WELCOME

1. WELCOME

2. What are you going to do with your new beginning? Need some inspiration? How about some inspirational women? BACK TO SCHOOL New shoes New attitude New school bag New start New pens New pencils New ruler New goals New ideas New relationships New skirt!!!! Still not to be rolled up.

3. What can inspirational people do for us? What can be learnt from inspirational people? Do you have to do something major to be inspirational? Are you inspirational? At the end of last year, Ms Japp gave an assembly about a former pupil of the school who had designed the ‘Lyon shape’ which was incorporated into the construction of the American submarine USS Albacore and was subsequently used in other US submarines as well as the design being used in submarines of other nations. As pupils come into assembly through the door to the hall and with access to reception, there is a group of photographs showing former pupils who have achieved success in different fields. These pictures are usually ignored because staff, pupils and visitors are rushing to get on with what they have to do. Sometimes, the pictures hang off kilter as people have brushed past them in their haste and, even though they are in front of us, we don’t always recognise how important they are. Advice: don’t ignore what is in front of you. This group of former pupils has achieved significant recognition because they have been different, single minded, inspired, leaders as opposed to followers, dedicated, unwavering, focused, unswerving, holding belief in themselves and not letting others dissuade them from achieving what they wished to achieve. They are inspirational. Advice: Don’t be afraid to be different.

4. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, guest-edited the September edition of British Vogue -- and she brought a host of change-making women with her. Student climate crisis activist Greta Thunberg, New Zealand Prime Minister JacindaArdern and actress-turned-campaigner Jane Fonda were among 15 leading female figures who appeared on the magazine's cover. Titled "Forces for Change," the September issue also featured a conversation between Meghan and former US first lady Michelle Obama. LET’S LOOK AT SOME MORE INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN…

6. Edinburgh University third year medical student SimranPaya, who accepted the honorary degree on behalf of Sophia Jex-Blake, said: "We are honoured to accept these degrees on behalf of our predecessors, who are an inspiration to us all." Who were the seven women?

7. The seven pioneers - Sophia Jex-Blake, Isabel Thorne, Edith Pechey, Matilda Chaplin, Helen Evans, Mary Anderson Marshall and Emily Bovell - have been awarded honorary degrees on the 150th anniversary of their matriculation (registration) at the University of Edinburgh. Their story is as follows: The "Edinburgh Seven" were the first women admitted to study medicine in Britain when they enrolled in 1869. But they faced prejudice and were ultimately prevented from qualifying as doctors. The long campaign by the seven eventually led to women being allowed to study medicine. They blazed a trail for the rights of women to study at university and practise medicine but they were banned from graduating after academics voted against it.

8. Isabel Thorne (1834 – 1910) Dr Lucy Sewall, an American contemporary, commented that she thought Isabel would have made the best doctor out of the Edinburgh Seven. Isabel dedicated her career to growing the London School of Medicine for Women. Edith Pechey (1845 – 1908) While studying in Edinburgh, Pechey came top of the class in the Chemistry exam in first year. She qualified for a scholarship, but her professor feared a backlash and awarded the scholarship to male students with lower grades. After graduating from the University of Bern, Pechey worked as a doctor in India for more than 20 years. She returned to Britain in 1905 and became active in the suffragist movement. Matilda Chaplin (1846 – 1883) Chaplin finished her studies in Paris. Afterwards, she moved to Japan where she opened a school for midwives. She also spent time doing anthropological research and published several papers. Chaplin’s daughter Edith Ayrton was one of the founders of the Jewish League for Woman Suffrage. Helen Evans (1833/34 – 1903) Evans didn’t complete her studies but continued to be an active member of the group, sitting on the committee of the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women. She married Alexander Russel, editor of The Scotsman newspaper. Their daughter Helen Archdale became a prominent suffragist and feminist campaigner. Mary Anderson (1837 – 1910) Anderson was the only Scottish member of the Edinburgh Seven. She completed her studies in Paris and became a senior physician at the New Hospital for Women in London. Emily Bovell (1841 – 1885) Like many of her peers in the Edinburgh Seven, Bovell completed her studies in Paris. She also worked at the New Hospital For Women, along with Anderson. In 1881 she moved to Nice and established herself as the first woman doctor there.

9. Sophia Jex-Blake led the women's education charge in Britain, but faced opposition to her aspirations from an early age. She wanted to be a doctor in a time when it was unthinkable for a woman to be one. After a period of study in Edinburgh, Jex-Blake travelled to the United States in 1865 to learn more about women's education. Following her dream of becoming a doctor, she was refused entry to Harvard on gender grounds, a rejection letter reading: "There is no provision for the education of women in any department of this university." Jex-Blake looked to Scotland, where a more enlightened view on education was emerging. In March 1869 after much internal strain, Edinburgh University approved Jex-Blake's application, but it was eventually rejected by the university court on the grounds the university could not make the necessary arrangements "in the interest of one lady". A campaign carried in The Scotsman newspaper called on more women to join her. The story gathered attention and six more women joined her cause, pushing to study medicine in Edinburgh. harvard UNIVERSITY

10. In November 1869, the women passed the matriculation exam and were admitted to the university medical school. The university charged them higher fees and the women, led by Jex-Blake, were forced to arrange lectures for themselves due to a loophole whereby university staff were permitted but not required to teach women. This was just the start of the problems they would face After her Edinburgh rejection, Jex-Blake was instrumental is setting up the London School of Medicine for Women. But there was still nowhere for women to sit their exams until 1876 when the Enabling Bill gave medical examining bodies the right to admit women. The University of Edinburgh allowed women to graduate in 1894 and the first doctors graduated in 1896. They still had to organise their own tuition. LONDON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FOR WOMEN

11. A full-scale riot broke out when the women turned up to sit an anatomy exam at the university and male students pelted them with mud. The riot that stopped the seven sitting an exam at Surgeon's Hall is commemorated there.

12. A mob of more than 200 people pelted the women with mud and rubbish as they made their way to sit an anatomy exam. The abuse was unwavering until a supporter hurriedly unbolted a door to get them inside. “On the afternoon of Friday 18th November 1870, we walked to the Surgeon's Hall, where the anatomy examination was to be held. As soon as we reached the Surgeon's Hall we saw a dense mob filling up the road… The crowd was sufficient to stop all the traffic for an hour. We walked up to the gates, which remained open until we came within a yard of them, when they were slammed in our faces by a number of young men” Sophia Jex-Blake Surgeon's Hall riot Jo Spiller, of Edinburgh University, believes it was a tense time at the university. "The institution was very divided. The votes on whether to continue with the women students were very close and there are some archival diaries of students who were really horrified about how the women were being treated," she said.

13. Sophia Jex-Blake was accepted by the University of Bern, where she was awarded a medical degree in January 1877. Four months later, following further qualifications gained in Dublin, she registered with the General Medical Council as the third woman doctor in the country.

14. Prof Peter Mathieson, principal and vice-chancellor of Edinburgh University, said: "We are delighted to confer the degrees rightfully owed to this incredible group of women. "The segregation and discrimination that the Edinburgh Seven faced might belong to history, but barriers still exist that deter too many talented young people from succeeding at university. "We must learn from these women and strive to widen access for all who have the potential to succeed.“

15. What are the barriers that still exist?

16. According to NHS figures for 2018, 1,138 women and 959 men were undertaking their first foundation year of medical training. However, only 14.5% of those at the top of their profession were women, with 1,389 female consultants to 8,164 male. “There is a culture that basically discourages females to pursue this career,” said Dr Maria Irene Bellini of Imperial College, London, first author of the study, saying that visibility of senior women in the profession is a key factor. “I strongly believe that you cannot be what you cannot see,” she said, adding that lack of support during pregnancy is another issue https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/08/female-surgeons-frustrated-by-male-dominated-field-study-finds

17. I have watched patients ignore everything I say when male junior doctors have called me in for advice; they continue to look to the alpha male six-month qualified trainee for his opinion while he squirms uncomfortably. Even the eight-year-old daughter of a female colleague had assumed her mother was a nurse; when the revelation was made she proceeded to argue that Mum couldn’t possibly be a surgeon, because she was a woman. https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/views-from-the-nhs-frontline/2016/jun/06/woman-surgeon-nhs-still-shocking

18. I have often heard of instances of accidental sexism in the workplace, such as the bloke chat that monopolises those moments before a meeting starts, social exclusion by men in grey suits and women feeling unable to voice their opinions at certain times. What might once have been passed off as mildly infuriating behaviour is harming women’s confidence in their own abilities. Some feel they have to mirror these behavioural traits in order to get ahead, and if they fall short then they are just not up to the job. And from my experience it appears that this reluctance to go for a promotion starts at an early point in women’s careers. Promotions are often linked to confidence as much as they are to competence and there has been McKinsey research to show that men will apply for jobs if they can fulfil just 60% of the criteria, compared to women who will still doubt their ability even if their skills match 100% of the job description.  https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2015/nov/10/end-the-macho-culture-keeping-women-from-the-top-of-nhs

19. Continued… White middle class men occupy 12 of the 14 top posts in the arm’s-length bodies, despite there being a raft of eligible women qualified to fill these high profile roles. Arm’s-length bodies? What does that mean?

20. Quangos, or arm’s-length bodies (ALBs) as they are properly known, are a critical feature of the UK’s public sector. There are approximately 600 ALBs in the UK, some of which receive government funding amounting to tens of billions of pounds each year. They perform a range of functions: • regulating markets and protecting consumers (e.g. Ofgem) • investigating complaints of behalf of the public (e.g. the Local Government Ombudsman) • inspecting key services (e.g. Ofsted) • offering expert advice to government (e.g. the Low Pay commission) • Some ALBs, such as the Arts Council, take major cultural funding decisions while others, such as the Victoria and Albert museum, are cultural attractions in their own right. ALBs are an essential tool for delivering ministerial goals. They provide the means to carry out government activity in areas where direct ministerial control is undesirable. OK Now that’s sorted out, let’s move on https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Quangos%20FINAL.pdf

21. THINK ABOUT THE LANGUAGE WE USE. Is it another barrier?

22. In June, Royal Society scientist Sir Tim Hunt had to resign from his post as honorary fellow of University College London, after comments he made about girls working in laboratories. He said: "Three things happen when they are in the lab: you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticise them they cry.“ The British biochemist, who was knighted in 2006, said the remarks were "intended as a light-hearted, ironic comment" but had been "interpreted deadly seriously" by his audience.

23. THINK ABOUT THE WAY PEOPLE VIEW US. Are we barriers? The following 2 slides have been used in previous discussion articles about gender and equality.

24. Girl statue faces Wall Street bull to fight gender inequality A statue of a young girl has been placed in front of Wall Street's iconic bull, to call attention to gender inequality and the pay gap in the corporate world. The statue was commissioned by one of the world's largest fund managers. It says the girl represents the future. One in four of the 3,000 largest traded US companies do not have even one woman on their board, the company says. State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), a $2.5 trillion (£2.06 trillion) asset manager, said it would send a letter to 3,500 companies asking them to act. It argued that companies with more female leaders performed better.

25. London receptionist 'sent home for not wearing heels' Do we think of ourselves in the right way? Are we conditioned to think about what we should wear or how we should act? "I was a bit scared about speaking up about it in case there was a negative backlash," she said. "But I realised I needed to put a voice to this as it is a much bigger issue.“ She has since set up a petition calling for the law to be changed so women cannot be forced to wear high heels to work. It has had more than 10,000 signatures, so the government will now have to respond.

26. THINK ABOUT THE WAY WE VIEW OURSELVES.

27. US author Toni Morrison who died at the age of 88 speaking to Razia Iqbal at the Hay Festival in 2014 (1931-2019)

28. THINK ABOUT THE WAY WE VIEW PEOPLE, THE WAY WE VIEW OURSELVES AND THE LANGUAGE WE USE.

29. Who inspires you? Who will you inspire? What barriers will you have to overcome? Here are a few of many who have placed their marker on the world…

30. Malala Yousafzai Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

31. Malala Yousafzai Emmeline Pankhurst Demanded equality for women. Her efforts led to the vote being granted to some women – those over the age of 30 who owned property or were married to a man who owned property – in 1918 Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

32. Malala Yousafzai Emmeline Pankhurst Bessie Coleman Demanded equality for women. Her efforts led to the vote being granted to some women – those over the age of 30 who owned property or were married to a man who owned property – in 1918 Prevented from holding a pilot’s licence in the US due to the fact that she was both black and a woman. Moved to France and became the first woman of African-American and Native American descent to earn an aviation pilot’s licence. Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

33. Malala Yousafzai Emmeline Pankhurst Bessie Coleman Elizabeth Cowell Demanded equality for women. Her efforts led to the vote being granted to some women – those over the age of 30 who owned property or were married to a man who owned property – in 1918 Prevented from holding a pilot’s licence in the US due to the fact that she was both black and a woman. Moved to France and became the first woman of African-American and Native American descent to earn an aviation pilot’s licence. First female announcer on British television and her voiced reached millions across the country showing us how to succeed in a male dominated industry. Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

34. Malala Yousafzai Emmeline Pankhurst Bessie Coleman Elizabeth Cowell HedyLamarr Demanded equality for women. Her efforts led to the vote being granted to some women – those over the age of 30 who owned property or were married to a man who owned property – in 1918 Prevented from holding a pilot’s licence in the US due to the fact that she was both black and a woman. Moved to France and became the first woman of African-American and Native American descent to earn an aviation pilot’s licence. First female announcer on British television and her voiced reached millions across the country showing us how to succeed in a male dominated industry. Actress and scientist, her work on a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes during WWII contributed to the development of modern Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

35. Rosalind Franklin Largely overlooked member of the team who discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. We have to celebrate our own achievements sometimes.

36. Rosalind Franklin Helen Bamber Largely overlooked member of the team who discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. We have to celebrate our own achievements sometimes. A prominent anti-torture campaigner who worked with Holocaust survivors in the 1940s and was the first president of amnesty International in Britain

37. Rosalind Franklin Helen Bamber Jayaben Desai Largely overlooked member of the team who discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. We have to celebrate our own achievements sometimes. A prominent anti-torture campaigner who worked with Holocaust survivors in the 1940s and was the first president of amnesty International in Britain Leader of the strikes in the Grunwick factory dispute in London, where groups of workers of predominately South Asian heritage went on strike to protest unfair working conditions in the 1970s.

38. Rosalind Franklin Helen Bamber Jayaben Desai Kate Bush Largely overlooked member of the team who discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. We have to celebrate our own achievements sometimes. A prominent anti-torture campaigner who worked with Holocaust survivors in the 1940s and was the first president of amnesty International in Britain Leader of the strikes in the Grunwick factory dispute in London, where groups of workers of predominately South Asian heritage went on strike to protest unfair working conditions in the 1970s. Her debut single Wuthering Heights was the UK’s first No. 1 single written by a woman and hit the top spot when Bush was just 19.

39. Rosalind Franklin Helen Bamber Jayaben Desai Kate Bush Lil’ Kim Rapper, singer and LGBT advocate. One of the first women to insist that women belonged in the 90s rap scene whilst making no apologies for her sexuality. Largely overlooked member of the team who discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. We have to celebrate our own achievements sometimes. A prominent anti-torture campaigner who worked with Holocaust survivors in the 1940s and was the first president of amnesty International in Britain Leader of the strikes in the Grunwick factory dispute in London, where groups of workers of predominately South Asian heritage went on strike to protest unfair working conditions in the 1970s. Her debut single Wuthering Heights was the UK’s first No. 1 single written by a woman and hit the top spot when Bush was just 19.

40. Doreen Lawrence Mother of Stephen Lawrence the London teenager murdered in a 1993 racist attack. She has since become a prominent campaigner against racial violence, a member of the House of Lords and is Sadiq Khan’s most inspirational female Londoner.

41. Doreen Lawrence JacindaArdern Mother of Stephen Lawrence the London teenager murdered in a 1993 racist attack. She as since become a prominent campaigner against racial violence, a member of the House of Lords and is Sadiq Khan’s most inspirational female Londoner. The New Zealand Prime Minister supports Maori rights, feminism, same-sex marriage. When she was elected leader of the New Zealand Labour party, the party was inundated with donations.

42. BACK TO SCHOOL What are you going to do with your new beginning? New shoes New attitude New school bag New start New pens New pencils New ruler New goals New ideas New relationships New skirt!!!! Still not to be rolled up.

43. BBC NEWS QUIZZES AND A NEWSROUND QUIZ from summer 26.7.19 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-49070812 2.8.19 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-49152107 9.8.19 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-49239205 Newsrounds Quiz of the Week https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/44649071