Five Women Define Modern Womanhood: Strength, Community and Change
What does it truly mean to be a woman in 2026? The answer is not singular but a rich tapestry woven from diverse experiences, shaped by love and an unwavering drive for transformation. To commemorate International Women's Day, we have gathered profound insights from five extraordinary women—a midwife, an LGBTQIA+ campaigner, a politician, a body positivity advocate, and the CEO of an international organisation—to explore the multifaceted nature of the female experience.
Their narratives remind us that while womanhood often involves navigating structural barriers, it is equally a journey of discovering profound strength within community. The Mirror posed the same four questions to each interviewee, yet their responses unveil a broad spectrum of hope and defiance, highlighting both shared struggles and unique perspectives.
Jess Phillips: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Jess Phillips serves as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office, having been elected as the MP for Birmingham Yardley in July 2024. Prior to her political career, she worked with Women’s Aid in the West Midlands, developing services for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, human trafficking, and exploitation. Elected to Birmingham City Council in 2012, she was appointed the city’s first Victims’ Champion that same year. As an MP, Phillips continues to champion women’s rights and empower the most vulnerable in society.
What does being a woman mean to you? It signifies graft and grit, and I say that as a positive.
What challenges do women face? Women encounter numerous challenges because they still possess less power, wealth, and freedom than men overall. In my work, I witness the worst consequences, leading to abuse and harm. Girls grow up being sexualised and pressured to share naked images, as if that defines their worth. These same girls often later shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic labour.
What is the best thing about being a woman? Other women are the best aspect. The women in my life—at work, in my community, among friends and family—share a shorthand way of expressing love, care, and solidarity. No adversity could befall me without an army of women rallying in support. Our support is sometimes fierce, sometimes gentle, but always present.
If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first thing you would do? I would ensure every part of government strains every sinew to reverse centuries-long trends of violence and abuse against women and children.
Alexa Moore: LGBTQIA+ Campaigner
Alexa Moore is an LGBTQIA+ campaigner and advocate based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, active in LGBTQIA+ and feminist movements since age 16. She currently serves as The Rainbow Project's Policy, Campaigns and Communications Manager, with prior roles at the Human Rights Consortium and Belfast Trans Resource Centre.
What does being a woman mean to you? Womanhood was something I reached via a different path—it felt out of reach yet essential for living authentically. Beginning my transition a decade ago transformed my life and worldview. Being a woman, regardless of one’s journey, means being in community, looking out for one another, and respecting what makes each woman unique.
What challenges do women face? Northern Ireland has the highest femicide rate in Western Europe. Women here, including 'peace babies,' grow up in a post-conflict society still scarred by trauma, contributing to high rates of gender-based violence. Additional challenges include childcare costs, denial of bodily autonomy, everyday misogyny, and street harassment. Lesbian and bisexual women face monumental hurdles in starting families due to limited IVF access; racialised women endure daily racist and sexist abuse; transgender women are subjects of a moral panic portraying them as threats. Amid the global rise of the far-right, strength lies in understanding each other’s experiences rather than narrow definitions of womanhood.
What is the best thing about being a woman? Community. The support from Belfast’s women since I began campaigning as a teenager has been monumental. I am proud to share spaces with incredible feminist activists across movements—LGBTQIA+, reproductive justice, anti-poverty—united by passion and compassion, believing women can better the world.
If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first thing you would do? I would prioritise comprehensive, evidence-based, inclusive relationships and sexuality education. Programmes tackling misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, racism, and ableism while equipping youth with skills for healthy relationships are key to building a safer, more inclusive society.
Tabitha Morton: CEO of UN Women UK
Tabitha Morton is the Executive Director of UN Women UK, working to ensure every woman and girl has safety, choice, and a voice. UN Women is the sole global organisation dedicated to gender equality through grassroots programmes, attitude change, and policy reform.
What does being a woman mean to you? Growing up, I had a narrow view of womanhood with no role models to broaden it. By my 20s, I discovered women pushing boundaries and realised barriers were structural, not personal failures. This revelation sparked my place in the movement, finding strength in solidarity with women worldwide dismantling barriers tied to intersections of identity like race, disability, and LGBTQI+ status.
What challenges do women face? We navigate a world built around men. While progress includes more girls in school and stronger domestic violence laws, rights are simultaneously being rolled back. Violence is rising, digital abuse spreads, and justice systems fail. Women bear a disproportionate share of unpaid care work, limiting economic independence, with compounded discrimination for marginalised communities.
What is the best thing about being a woman? Thanks to predecessors, we can name problems, identify structures to dismantle, and wield tools for change. I’ve found my people among incredible global women, though not all spaces are inclusive. We must actively work for gender equality for ALL women, as collective leadership, empathy, and determination become unstoppable when women unite.
If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first thing you would do? I would make ending violence against women and girls a national priority. This involves statutory, ring-fenced funding for specialist services and prevention through age-appropriate consent education in every school, plus long-term programmes with men and boys challenging harmful attitudes. Investing in childcare and care services is both social and economic policy, enabling women to work and supporting families.
Mamadinya: Midwife, Author, Content Creator
Elizabeth, known online as Mamadinya, is a qualified midwife, maternity educator, and content creator with over 500,000 followers and more than 10 million impressions. She is the author of I’m Pregnant… Now What?, a practical guide to pregnancy and birth.
What does being a woman mean to you? Being a woman means embodying strength that doesn’t need to shout to be felt—power carried with elegance and resilience expressed with eloquence. Womanhood is the ability to hold firmness and softness simultaneously, to lead and nurture, endure and rise, moving through the world with intention and dignity. It is strength, refined.
What challenges do women face? It might be easier to ask what challenges women do not face. One that pains me most is the world’s reluctance to embrace our multifacetedness. Women are expected to be one thing at a time—neatly defined and easily understood. We cannot cry and still claim strength, have children and claim power, or be honest and claim kindness. There’s an unspoken expectation to shrink into a single, digestible version of ourselves, denying the grace to grow and be human.
What is the best thing about being a woman? Our emotional intelligence. Whether a woman has many children, none, builds a career, prioritises family, or does both, there’s a depth to how women think and navigate the world—nuance and intuition in carrying life—that is often uncelebrated.
If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first thing you would do? As a midwife, I would strengthen maternity leave. Women deserve better financial, emotional, and physical support during one of life’s most transformative periods. How a country cares for its mothers reflects how it values women, and we can and should do better.
Alex Light: Body Positivity Campaigner and Author
Alex Light is a writer, author, and body image campaigner challenging harmful beauty standards and cultural pressures on women’s bodies. She authored You Are Not a Before Picture and The Price of Pretty, writing on feminism, media, and body image.
What does being a woman mean to you? It means living in a body the world feels entitled to scrutinise and learning to push back. It involves navigating contradictory, exhausting expectations while being part of a history of women challenging and reshaping possibilities. It also means community—women’s incredible ability to support, uplift, and advocate for one another, driving powerful change through honest sharing of experiences.
What challenges do women face? Women are still valued for appearance over actions. Beyond cultural pressures, structural inequalities persist: pay gaps, unequal caregiving expectations, safety concerns, and limited representation in power. Progress often feels sluggish despite known issues, underscoring the importance of continued dialogue.
What is the best thing about being a woman? Solidarity! There’s immense power in women supporting each other, sharing experiences, and challenging oppressive systems. Women excel at building communities, sparking conversations, and pushing for change. When women succeed, they often pave the way for others to succeed too.
If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first thing you would do? I would focus on policies genuinely supporting women’s lives, not just workforce participation. This includes better childcare provision, proper support for parents and caregivers, and stronger protections against violence and harassment. The burden of balancing work, family, and safety falls disproportionately on women; real equality requires policies addressing this reality to help women thrive.
Ultimately, these five voices collectively underscore that womanhood in 2026 is defined by resilience, community, and an unyielding pursuit of equality. Their stories illuminate both the persistent challenges and the transformative power of solidarity, offering a beacon of hope for a more inclusive future.
