Note to the BBC: Knowledgeable women: What's your area of expertise?

[alexpolismum]

The BBC seems to think there aren't enough women to choose from as guest speakers, etc.

I have heard some of the men who talk on my subject area, and I am certainly just as knowledgeable and in some cases more so. I have also read some very insightful, analystical and well-informed posts here on mumsnet. I refuse to accept that they cannot find women to talk to, they are just not trying. So let's make it easy for them. Let's:

(a) suggest women they can invite
(b) tell them what WE can talk about

i think my mate sandy would be good

Another sciencey person: Dr Lucy Walker in the field of Immunity/ autoimmunity/ infection

Civil engineering: Dr Carina Weingaertner

Lesley Regan
Susan greenfield
All the female profs at my university.
The BBC are not trying hard enough.

How do you know the BBC think there aren't enough women?

Is it not preferable to assuming they think there are loads of women they could call on, but choose deliberately to shut them out?

Of course, if you have reason to believe it's the latter, you could say so, and I doubt anyone would be hugely surprised.

It is implied, although not stated outright, firstly in their failure to find many women guests to speak, even on issues directly pertaining to women, and secondly in Ceri Thomas' statement published on Bidisha's blog.

Especially as so many issues discussed on eg Today do not require MPs or FTSE board members.

It is implied by people such as yourselves.
Dredging up random lists of Clever Ladies isn't going to quell your paranoi. On the contrary, it will stoke it.

All right, moondog. Perhaps the BBC does not think there are not enough women they could call on, although I must say they have a funny way of showing it. Perhaps they know perfectly well there are lots of Clever Ladies, and just choose to ignore them.

And what on earth makes you think we are paranoid? I would have thought that striving for change was upbeat and optimistic!

moondog, what do you draw from the BBC's tendency to have well over half the guests men when men are only 50% of the population?

Some thought must have crossed your mind about what it might suggest, surely?

The Science Media Centre maintains a list of experts for the the media to call on as well as holding regular briefings and background seminars on science subjects in the news. It is always looking for experts to add to its files and provides a short cut for media wanting quick access to experts. Encourage your experts to get on their books.

Its website is:www.sciencemediacentre.org/

In addition it holds media training courses. I am retired now but it used to be part of my work(not with the Science Media Centre) to media train scientific and medical experts.It is important to realise that it is no good being an expert if you cannot explain difficult concepts succinctly and simply. Some scientists are naturals, some become excellent with training but there are always a few who should never be allowed within hailing distance of a mike or camera.

Ginny Clarke, Chief Highways Engineer. She meets your criteria for delivering simple exposition perfectly Sportsfanatic , knows lots about winter driving preparations so is topical, and is a v good engineer.

to be honest at this point in time i'd like to see them interview nurses, midwives, mothers of disabled children, single mums, disabled women, etc. they'd be the real 'experts' on the important stuff right now.

The name Ginny Clarke sounds familiar, was she president of the ICE a couple years back? Any engineers on here know?

Dr Marion Witton is one of the country's leading experts in the regulation of social care.

Francesca Stavrakapoulou is a very good Biblica/Hebrew/Archaeology scholar that they have got presenting in the past.

StewieGriffinsMom, I suggest Dr Susan Brigden as a suitable Tudor scholar. She's eminent and I suspect would be very good on camera- confident, photogenic and a good speaker.