#POWiPL – Janet Street-Porter to address women’s portrayal in the media at Pierhead session

07 October 2013

The National Assembly for Wales’s Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM, will welcome high profile media commentator, Janet Street-Porter, to the Pierhead on 10 October.

Ms Street-Porter will deliver a keynote address, entitled “Women in the Media: A fair representation?”, about how women are portrayed in the media, before taking part in a Q&A session with the audience.

The session has been organised as part of the Presiding Officer’s Women in Public Life (#POWiPL) campaign, aimed at encouraging more women in Wales to get involved in public life by becoming magistrates, councillors, lawyers, school governors or seeking public appointments on boards.

Central to the campaign is the Presiding Officer’s drive to provide strong role models to women, of other woman who have succeed in traditionally male dominated spheres, through a series of keynote lectures at the Pierhead.  This is following a mandate given to the Presiding Officer at the Women in Public Life Welsh conference in November last year.

“It’s a privilege to be addressing the Presiding Officer’s ‘Women in the Media: A fair representation’session,” said Janet Street-Porter.

“I watch media coverage of women in public life and often see them portrayed in terms of how they look or what they are wearing.  Yet when you look at the coverage that men receive, it’s what they say and do that counts.

“This approach leads many women to reach the conclusion that entering public life could open them up to the same sort of scrutiny – it is in effect, a barrier to many women pursuing public office.

“None of us should accept this and I fully support the Presiding Officer’s ‘Women in Public Life’ campaign.”

Previous speakers have included Shami Chakrabarti, Director of civil liberties campaign group Liberty, and leading scientist Baroness Susan Greenfield.

“It is fantastic to be able to welcome Janet Street-Porter to speak to us about the challenges women face in the media,” said Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM.

“She demonstrates that women can become leaders in fields that have traditionally been dominated by men.

“That’s why I have organised this series of events where leading female figures can share their experiences, and perhaps offer solutions to lowering the barriers women face in public life.

“But our work doesn’t stop here.  Last week I launched the Women in Public Life Portal which will provide information about how to get involved in public office, the latest vacancies, training opportunities and testimony from inspirational women who have already succeeded in public office.”

The portal can be accessed via the following link: Women in Public Life portal or through the Twitter channel @WomenofWales.

You can watch an explainer video by clicking here

There are still a limited number of spaces left at the Janet Street-Porter event which can be booked by either ringing the Assembly booking line on 0845 010 5500 or by emailing assembly.bookings@wales.gov.uk.