Channel 4 newsreader Cathy Newman: 'A boy next to me took out his penis and put my hand on it' | 3B3FA33 | 2024-03-08 21:08:01
'There are all the time challenges,' says Cathy Newman. 'Ladies overcome such big obstacles to get to the top of their careers. It's by no means a straight route up.' She should know.
One of many major Channel 4 News studio presenters and a former political correspondent, Cathy additionally worked for the Financial Occasions for seven years. As an investigative journalist, she has broken major stories, together with allegations of sexual harassment in Westminster.
She says she has also, throughout her life, experienced harassment and intimidation. 'I used to be a scholarship scholar at a boys' public school, which solely had women in the sixth type, so I used to be marked out,' she says. 'One time, a boy I was sitting next to received his penis out and put my hand on his c***.
'I had my bum pinched repeatedly at parties once I was a younger journalist, which was tedious. At a party convention, I went as much as bed but I obtained a name minutes later from a nationwide newspaper editor who was in the bar. He requested if he might come up and sleep in my room as, mysteriously, his hotel room had gone missing.'
She also faced discrimination within the workplace. 'Once I was on the FT, I was repeatedly asked to do the filing,' Cathy says. 'It was assumed I used to be a PA because I was a lady. Additionally, I came upon a good friend of mine got paid £10,000 more than me to do the same job I'd finished, although he was more junior. My boss stated, "What do you want the cash for? You don't have a mortgage or family." That was simple sexism. As a lady in your career, you must battle and overcome.'
Like many high-profile ladies, Cathy has received online abuse and death threats. After her interview with the Canadian psychologist and writer Jordan Peterson in 2018, discussing points including pay inequality, the misogynistic abuse, on-line trolling and dying threats have been enough for Channel 4 to call in security specialists.
'I enjoyed the interview, a great previous joust,' says Cathy. 'The aftermath – dying threats and relentless trolling abuse – was bruising. I was despatched knives dripping in blood online. I used to be doxed, so my residence tackle was put out on-line. I've had stalkers prior to now, so that was not welcome.
'Despite the fact that it was six years in the past, I nonetheless get trolled about it and I discover that tedious. There are constant questions on-line about, "Do you still have a job after the Jordan Peterson interview?" Nicely, I do still have a job, I really like my job, and my bosses appear to assume I'm good at my job, so it's all effective by me.'
In fact, all careers have challenges. But as Cathy details in her new e-book, The Ladder, ladies working in each area (politics, regulation, engineering, music) incessantly face challenges, or 'snakes', that threaten to knock them off their chosen ladder.
The ebook attracts on Cathy's interviews in her Occasions Radio present with ladies who've achieved extraordinary issues, from politicians (Nicola Sturgeon, Angela Rayner) and scientists (Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell) to broadcasters (Clare Balding, Davina McCall).
'Ladies face every part from "Everyday Sexism", a time period Laura Bates coined, to appalling harassment and abuse of their day by day lives,' Cathy says.
'It's about things that belittle, undermine, or knock your vanity and your right to be in your career or business.'
The methods ladies use to maneuver past discrimination or abuse are 'fairly empowering', says Cathy.
'Having female networks is essential. Jacqui Smith [former home secretary and Labour MP] talked about this.
'Her career imploded after the bills scandal. Her marriage then broke down. The thing that stored her going was having a network of female supporters who helped get her back on monitor. I've been fortunate to have unofficial mentors, resembling journalists and editors, individuals I've remained associates with. If I want advice, I call individuals up they usually'll give me trustworthy recommendation. Male allies are additionally essential.'
Cathy's husband, writer John O'Connell, is among her male allies.
'I couldn't do the high-pressure job I do with out my husband being an extremely supportive, nurturing presence,' she says.
'He takes the majority of the childcare – an enormous cause why some ladies flounder in their careers is being the half of the couple that will get paid much less they usually take a backseat at work to look after youngsters.
'My husband has needed to make profession sacrifices and I've needed to make private sacrifices,' she says. 'You possibly can't have it all. But you possibly can attempt your greatest.'
She also believes her success, and that of different ladies, comes right down to 'arduous work, willpower, tenaciousness'.
'Arduous work is allied with imposter syndrome,' she says. 'A number of ladies worry they'll be "came upon" that they're not ok, in order that they work twice as arduous as the subsequent man, and that may be a superpower.'
She has additionally overcome self-doubt, which may be debilitating. 'I want I might inform my youthful self to worry less, to doubt myself less and to have more confidence,' Cathy says.
'I struggled with imposter syndrome. I always doubted myself.'
Cathy turns 50 this yr and says age brings a thicker skin. 'The more knowledge, experience and perspective you've gotten, you look again and assume, "I don't care if a faceless troll on Twitter is sending me dying threats." I care much less what individuals think about me now, and that's extremely liberating.'
'Look out at the world and go: "Wow, isn't the world superb, aren't those individuals fascinating." The minute you make it about other individuals and never about your self, it may well change in a a lot better means.' Clare Balding
'All the time keep in mind that old style manners really matter. All the time know how you can spell someone's identify. In the event you arrive early, or stay later, or supply to make espresso, and so on, you aren't demeaning yourself.' Kirstie Allsopp
'Profiting from the best breaks on the right time is vital to driving success' Davina McCall
'There's all the time a hesitancy to [ask for help] because individuals assume it makes them look weak. But for those who don't ask, you gained't know what the answer is.' Kate Bingham
'Should you don't put your personal happiness first, what good are you going to be for anything? In case you are pleased then every thing around you is going to work out better. All the time put your self first. I know it sounds egocentric, however it's not.' Sue Cheung
The Ladder: Life Classes From Ladies Who Scaled The Heights & Dodged The Snakes (William Collins) is out now.
Cathy's Times Radio show is on Fridays, Four-7pm
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