The Birds and the B’s

Image © John MacPherson

The ‘B’s’ are Blowhard Blokey Birding Bumwhuffles. (I made that last word up but I think it’s apt.)

I came across this blog post tonight and it just confirmed something I’ve observed and had recounted to me by women colleagues and friends. It pisses me off. But don’t let me sway you, read this blog post by young conservationist Mya-Rose Craig and decide for yourself. Mya-Rose is 13 and is already making her mark: she is (from her website):

“…a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and is looking forward to watching Penguins in Antarctica in December 2015, which will be her 7th continent. Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital 2015 Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol 2015 Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol’s most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter “

 

My lovely friend Lucy McRobert wrote a brilliant article in the December 2015 edition of BBC Wildlife Magazine.  In it she talked about the sexism in birding and nature conservation. This was something raised by Matt Williams at the September 2014 AFON Conference in Cambridge.  It was a subject that I felt so strongly about, that I was prepared to speak up about it in front of all the delegates.  This is a longer version of the letter that I have sent about the article.

Dear BBC Wildlife Magazine

Lucy McRobert is exactly right in her opinion on sexism in nature conservation. Even at 13 years old, sexism brings me down.  It’s hard to talk about it without sounding like you have “sour grapes”, but I will try.  I go to Scouts and Guides; in the first we roll around in mud and make nest boxes; whilst in the other, we have movie nights and are told Guides aren’t interested in nature.  These stereotypes are ingrained before children even leave primary school. Age 7, I was in a BBC4 programme about birding, after which I was subjected to a lot of abuse on social media.  If I had been a boy, being out birding at the weekends would have been acceptable and people would not have been clambering to say that I was “clearly” uninterested in birds. A boy would have reminded male birders of their own childhood and would have been seen as normal.  As a girl, I was unfairly labeled as “bored and unhappy”……………………………….click to continue reading original article“

I think these narrow-minded conservationists need more conversations about inclusion. Tweet this if you feel the same.