Sisters are doing it for themselves, but should they?  As a special edition for International Women's Day, this episode explores what it means to be an independent woman.

More than a woman, Caitlin Moran  

Challenger: Lady Brenda Hale grew up in a small village in North Yorkshire and became the highest ranking judge in the UK.  Her life is a series of "firsts", even though she was not always everyone else's first choice.  She kept her resolve to progress and never took any of her success for granted. Despite her achievements at being first, she knows it's her moral duty not to be the last.  She has always encouraged others to succeed and in both her career and in life she has acted with fairness and integrity in words and deed.

Desert Island Discs (podcast)

Women in the Law UK (podcast)

"There is wisdom in your winter..." (Katherine May).

Check out what I found out in my winter, and an important reminder of the firebird's journey.

Credits: Wintering by Katherine May

Believer: Since being 3 years old, Cilla wanted to be a star.  She followed her dreams to become a singer, and then became the most successful and highest paid female tv presenter with a 50 year career in show business. Her story shows the tremendous power of self belief, but also as her Liverpudlian contemporaries sang, that we get by with a little help from our friends. 

"I can't say I was surprised I was successful, I was determined and I got it."

Resources:

What's it All About? - Cilla Black

Cilla Black, Bobby's Girl - Douglas Thompson

Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs

BBC drama - Cilla

Piers Morgan Life Stories: Cilla Black

Cilla Black - the one and only (Channel 5)

Survivor: A firebird, a bumblebee, a tortoise or a pack horse?  Joan Rivers joked that she embodied a number of different characteristics throughout her life.  For me, she is a definite firebird because she shows us that if you can do it once, you can do it again. 

“You probably know much more than you give yourself credit for and your ability to learn is greater than you think.”

Resources:

Enter Talking - Joan Rivers

How I survived everything and so can you - Joan Rivers

The Book of Joan - Melissa Rivers

Joan Rivers interviewed on the Southbank Show. 

Challenger: When sixteen year old Malala Yousafzai spoke at the UN, she said, "One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world."  Malala's incredible example shows that this is true.  Whilst schools were being blown up by the Taliban, she advocated the importance of education for all, at great personal risk.  She became a worldwide leader from her campaign work and charitable efforts.  She is the youngest ever recipient of the Noble Peace Prize.  Prepared to be astonished...

"This was my calling. Some powerful force had come to dwell inside me, something better and stronger than me and it had made me fearless."

Resources:

He Named Me Malala, documentary film by Davis Guggenheim.

I am Malala, book by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb.

I am Malala (teenager edition), book by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick

Details of the Malala Fund are available here: https://malala.org

Survivor: The Queen of Soul was a musical genius, yet her life was far from plain-sailing.  She battled with insecurity and was a victim of abuse. The times when she really flied high were when she established herself in her roots.  Her greatness is all the more powerful due to the struggles she went through. 

WARNING - This episode includes references to adult themes.  Listener discretion is required. 

Respect by David Ritz

Navigator: They say that necessity is the mother of all invention.  Anita Roddick used her instinct to become one of the most successful and innovative entrepreneurs of the past century.  She didn't just transform her own life - she transformed the cosmetic industry and also how trade was conducted on a global scale by working with indigenous cultures across the world.  She is a born firebird and archetype navigator.  

Resources

Body and Soul by Anita Roddick

Business as Unusual by Anita Roddick. 

Believer: The Sound of Music was based on Maria Von Trapp's autobiography, yet how much do we know about her from the film?  In her account her marriage to Captain von Trapp is at the beginning of her story, yet in the film it is near the end.  There is so much more to her life than first revealed.  This episode tells how she transformed her life, in many ways...

Resources:

The Story of the von Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp.

Special Edition for International Women's Day.  In 2016, Bridget Jones was voted by BBC 4's Woman's Hour to be one of the 7 most influential women of the past 70 years.  Unfortunately, I feel that this influence has been for all the wrong reasons.  In this special edition, I talk about the impact that Bridget Jones has had on my life and the need to reconceptualise her, so that we find better role models.  Rise up firebird.