OPEN LINE: readers’ letters
Send your letters to Open Line, The Australian Women’s Weekly, Private Bag 92512, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141 or email them to awweditor@bauermedia.co.nz.
Letter of the month
I love how The Australian Women’s Weekly shares the stories of so many successful female role models. Your article A woman of her time was a wonderful insight into the life of our Prime Minister. I feel very privileged to live in a country where we have a smart, articulate and genuinely caring leader who is clearly seeking to make our country a fairer place for all. It is wonderful for the younger generation to have such a positive role model. We can only be extremely grateful that she said yes to a job she didn’t really want. Thanks for your story highlighting the personal side of Jacinda Ardern and also for putting the “role of women” at the centre of the story. It’s fantastic that our Prime Minister can be a first-time mother in office and lead by example for all the working mums out there. It’s clear that Clarke will be incredibly supportive as a partner and father and I wish them the very best. M. Meade
TURNING WEAKNESS INTO STRENGTH
I’ve always admired Helen Mirren for seeming to be a woman who has it all together. She always looks elegant and poised, and is graceful and controlled without being snooty. So I read with surprise the interview in the February issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly where she admits to suffering from self-doubt and insecurity all her life and in fact still does! Gosh, all of a sudden I could relate to her as just another woman in her early 70s, struggling with some of the same issues. I will remember her statement - “The fact that you feel insecure or stupid or whatever is your business... You’ve just got to get over that.” That’s what I admire - she takes responsibility for her own weaknesses and turns them into strengths. Isabel Ashmore
ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS
Thank you for shining a light on endometriosis. My sister has suffered from the condition for many years and I have seen firsthand how awful it can be. She has struggled through a law degree and then working full time with such terrible pain. It was great to read Susie Ferguson’s story, which has hopefully made people more aware of what some women go through with endometriosis. Here’s hoping scientists will one day find a cure for such an awful disease. Sharon Davies
A MUST-MAKE CAKE!
Oh dear! The Christmas cake tin is empty again. My recipe comes from an Australian Women’s Weekly liftout booklet from 1995 and I have made it every year without fail since that date. Thanks for a major contribution to our family Christmases for all those years and for all the great recipes - there are “must makes” in every issue. Jenny Blakeman