Yesterday I wrote about my depressing experience in a gym changing room where a little girl sucked in her tummy when she noticed me looking at (admiring) her.
Today, I’ve decided to suggest things we can collectively challenge in our society, things that hurt us and our children. I’m a big believer in taking action!
Here’s a little taster of where I’m going with this one:
I had an unnerving experience two days ago and haven’t quite yet recovered.
This thing happened in the changing room of my local gym.
Here’s a meme I made for the occasion. It might give you a clue as to where I’m going with this…
This conversation was sparked by the publication of a new study on sibling configurations and looking at whether aspiration and achievment of children is dependent on ‘order’ in the family. Interestingly, the researchers in this case also found a gender difference – specifically, that eldest girls aspire to, and achieve more academically than eldest boys. Naturally enough this sparked much media debate!
Sharon Ní Choncúir, freelance journalist with the Irish Examiner was interested by a large research piece done by Open University that suggests that childfree couples are happier than parents. We talk about why that might be.
This is my response to figures published today by the Rape Crisis Network. I refer in particular to the disturbing statistic that nearly 40% of sexual assaults of minors in Ireland are committed by under-18s. The Rape Crisis Network’s website is here if you want to view this and other reports.
This is my response to the criticism of the Spunout.ie threesome page by Michelle Mulherin.
I would like to offer my opinion on today’s publicity around Spunout.ie’s section on Threesomes on their website.
I am in fact a huge fan of the website, and as a sex educator with teens myself feel an alliance with people who are willing to offer fact based sex education in a country where we are still utterly lacking in good quality sex education for second level students.
I was interviewed for this piece by Chrissie Russell, a journalist who is interested in the assumptions made around gender, in particular, the assumption that women will want to, and will go on to have children. It was an interesting one to do, and I’ll make the full text of my answers to her available in the future. For now – here’s the version that was printed in the Irish Independent:
Evening Echo, Friday, November 5, 2010
I wrote this article in response to hearing a women speaking about being a stay at home Mum. She spoke articulately and honestly about how difficult she found it, and how guilty she felt about that.
Of all the articles I’ve written so far this has received the biggest response. Continue reading
I wrote this during a time where there was much debate on the Age of Consent in Ireland. In this letter published in the Irish Times I was hoping to encourage people to really think about the pressure our young people experience, and to give them a voice. Continue reading
I wrote this over 15 years ago in response to a set of new advertisements on TV that in my opinion promote and normalize “age-related” cosmetic surgery for women. Both the Irish Examiner and The Irish Times published this.
I am a counselling psychologist working in private practice in Cork city and county. Last week a teenage client told me she was very upset because she could see ‘expression lines’ on her face.
