sex, the language was never granted to us regarding how to communicate our desires, and how to find pleasure.

Consent in this country has always been a murky topic, hidden under the surface.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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I never heard the word mentioned until I went to college, and by the time I learnt the word’s true meaning, I had already had unconsensual experiences without truly understanding them at all.

Educating ourselves about consent, and only having relationships with those who truly respect us and our bodies can be incredibly empowering.

Learn how to say no, be selfish.

Women cannot be expected to please everyone, all the time. Often we have to work incredibly hard, in our employment or relationships, to get the achievements we deserve.

Learning to put yourself first can be a massive way of respecting our own mental health and practicing self-love and acceptance.

Ask yourself, what do YOU want, instead of what does everyone else want of you.

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Learning new skills

Self -defence classes, a new language, a skill such as website building, graphic design, even calligraphy. Why not?

If you have valuable assets such as the ability to drive, and even do nitpicky jobs such as online banking or tax can be empowering in terms of releasing yourself from co-dependence.

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Don’t let opportunities pass you by.

Go with your instincts. Do what you’ve always wanted to do, but always found an excuse never to do it. You miss 100% of the chances you let pass by, and you never know how much you can gain from letting your fears dissipate and challenging yourself.

Mental health

The importance of having a health mind can never be underestimated. Take personal time whenever you know that you need it, don't succumb to pressure. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Body confidence

Society makes it so damn hard to allow you to feel secure in your own skin. In a world with such fascination with image and beauty, loving yourself is a completely rebellious act.

Beyonce Satisfying GIF

Everyone is unique, so don’t try to fit a beauty mould which will undoubtedly change in the next five to ten years.

In the 90s it was bone glamour with malnourished models such as Kate Moss on the runway looking like all they needed most was a McDonalds, and now the Kardashians have transformed cosmetic beauty into plastic surgery-induced curves, glossy brunette hair and big lips and bums.

Who knows what the next big trend will be, but why force yourself to look like someone else? You are worth so much more than what you weigh or what you see in the mirror.

Taking control of your love life

The laws of dating have transformed recently, with apps such as Bumble finally realising that women don’t always want to wait around for the right person to ask them on a date.

unbothered michelle obama GIF by Obama

Try asking someone out, the worst that can happen is that they say no.

Food and health

I lived in San Francisco for four months and had the most atrocious diet, and when I came home I vowed to learn at least ten easy home-cook meals that are quick to make, and have health benefits. Having independence in terms of your body and health can be crucial to an empowering mindset, especially for women with chronic health problems.

Career

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Finding career success can be a huge morale boost, especially for women. Success shouldn’t be based on how much you earn, but how much you love your job and how you contribute to bringing a positive energy to the world around you.

Fight to be heard at the table, realise how intelligent you are and how you should be valued in your workplace. Don’t let anyone invalidate you.

You have the key to your own happiness, no one else.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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To be totally independent, ‘empowered’ single gal has countless benefits. Find your own definition of ‘empowerment’, some women are empowered by their style, their job, their relationship, their sex life, and others are empowered simply by being happy in their own skin.

Whether you're feeling great and powerful totally covered up or completely naked, do whatever makes you happy.

we did it mic drop GIF by U.S. Soccer Federation

As Ru Paul the Great regularly claims, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?”

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Not many of our peers can say that we have read the full Irish Constitution, and yet it’s the most important political document in a country’s legislature.

Following the removal of the article regarding blasphemy, and of course the 8th Amendment, it’s time to turn back to the Irish Constitution, and examine what is left to be done to bring this document straight into the 21st century.

To start, the sexism, elitism and reductionist standards are alien to modern life, and the Irish people deserve a legal document which accurately represents all of its citizens.

In case we have forgotten from secondary school political history classes, Bunreacht na hÉireann was drafted way back in 1937, by the hugely conservative Éamon de Valera, who perfectly represented the conservative Catholic Church-state environment of the era.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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By writing a new Constitution, de Valera embarked upon a very risky political strategy considering Irish political life at the time was hugely volatile. It replaced the Irish Free State Constitution of 1922, and therefore erased Article 3 which guaranteed “discrimination without distinction of sex.”

He revitalised his dream of Catholic women serving good, Catholic men in the home. Religious leaders also had a far-too-big input into the Constitution, including men who are now recognised as protecting child abusers.

Now, of course the entire religious community of Ireland weren't involved in abuse scandals, but it's important to note that a large group of them were, and were protected for years to the detriment of abuse survivors.

The Constitution has caused many a controversy, among them is the X case, where a young woman who was raped was denied the right to travel to the UK for an abortion. This was changed officially in 1992, as the 14th Amendment.

The right to divorce was only ratified in the mid-1990s, and even then partners had to be officially separated for four years. An annulment was next to impossible to get, even for those who were stuck in situations of abuse.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The protection for the life of the unborn still causes turbulence, seeing as it dramatically impedes female healthcare even outside of reproduction.

The legislation repealing the 8th has yet to come into practice, and is showing no sign of entering the healthcare system anytime soon despite it's valuable victory which took in 66 per cent of votes.

The right for members of the LGBQ+ community to marry was only passed in 2015. You cannot run for President until you turn 35, which would have ruled out some of Ireland’s major political candidates in the 1930s.

As recently as 2015, a shocking 73.1 per cent of the population voted against reducing the age to 21. Irish law appears to believe that age brings wisdom, rather than actual experience.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Many members of Irish society struggle with the union of the Catholic religion with the Constitution. It’s completely saturated with it. The opening lines to this day read:

“In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred, We, the people of Éire, Humbly acknowledging all our obligations to our Divine Lord, Jesus Christ.”

The oath sworn by the President of Ireland is “under almighty God.”

Article 44 on religion enshrines freedom of worship, but also notes that “The State acknowledges that the homage of public worship is due to Almighty God. It shall hold His Name in reverence, and shall respect and honour religion.”

So there’s not much room for expansion there, to say the least.

I mean, seriously? Four million inhabitants on the island, and the Constitution fails to separate Church and State, fails to acknowledge that there is another religion besides Catholicism, and other nuanced beliefs and practices.

Ireland is a diverse place, an Emerald Isle of nationalities and cultures, yet this piece of paper essentially only benefits elite, Catholic men in upper class positions. Like Éamon De Valera. Who had ZERO LAW EXPERIENCE.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Éamon De Valera cast a shadow over Irish women when he drafted it by ignoring pleas from Irish women’s councils to aid in writing the charter.

One of the most intensely problematic, not to mention out-dated articles is 41.2 the infamous ‘women’s place in the home’ section of the Constitution. By now there are zero doubts as to the sexism surrounding the enshrined words.

It reads as follows:

“In particular, the State recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.

The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”

This essentially claims that women are needed to carry out their housework duties and care for children so that the real work (by men) can be carried out elsewhere, i.e. running the damn country. The duties of the home are elevated far above labour outside of domesticity.

Image: Oireachtas

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan says that the issue of Article 41.2 is primarily one of gender equality, and it’s next to impossible to disagree with him. The article limits the role of women entirely, and completely rejects the notion of men as carers and fathers, which is also unfair.

Men must take responsibility as carers of those who are vulnerable in society, not simply children. The elderly, disabled people, sick relatives and friends are all part of this category, which places most of the burden on women alone for their seemingly ‘nurturing qualities’.

The contention surrounding the article is whether or not to replace it with an alternative, or just delete it altogether. We’re thinking… DELETE.

The emotional and difficult referendum on the 8th amendment has had a clear impact on Irish society, especially on Irish women, who have recognised the inequality which still plagues our country, such as sexual assault and violence, discrimination and unequal pay.

The Constitution Bill (38th Amendment) must make its way through both houses of the Oireachtas before the Irish people can have their say on Article 41.2 via a referendum.

Independent TD Clare Daly said in response to Charlie Flanagan that she “feels like laughing, to think that you see yourself as a champion of gender equality given some of the decisions of your government.”

Image: Oireachtas

Another Independent representative Mick Wallace added his own negative comments to the pile:

“I find it interesting that you speak of gender equality in the workplace when the greatest barrier to that equality is the cost of childcare and your government has done bugger all about it.”

Ireland has the second highest-price of childcare in the OECD, meaning that it is still mostly women who struggle to return to work following pregnancy as the costs of childcare make the situation impossible.

Orla O’Connor, acting Director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, later added that Article 41.2 “has not supported the home and family, and in our opinion has diminished the position of women” in Irish society.

Dr Laura Cahillane of the University of Limerick’s school of law described the Article as “an embarrassment”, as well as “effectively useless in law”.

A Constitution is meant to embody the moral and legal aspirations of an entire country and it’s individual citizens, we shouldn’t forget this. Women have the most to gain from changes to the Constitution.

All of the civic service committee members which Éamon de Valera employed in order to help him draft the document were men.

Archbishop of Dublin John Charles McQuaid as well as the head of the Supreme Court were two major influences, both male. Only three women were TDs during this time, and none of them said a word during the Dáil debate on the matter.

Essentially, we aren’t part of this document, and this document isn’t part of us. We make up half of this population, and yet not a single word of the parchment portrays the female experience.

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It's a story we constantly hear: intern has an affair with older, powerful boss. Affair gets discovered, woman gets vilified and has her life ruined while the man gets a mere slap on the wrist. It's written about in books and songs now but in the mid-nineties, this played out for all the world to see. Monica Lewinsky was just 22-years-old when she worked as an unpaid White House intern in summer 1995 when her affair with Bill Clinton, the then-49-year-old president of the United States, began.

To put it simply, much of her young adult life was ruined. Lewinsky was investigated in 1998 by an independent prosecutor, Ken Starr who, according to a first-person interview with Vanity Fair, "[was] accompanied by a group of F.B.I. agents [that] had hustled me into a hotel room near the Pentagon and informed me that unless I cooperated with them I could face 27 years in prison."

The Starr investigation as it was known, turned her "24-year-old life into a living hell." The young woman only in her early twenties had her life terrorised, her life altered by a team who were determined to use her to get to Clinton.  

She did what so many of us do when we're young; she fell in love and made a mistake. It was a big one. It hurt many people and it's no excuse but in layman terms, that's what it was.  Sure, Clinton was investigated, called out. But today, he is still lauded as a charismatic public figure, despite his many mistakes which included lying to the public – and everyone else in his family – and denying a long-term affair and involvement with an intern. For Lewinsky, she is still synonymous with a blue dress – even Beyonce has sung about it, poking fun at all that her life resembled. She was outed and ostracised back then – and it's still not over for her.

Even google her name; you won't find one article without a tie to the public scandal. Google Clinton and you'll see articles about the latest public event he attended. Yet this was something that involved more than a woman who was young and foolish; it also included a man who was old enough to know better – and the most powerful man in the world at the time – at over two decades her senior. But he's rarely spoken of in that way. She was gaslighted. He was not.

"At the age of 22, I fell in love with my boss. At the age of 24, I learned the devastating consequences."

And today, the now 45-year-old was forced to walk off stage during a live interview during short during a conference in Jerusalem after being asked an "off limits" question about the former President, saying later that the interviewer disregarded "clear parameters" for their discussion.

Lewinsky was being interviewed by Israeli TV news anchor Yonit Levi of Hadashot News when Levi began by asking Lewinsky whether she still expected a personal, private apology from Clinton and took to Twitter to explain why:

"I left because it is more important than ever for women to stand up for themselves and not allow others to control their narrative."

This is a woman who is taking control, after her narrative was defined by others for decades. Because what does it say about us, still as a society, in the era of #MeToo, when almost 25 years after a painful, public humiliation, a woman is reduced to walking off stage to avoid feeling shamed? That she made a mistake is without question, but that she's still getting held to ransom while Clinton's equal part happily gets glossed over by the media at large is so very, very wrong.

Monica Lewinsky deserves so much better.

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Oh, Insatiable.

Where do I even start with you?

I think I'm like many others who only gave the Netflix show a go due to the almost-deafening roar of ''DO NOT WATCH THIS SH*TE'' that I seemed be faced with on every website.  

Headlines ranged from ''Critics Say ‘Insatiable’ Is “Offensive” and “the Worst Netflix Original Series”  to ''Insatiable Is Dreadfully Unappetizing.''

Our review? Avoid it like the f*cking plague. 

So let's start from the start – what is the show even about?

It centres on Patty Bladell, a formerly overweight high-school student in Georgia who – due to getting her jaw broken by a homeless guy – had it wired shut and lost a load weight as a result. 

Now slim, Patty may have shed the weight but her horrendous personality has unfortunately gone nowhere. 

By chance, she meets Bob Armstrong, lawyer and disgraced beauty pageant coach, who takes Patty under his wing and propels her towards pageant fame. 

Bob is pointedly flamboyant (everything is pointed in this show btw) and in the first few episodes, is mistakenly accused of being a pedophile. (Yes, really.) 

One of the main problems with Insatiable is that is doesn't seem to actually like it's main character – so how the hell are we supposed to?

Patty continually acts like a selfish b*tch – her actions show no regard for anyone but herself. 

Phrases like ''skinny is magic'' that are bandied around definitely damaging but it is also the jokes that are racist, homophobic and sexist that I struggle with.

One of the few redeeming features is the Alyssa Milano, in her role as former-trailer-trash-turned-southern-belle-housewife Coralee, wife of Bob.

She is clearly enjoying the role here, but her storyline is simply as Bob's glam other half, who fancies his rival (also called Bob, keep up) and is jel of his young protegee, Patty.

Milano has defended the show, telling Vanity Fair,  ''the show is really a satirical look at what could happen if you do body-shame or bully someone and how that trauma affects their life. It’s also about how looks can be deceiving, an exploration of body image, about finding validation, and the desire to fill a void within ourselves.”

After over 200,000 people signed a Change.org petition to cancel the show due to what they said was a fat-shaming plot-line, creator Lauren Gussis gave an interview to The Hollywood Reporter.

She explained that the show is not meant to be offensive in any way, stating, ''I wanted to poke at all those issues through comedy. But every single one of the issues that these characters struggle with -from eating disorders to body dysmorphia, to sexuality to needing outside power and validation, to wanting to be perfect, to mental illness – I have struggled with every single one of those things.''

She continued while ''everyone is entitled to their own opinion'', and in relation to the fat-shaming language that is woven throughout the show's narrative, she explains that it is the reality of what actually happens.

''I think we're in a real danger of censorship if we decide that we all have to tell stories in a certain way so that everybody else feels safe,'' she says. 

Does she have a point? Should we be showing the brutal honestly that sometimes people do horrible things and say horrible things? Do we want to watch a show about that?

There are people who agree with Lauren, loved the show and have taken to Twitter to demand why it's taken so much flak.

One fan wrote, ''Insatiable doesn't fat same but instead shows that losing weight doesn't’t magically take away all the deep rooted problems that comes with body confidence issues.''

Another said, ''after watching more episodes, I wonder if a lot of people are upset with #Insatiable because it's holding a mirror up to themselves and forces them to see the reality of how cruel the world still can be….maybe they are even contributing to it in ways they didn't even realise.''

So what do I think?

I think that the show's intentions didn't come from a place of malice, and Lauren was aiming to explore issues like sexuality, body image etc. through satire.

My problem with it? It just doesn't work – and there are only so many jokes falling flat that I can take.

Netflix has a lot of worthwhile shows on it – Insatiable just isn't one of them. 

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We've almost reached the finish line of Love Island 2018. And what an eight weeks it's been.

Tbh I'm glad it's almost done – while I have enjoyed it for the most part, I don't think I can stick any more of Dr Alex.

I felt SO BAD for him the first few weeks – he looked so awks and left out and I felt his pain, I really did.

But it turns out that just because he's a bit awkward does not mean he is a nice person.

And this whole first-impressions-can-be-deceiving thing also happened with me and  ''Old'' Laura (or ''First'' Laura as Twitter suggests, which sounds a helluva lot better.)

 

 #LoveIsland

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I sound like a right b*tch, but when she first entered the villa, I was like – nope, not gonna like her.

Then she was paired with Wes and for three weeks I couldn't imagine them with anyone else.

Okay, so she started to get a bit annoying and they started to bicker – but Wes was deffo a bit into Ellie when she arrived and if she hadn't given him the brush off, he would've left Laura in a heartbeat.

And Laura isn't stupid, so she knew this. Cue ego-knock number one.

Then, she experienced every girls worst nightmare when Wes dumped her for Megan, the girl that every guy wanted.

 

My mood between 9am and 5pm. #LoveIsland

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So then she had to watch the guy she'd been coupled up with for almost a month, the guy who said, ''I think I'm falling for you'', the guy she shared the Hideaway with – be all over another girl in the same house as her.

That's gotta f*cking hurt. Cue ego-knock number two.

Suddenly, Hot Jack lands on the island and he is fab looking and seems fun.

He gravitates towards Laura and I'm so chuffed for her.

Her mate Georgia then KISSES Jack behind her back and LIES about it. Another knock for our Laura.

Jack then uses Laura just so she recouples with him and then as soon as two new girls come in – Stephanie and, of course, ''New'' Laura, his head is turned. 

Jack obvs gets with the new girl and our Laura is left dumped for the second time in six weeks.

I know she isn't perfect and can be insecure at times – but who the hell can blame her? My self-esteem would be shattered if I was her.

But it was last night that she proved herself to be a genuinely good person who didn't deserve the sh*t she got. 

She sat on the rooftop comforting New Laura – mere hours after said girl had humiliated her in the lie detector test (''Jack, who's a better kisser, me or Old Laura?'') Like, seriously.

How sound First Laura is hasn't been lost on Twitter, who seem to agree with me wholeheartedly.

People have written,''I genuinely think that she [Laura] is a brilliant and kind woman and that she’s only this way because she’s always mugged off by guys because of what she wants.''

Another one said, ''say what you want about old Laura, but even after new Laura put her down with the lie detector questions, she went and wiped her tears. what a brill woman'' and  ''she's had such a rough ride and been so gracious with those horrible girls (Megan and new Laura) Such a lovely girl.''

Laura, you're doing amazing sweetie, we're all rooting for ya!

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By Amy Donohoe

After much controversy, the Miss America pageant is defining its role in an era of female empowerment and gender equality by scrapping it’s swimsuit competition.

This change is due to the new chairwoman and previous contestant, Gretchen Carlson, who once sued Fox News chief executive Roger Ailes for sexual harassment in 2016. She became one of the most outspoken advocates for victims during the #MeToo era.

It was announced that the competition would cut the swimsuit and evening gown parts of the contest and replace them with a “live interaction session with the judges” where the contestant “will highlight her achievements and goals in life.”

 

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The Miss America competition began in Atlantic City in 1921 – one year after women gained the right to vote in the United States. It first launched as a swimsuit pageant to promote Atlantic City beaches. As the years went on, the winner of the swimsuit competition became a good indicator of who was likely to overall.

I believe that Miss America needs to be modernised and relate to young women. They should focus on the career achievements of past winners and the swimsuit competition could be a distraction from that message.

According to pageant coach Valerie Hayes, Miss America executives have had discussions about eliminating the segment for many years, and the introduction of new leadership provided the perfect opportunity – mainly because the nine members of the board of directors, seven which are women united and approved the change in March.

These women understand the pressure of appearing on television in a bikini. Pageant enrolment numbers dropped in recent years, as many young women are hesitance to wear a swimsuit onstage in the social media era, when the image will be immediately circulated and judged and where there's a lot of pressure on body image to be a particular way.

 

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The financial aspect for the organisation may improve as some sponsors didn’t want to associate with a pageant that featured a degrading swimsuit competition. Its one of many remarkable changes that has been repeated through Hollywood, politics and workplaces around the world. It broadened the conversation from sexual harassment to the way that women’s bodies are viewed.

It seems that #MeToo has done what a protest could not: eliminate one of the most ridicule aspects of the competition.The swimsuit competition will not be missed and Miss America is a small step to help lead the way. More women may participate, even if they don’t fit the stereotypical image of a size-zero pageant winner as it’s now a leadership and academic achievement program.

On social media, the organisation already has a new hashtag for the occasion: #byebyebikini. Their new motto is “To prepare great women for the world, and to prepare the world for great women.” And its website indicated a broad rebranding effort: “Miss America 2.0. Coming soon: New website. New show. New experience.”

Although women should be comfortable in their own bodies whatever their shape or size,I don’t think that's what the competition embraced. Now, they’re no longer judging women on their clothes or their irrelevant talents. They’re going to judge them on what they say and their social impact initiatives.

 

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Miss America both state and national competitions were the largest source of scholarship money for women in the U.S., yet the necessary requirements were physical, not intellectual. In 1968, the Miss America pageant was confronted with a protest on the Atlantic City boardwalk: 100 feminists threw bras, girdles, curling irons, false eyelashes and other “instruments of female torture” into a trash can labelled “Freedom.”

Until 1940, it was written in the guidelines that contestants must be “of good health and of the white race.” The organisation would not have its first African-American winner until Vanessa Williams earned the 1984 crown. Old fashioned pageantry is dying off and the people who enjoy it aren’t developing along with our modern day world.

Like most things, pageants need to grow with the times. It’s a small step towards a cultural revolution. The people at home want a well-rounded, relatable human being as their winner, they want a role-model, someone they can aspire to be.

Antonia Okafor said “I didn't mind the swimsuit competition when I was in pageants. But it was used to body shame us. I used to shrug off the feminists who made a big deal about the swimsuit competition in pageants being sexist; I believed my mentors in the pageant world that, like in bodybuilding competitions, swimsuits just allowed contestants to show off their inner confidence and judges to assess our physical fitness.

'But after participating in pageants, I’ve realised that the idea that the swimsuit segment is just about fitness is completely false: It’s about whether or not you fit a certain, antiquated ideal of the “perfect woman.”

 

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Both Miss World and Miss International don’t include swimsuits in their competitions, instead they focus on fitness wear or sports to see how athletic a contestant really is rather than making the contestants reveal their bodies. Feminism and femininity can go hand in hand, but neither suggests that you have to look "good" in a swimsuit. It’s outdated and degrading.

Miss America have produced two candidates, Erika Harold and Mallory Hagan, who are both currently running for public office. It will continue to produce educated, brave, confident young women who set goals and achieve them, and women who encourage other women instead of tearing them down. And it will set the stage for other systems to make the necessary changes they need but are too afraid to implement.

“Speaking for myself, when I competed 20 years ago, I found the swimsuit competition oddly empowering, because once I could walk across the stage in a two-piece swimsuit and high heels I could do just about anything,” said Kate Shindle, the 1998 Miss America who is now a board member of the organisation.

“But I also don’t think I processed everything at the time. It’s strange — it gives strangers a kind of ownership over your body that you don’t quite anticipate.” Some former contestants have spoken out against the swimsuit competition, saying it led to serious physical and mental problems.

Although women should be proud of their body, the competition objectifies women more than it empowers them.

A woman’s goals and aspirations are far more important than how she looks in a swimsuit.

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Abortion – to some, a dirty word, and to others, a medical tool that allows us to establish full autonomy over our bodies as women. 

As Ireland prepares to lay their heads to rest for the final time before voting in the referendum to repeal or maintain the 8th amendment to the constitution tomorrow, some will sleep soundly, assured of their vote either way. 

Others among us will have a restless night, still undecided on which box to apply that all-powerful X to come morning. Those who won't sleep at all are the individuals who have been impacted by the constraints of the amendment, as many wonder what judgement their own country will lay upon them in the ballot box. 

 

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In 1983, when the amendment was added, I didn't exist, and had no say on a constitutional restriction that affects me every day. My own mother was barely old enough to vote at the time of the previous referendum, but voted against it's installation in our constitution. At the time, the amendment was passed, and we were granted the restrictive laws we have today. 

A decade after she placed her vote in the ballot box supporting the rights of Irish women, she was lucky enough to have an uncomplicated pregnancy, unlike many women, and gave birth to me. 

Tomorrow, we will go to our polling station together, and I will see my mum cast her vote on this issue for the second time, a repeating of her personal history. Except this time, my ballot will go in the box after hers, and if the opinion polls are to be believed, she will finally see the result she longed for 35 years ago. 

She will cast her vote once again in the hope of a changed system for her daughters, her sisters, her friends, and anyone who could be impacted by the 8th. 

 

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In 2016, I heard the first whispers of the movement to repeal the 8th amendment. I had always been pro-choice from the moment I was capable of grasping the concept, after seeing teenage pregnancies in my secondary school, and having personally known girls to have struggled with the most secret, stigmatised pain of a crisis pregnancy in a Catholic secondary school. 

An acquaintance of my 15-year-old-self drunkenly confided in me one night, as we walked through the fields of our rural town, that she had experienced an unwanted pregnancy. 

When I asked her, in my idiotic, naive way of the time, why she didn't look pregnant, she broke down, dropping to the grass of the street lamp-lit field, and told me that she had induced a miscarriage. I will not go into the details here out of respect for her privacy. I felt appalled at the time, not because of her actions of desperation, but because I realised in that moment that we existed in a suspended reality of outdated 'morals' and laws. 

Women who engage in sexual activity are punished with an ultimatum. Keep your 'mistake' or be banished to another country where they will deal 'with the likes of you,' a phrase that was used against my acquaintance by her student guidance counsellor when she brought her crisis to him.  

 

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As a teenager, who was less abashed than my friends, I would buy condoms and, in dangerous moments, pregnancy tests for others, who simply could not walk up to the Boots counter with those 'shameful' products in their hands. Some of my friends couldn't bear to buy them themselves, just from sheer embarrassment, or fear that someone they knew would see them and judge them. I would stroll in, my friend's crumpled €10 notes in my hands and secure the goods on their behalf.

When I got to college, my practice was put to good use when it was my own loose change I handed over the counter, knees knocking together, as I requested a test in the pharmacy.

The test was taken with shaky hands in the secrecy of a college dorm bathroom. Ragged breathing slowed as the second line on the test failed to appear and I knew I wasn't pregnant, but the entire time I thought I might be, all I could think over and over was 'I cannot afford to travel.' 

I laughed the very next day when my late period arrived, and my housemate and I celebrated with a 'you're not pregnant' party – because at the time there would have been no other option that was right for me but to have an abortion. Others have made a different choice, children themselves, and not regretted it, but that would not have been my choice. 

However, the struggles I would have dealt with to secure that medical option would have been unimaginable. 

 

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Ireland has a historically complex relationship with the impurity or sex and the anticipated chastity of 'good Catholic women.' 

Even in a recent Garda rape investigation, the case was described as a  'terrible rape on a decent girl.' What does this casual turn of phrase mean exactly? What does a 'decent girl' entail? A pure woman? A woman who could never be perceived as 'asking for it?' Would the terminology and empathy level be different if she wasn't seen as a 'decent' girl? 

Ireland is one of the few countries in the world where Catholic guilt is still deeply rooted, but like a festering rot, it manifests itself in the worst ways.

There are few No arguments that do not rely heavily on 'morals,' and a quick Google will leave you with evidence of religious associations on that side of the campaign. From mass goers being told they will no longer be welcome in the congregation if they vote Yes, to statues of Mary being carted around during Save the 8th marches, the societal connection of church and state is clear. 

 

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But the fact of the matter is, sex happens. Abortion happens, in this country and in clinics abroad who are now so accustomed to seeing Irish addresses on the appointment system they don't bat an eyelid. 

Abortion is a reality, but our country chooses to sweep it under the rug. All this scaremongering about 'floodgates opening' and '55 million babies being killed' is complete fallacy. When the morning after pill was introduced, pharmacies weren't seeing queues of hundreds banging down their doors the next morning looking for their pills. 

Women will not be using abortion as 'contraception' or normalising or minimising the seriousness of these medical tools. We won't be knocking back abortion pills over brunch with the gals thinking it's gas. Trust us. 

'We have moved on from dropping pregnant women at the laundries, and as a society we need to move on from dropping them at the departure gates, too,' said Gerry Edwards, at the launch of the Together for Yes campaign, and I could not agree more.  

Not only do these laws and social stigmas seek to belittle the bodily autonomy of women, but in doing so force women who are carrying complicated pregnancies, ones which could end in their own deaths or will definitely end in the deaths of their unborn, to continue to term – so long as there is a heartbeat. Yes, we now have the amendment that allows for legal abortion in cases of direct negative impact on the health of the mother, but we have all heard the stories from real women and couples about the lack of compassion and appalling medical conditions they are faced with still. If I can't convince you of this, the In Her Shoes Facebook page certainly will. 

 

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I have marched. I have tweeted. I have used my words to express my thoughts. I have donated. I have rallied. I have canvassed. I have volunteered. I have changed the minds of some no voters and been screamed at by others. 

When I look at the faces of my little sisters, who are too young to have their say, I hope for a safer future for them and their children.

When I accompany my mum to the polling station, I stand behind her in 2018 and in 1983. 

Tomorrow, I will vote Yes to repeal the 8th amendment because I believe in choice. For me, for the women who came before me, and the women who come after me.

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At this stage, we've all seen Vogue Williams' most recent column in The Sunday World, but just in case you haven't, the model-turned-DJ took the opportunity to use her platform to discuss one of the biggest issues facing our society today – terrorism. 

The model, whose column was placed beside an image of her posing in a bikini, said that she was shaken by the Manchester attack, and that it made her feel that 'we can no longer sit around and do nothing,' a sentiment shared by many who despaired of the attack which claimed the lives of 22 people, including children. 

The 31-year-old has faced massive backlash from the article, with claims on social media that the star wanted a 'mass internment of Muslims.'

However, after reading the column in its entirety, Vogue makes approximately zero references to the internment of Muslims, but actually says she agrees with the internment of known terrorists. 

In fact, the only reference to Muslims in the entire article comes from a description of a Muslim police chief, who is backing internment for terrorists and extremists.

'This is something that should be decided on by the people, but I certainly agree with it. The only way to stop these senseless attacks is to put any potential threats away,' she says, drawing on the opinion of Muslim former police chief, Tarique Ghaffur.

Vogue admits that she is aware that the internment of IRA members in Northern Ireland, 'when 2,000 alleged paramilitaries were held without trial in makeshift camps' did not work, she feels that some kind of action needs to be taken to remove the threat of terrorism before any more people are killed.

Her reference to the IRA internment has led to online cries for the model to 'pick up a history book,' which is fair enough.

While Vogue's opinion on internment may be misguided, she still has a right to give her thoughts on a matter which affects more and more people as time goes by. 

I won't pretend to be a security expert (as some accuse Vogue of), so while I won't offer my opinion on her thoughts on the matter, I do think the backlash she has faced comes from a place of dismissal based on her stance as an influencer, that she can't possibly know what she's talking about. 

I think it is excellent that Vogue has used her platform to discuss something other than makeup or clothes, as most influencers won't touch social or political issue topics for fear of no longer appealing to their target audience.

It is a step in the right direction for other social media icons, who are looked up to by thousands, to come out and say how they feel about important issues, rather than feeling pigeonholed into certain subjects for fear of causing controversy. 

Yes, her opinion is considered wrong by the majority, as evident in the overwhelmingly negative response, but the 'stay in your lane' mentality isn't conducive to an open and engaging society where all opinions are heard, considered, and then (as in the case of Vogue) dismissed.

People are saying that Vogue isn't 'qualified' to speak on the subject because she doesn't have a PhD in security and defence, but if that's the case, then very few people on this planet do have the right to discuss a massive issue, based on education level. 

Vogue has proven that she is 'woke' to social issue thanks to her docu-series Vogue Williams – On the Edge, in which she investigated issues like drugs, social anxiety, gender dysmorphia and the obsessiveness nature of beautification in society.

Last time I checked, Vogue isn't an addiction councillor, gender non-conforming or a plastic surgeon, so why is terrorism off the cards for her to discuss? 

Her views have been described as 'totalitarian, oppressive and genuinely sinister,' which is grand – the majority agrees that her column wasn't for them – but opening a narrative about these issues is what is so important, in order to come up with better suggestions and solutions. 

Clearly, the vast majority of us disagree with Vogue and are anti-internment, but what do we think should be done? 

Yes, we're bloody mortified for Vogue and the reciprocation of her comments, but she should still be allowed to offer her perspective, despite her status as a woman, influencer, model, DJ etc…

As a society, we have considered her opinion and deemed it to be unsavoury, so let's find better recommendations now, moving forward. 

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