On the Bright Side

2019 review Women of the year On the Courageous, tenacious and determined to make a difference, these women were role models to look up to in 2019. GRETA THUNBERG hearts across the globe – and more Few people have captured worldwide than enough in the US to get her attention in the way 16-year-old Greta elected. This was widely touted as A year Thunberg has. Since her solo protest one of the greatest political upsets in of firsts bright outside Swedish parliament in August recent American history. She assumed 2018, her tireless campaign for action office on 3rd January 2019, and at 29 against climate change has become years old, was the youngest woman a global movement. In March, an ever to do so. She has been making estimated 1.4m students in 112 waves ever since, including already countries joined Thunberg’s strike, being the subject of an award-winning side now known as Fridays For Future. Netflix documentary, Knock Down The In May, she was on the cover of Time House, along with three other female THE UK GETS ITS FIRST magazine and named a next-generation politicians. A fearless feminist and ALL-FEMALE MUSIC FESTIVAL IT’S EASY TO REFLECT ON 2019 leader. In September, she addressed ally to marginalised communities, This October, the UK’s first music AS A YEAR OF POLITICAL CHAOS, the UN Climate Action Ocasio-Cortez is known festival with an all-female lineup Summit in New York for standing for social RISING HATE AND DEPRESSING took place in Poole, Dorset. (while her sea voyage to get justice and her heroic Addressing the issue of a HEADLINES, BUT AMID THE BAD there had us all enthralled). Twitter take-downs. She male-dominated music industry, NEWS, THERE WERE POSITIVE Thunberg is not without is unafraid to challenge HearHer’s programme was not a sense of humour, too. the establishment and she’s only comprised entirely of female STORIES, TOO. ANNA BONET When a sarcastic Donald only just getting started. artists, but the production was LOOKS BACK AT THE FEELGOOD Trump attempted to mock organised by women, too. her by saying she seemed JOANNA CHERRY, MOMENTS OF THE YEAR ‘a very happy young girl LADY HALE AND CLIMATE CHANGE STUDY looking forward to a bright GINA MILLER MADE COMPULSORY and wonderful future’, When Prime Minister In November, Italy’s education she retaliated by putting Boris Johnson announced minister unveiled plans for the this very quote in her his plans to prorogue country to become the first to make Twitter bio. Naturally, the parliament in September sustainable development and internet went mad for it. this year, outrage ensued climate change a compulsory Meanwhile, Thunberg from all corners of the lesson for schoolchildren. As of s the year draws to a close, has met with the likes country. But a trio of women September 2020, all state schools we’d be forgiven for feeling of Barack Obama, was stepped up, resolute on in Italy will dedicate 33 teaching a little blue. From the tragedy nominated for the Nobel holding Johnson to account hours a year to the subject. of the Amazon rainforest Peace Prize and has for what they deemed as fire to total Brexit chaos, become the voice of a undemocratic. QC and the news cycle hasn’t been generation, proving that Scottish National Party MP exactly uplifting. But despite just as her book of speeches Joanna Cherry rigorously the doom and gloom, there is titled, no one is too small petitioned for a judicial have been moments of joy. There have been women to make a difference. review. Legal campaigner standing up for what’s right, a tonne of female Gina Miller continued her pioneers and a 16-year-old girl sparking a global ALEXANDRIA fight for democracy by GLASTONBURY BANS SINGLE- movement. There have been funny memes that OCASIO-CORTEZ challenging the prorogation USE PLASTIC FOR THE FIRST TIME united a divided nation, and a certain polka-dot Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the High Court. And The UK’s biggest festival dress that kept everyone talking. Bills have also worked as a waitress and finally, Supreme Court had its most eco-friendly been passed that are taking steps towards making bartender before she president Lady Hale ruled year yet. After the news the world a better place. Pretending nothing mounted a grassroots the suspension of parliament that 1m plastic bottles were negative happened this year won’t get us anywhere, campaign in order to run as unlawful (and set off sold at Glastonbury in 2017, butA it’s also worth remembering that it wasn’t for congress in 2018, and a fashion trend for brooches this year, single-use plastic all bad. Here are the nice stories from 2019 that her everywoman aura with her #BigBroochEnergy bottles were not available at we’ll be holding on to… quickly won over many in the process). any of the bars or backstage. 32 33 January 2020 | REDONLINE.CO.UK January 2020 | REDONLINE.CO.UK 2019 review KHADIJAH MELLAH Talking points From the dress that seemed to be everywhere more than 26,000 followers. BECOMES FIRST UK JOCKEY To some, the dress represented TO WEAR A HIJAB to the most-hyped book of the year, here are just a fast fashion at its worst, but Mellah,18, from Peckham, few of the events that caught the country’s attention. others saw it positively: how London, sat on a racehorse for heartening it is that women the first time in April, after her THE TESTAMENTS BY Christie-like plot unfold, to the of all ages and sizes can look mother spotted an advert MARGARET ATWOOD point where the story made ITV great in one item. for Ebony Horse Club, an Almost 35 years on, the sequel News and #WagathaChristie organisation aiming to transform to The Handmaid’s Tale was finally trended for days on end. As of yet, LYNN ENRIGHT ON lives in south London’s most published in September, and the the mystery remains unsolved. VAGINAS AND PERIODS disadvantaged communities. world was more than ready for it. After decades, centuries, Fast forward four months and she Fans queued outside bookshops on THE WORLD WELCOMES entire millennia of silence and made history at Goodwood the eve of publication and London’s ANOTHER ROYAL BABY ‘THIS squeamishness, 2019 seemed to by being the first jockey to take National Theatre was lit up green in After much anticipation, The be the year that we all began talking part in a race in Britain wearing honour. ‘Our goal was to deliver a Duchess of Sussex, Meghan SEEMED TO about vaginas, periods, pain and a hijab – and then won it. campaign that was iconic, befitting Markle, gave birth to her first pleasure – loudly, proudly and our amazing author and this book, child in May. She and Prince BE THE YEAR out in the open. There was an the highly anticipated sequel to Harry were delighted to introduce abundance of books published on The Handmaid’s Tale,’ explained baby Archie to the world, while THAT WE the topic: my own book, Vagina: Mari Yamazaki, publicity director Meghan was widely praised for A Re-Education, was published at Vintage, Atwood’s publisher. moving away from the photocall ALL BEGAN last March; then came Maisie ‘Through collaboration, The tradition on the hospital steps. Hill’s Period Power, Nimko Ali’s Testaments was at the heart of the TALKING What We’re Told Not To Talk About MARVEL ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST national conversation in a most THE WOMEN’S WORLD CUP (But We’re Going To Anyway), OPENLY LGBTQ SUPERHERO troubled autumn. An incredible For what felt like the first time Dr Jennifer Gunter’s The Vagina In June, Marvel Studios confirmed amount of work has gone into the ever, women’s football was seen ABOUT Bible and Emma Barnett’s Period. that the fourth instalment publishing of the book. Margaret as just as exciting as the male I think it’s important to note, to the Thor franchise, Thor: Atwood is a hero to our times, game – and the record viewing VAGINA S’ though, that this didn’t happen Love And Thunder, will but also to us personally.’ figures of the 2019 Women’s overnight. I write in my book that have an LGBTQ storyline. World Cup proved it. ‘feminism has always, and must Valkyrie, played by LIZZO’S GLASTONBURY SET always, involve educating women Tessa Thompson, will be Pop superstar Lizzo rocking a THE UK STANDS WITH about their own bodies’, and I really Marvel’s first gay superhero. shiny purple leotard while playing DIANE ABBOTT WHEN think that’s true. From the earliest the flute at Glasto is an unforgettable SHE’S CAUGHT DRINKING times, women were helping other BBC APPOINTS ITS 2019 moment. You can’t help but TRAIN TINNIES When MP women by teaching them about FIRST DIRECTOR OF love the queen of self-love. Diane Abbott was photographed sex, contraception, menstruation, CREATIVE DIVERSITY on the Tube drinking a mojito in childbirth – and the second wave TV presenter and WAGATHA CHRISTIE ‘It’s… a tin, she had to issue an apology of feminism involved plenty of campaigner June Rebekah Vardy’s account’. Those (alcohol is against Transport For sex education. However, I suppose Sarpong was appointed four words and ellipsis were London rules). But the nation stood you could say that the vagina went as the BBC director of big news this year. Coleen Rooney, behind her, with memes captioned mainstream in 2019. I was certainly creative diversity, a convinced one of her Instagram ‘Diane is all of us’ quickly overwhelmed by the response to newly created role, in followers was leaking stories about becoming an internet hit.

Load more