Women we love International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 When Gisèle Pelicot said “shame must change sides”, she struck on something that has occupied my thoughts day in, day out for most of my adult life. It is this: Crimes involving violence against women, and particularly those involving sexual violence, do something more than violate a woman’s safety and dignity. They inject her with a burning shame that does not belong to her. As someone who has lived with this feeling my whole life, let me tell you, carrying shame that is not yours to carry is International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 incredibly confusing. It is harmful. It is heavy. It weighs us down and it keeps us silent and small and scared. Yet Gisèle – a 72-year-old woman from regional France –…

it’s a rare thing to see a movie star utterly disappear into a role. In Conclave, Isabella Rossellini does exactly that. With a largely silent, self-effacing performance, the 72-year-old actor and model pulls off a remarkable vanishing act as Sister Agnes, a stoic matron who manages the legion of nuns that serve the cardinals as they struggle to elect a new pope. The sole woman in an A-list ensemble led by Ralph Fiennes, Rossellini’s character bustles through backrooms of the Vatican, a monochrome cipher in a sea of scarlet men. On paper, it’s a small part, with almost no dialogue and less than eight minutes of screen time. But as a nun who knows too much, Sister Agnes is a stealth weapon hiding in plain sight. A spy in the…

The best views come after the tough climb. Think of adventure, and you might picture scaling mountains or trekking through dense forests. But for Gemma McCaw, who represented New Zealand as an Olympic athlete, adventure has become an extension of her life, particularly in the form of Ladies Who Venture – a business she founded with sports physiotherapist and performance coach Jess Baker – to provide women with the tools and support to take on outdoor adventures. Drawing on her experiences from her sporting career, her qualifications (sport and exercise science and positive psychology and wellbeing) as well as her love for getting outdoors with her friends, Gemma is now working to inspire others, particularly women, to explore the world around them through fitness and adventure. “Adventure is not just…

I left my corporate job when I was 31, around the time I had my second child. After a decade in marketing and having my two little boys in quick succession, like many mothers, I re-evaluated what I wanted from my career. Marketing was a path I fell into after university, but I’d always envied those with a clear calling. I wanted work that excited me – something that didn’t leave me filled with that Sunday night dread. I spoke to a careers coach to figure out my strengths and weaknesses, and suddenly it clicked that I could work in the field I was passionate about: gardening. I retrained in garden design at the English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden and went on to study horticulture. In the early years,…

It goes by many names, a ritual in this context and another, self-love. In short, it’s the little intentional things we do for ourselves to help us through the ebb and flow of busy life. In unpacking what these moments look like for women on different paths, we discover a golden thread – an appreciation for life’s little pleasures. The Oxford Dictionary defines a ritual as a ‘religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.’ We use the term more loosely to describe a commitment to and celebration of the smaller, realistic and repeatable acts of self-love that keep us happy, balanced or at peace. As short and simple as they can sometimes be, these rituals keep us together when life overwhelms…

History tells it like this: With one click of a powerful newspaper’s “publish” button, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s choke hold on Hollywood came undone. But that’s far from the full story. It has been five years since New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor published their bombshell investigation chronicling decades of sexual assault and harassment by Weinstein, igniting the worldwide #MeToo movement originated by activist Tarana Burke. Now the new movie She Said, based on their 2019 book, showcases the gripping detective tale behind the scenes of the investigation, with Carey Mulligan starring as Twohey and Zoe Kazan as Kantor. Initially there “wasn’t a big group” of sources willing to come forward with accusations and evidence about Weinstein, says Kantor. “And yet it turns out that the power of…

So congratulations on your first step: opening this Winter 2025 issue. We love this season at WH because we get to hug our beginners tightly as they begin their journey to their healthiest, happiest lives—and then equip them with the best experts, tips, ideas, and tools to achieve their biggest dreams. For many, that means embarking on a fitness program that delivers results. Stronger muscles, yes, but also a sense of confidence and calm that can power you in many other areas of your life. If travel is on your yesss list in 2025? Please read the essay by WH managing editor Laura McLaughlin on page 42, which will not only make you want to book a cruise to Antarctica immediately but also help you see trips in the wholly different light…

I’m 20 years old, cripplingly hungover and curled up on the couch in my disastrously mould-prone Wellington sharehouse. Like every other anxiety-filled Sunday, I’m feeling sorry for myself. I’m contemplating whether I’ll ever find a boyfriend in this godforsaken city – spoiler alert, I won’t – when my housemate bursts into the lounge room. Wordlessly, she thrusts her phone screen towards me, awaiting my reaction. As my eyes dart across the screen, taking in the bold orange text, my sleep-deprived (and probably alcoholically poisoned) body is filled with sudden adrenaline: Tinder, the buzzy American dating app, has finally launched in New Zealand. Like most single people who came of age as dating apps entered the world, I initially had mixed feelings about using an ‘app’ to find people to date.…

A Women’s History Month Special THROUGHOUT HISTORY, SWEEPING EPICS OFTEN praise the tales of formidable men who triumphed in battles, conquered vast lands, and moved the trajectories of nations. However, hidden behind these larger-than-life narratives exists a treasure trove of equally awe-inspiring stories featuring remarkable women—women who not only reshaped history but also defied the expectations of their times, shattered societal barriers and glass ceilings, and permanently etched their names in the hearts and minds of generations to come. In these pages you will embark on an educational and enlightening journey, uncovering the profound contributions of some truly incredible women who have left their marks on society at large. From ancient times to the modern era, each woman’s unique story will captivate you as you learn about a new potential…

As a millennial, my expectations of romance no longer entail grand displays of affections, or falling madly in love like protagonists do in the movies. When one has to juggle work, chores, and the general administration that adult life demands, remaining in a heightened state of infatuation is not sustainable. This, however, is not disillusionment. It is just that a clearer picture of reality has set in. A partner can be a great complement to one’s enjoyment of the world if the bond evolves into something transcendental. However, romance is not limited to an experience shared between two individuals. It can be a never-ending affair to make the ordinary, extraordinary. When I asked millennials around me what being romantic means to them, a resounding number of responses ran along the…

I’m a palaeontologist, which means I study fossils. If you’re wondering whether I dig up dinosaurs, yes, I do. And yes, it’s as cool as it sounds. Last year, I got to spend about four weeks in Canada on a dig. I actually discovered an almost-complete dinosaur skeleton on that trip. It was incredible. If I’d found that in Australia, it would immediately become the best-preserved dinosaur that we have in the country. But in Canada, which is practically brimming with dinosaur fossils, they were just like, “Oh, well, it’s missing some bones, and, you know, it’s kind of high up and would be hard to excavate… And we’ve got six already that are better preserved, so we’re just going to leave it here.” I can’t complain, though. I think…

The idea of an adventure often has us conjuring up international travel ideas or even big road trips. But the healing magic also lies in mini-or even micro-adventures – opportunities to do something new or even the same action differently, break up our norm or change things up a bit. To me, an adventure contains an element of the unknown, whether that be the outcome or part of the journey, and possibly a sprinkling of challenge in there too. A couple of years ago, I was reflecting on two important threads in my life – adventures and being of service, wanting to make a difference. I felt there was a real connection between the two and started to look at the healing powers of adventures. What was it that a)…

It’s good to have goals. When set and achieved successfully, the journey to realising a chosen achievement — whether that be completing a higher education course that enhances your career or crossing the finish line of a charity trek after months of training and fundraising — can give our lives meaning, purpose, and a sense of accomplishment: a feeling of constantly growing and moving forward every day, as opposed to being stuck in a rut and feeling like you’re living the same existence on repeat. For some of us, however, setting a new goal can feel like we’re setting ourselves up for failure before we’ve even begun. As someone who is inherently ambitious and hungry for a happier way of living, I have spent countless years setting myself a multitude…

WE KNOW THEM WHEN WE MEET THEM: the complainer, the narcissist, the drama magnet…and the list of difficult people goes on. They sap our energy, and in the most extreme cases, deal a blow to our self-esteem. The first step to defusing these emotional vampires is as vital as it is deceptively simple: Label what you’re feeling, encourages Amy Cooper Hakim, Ph.D., industrial-organizational psychology practitioner and co-author of Working With Difficult People. “It’s important to be honest with yourself by saying, ‘This person doesn’t make me feel good about myself,’” says Hakim. Such an explicit acknowledgement helps curb any misplaced selfblame you may feel so you can shift from the shell shock of being mistreated into proactive, problemsolving mode. Another advantage to spotting joy thieves is that it helps prepare you for…

‘I TAUGHT MYSELF TO GARDEN USING MY BARE FEET’ ‘I achieved my ultimate dream’ BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Sue Kent lives in Swansea My earliest memories of gardening are of being in my dad’s potting shed, making cups of tea out of soil. I come from a family of gardeners – my great-grandfather was an RHS medallist and even had a Royal warrant to supply asparagus to the then Prince of Wales! I was born with an upper limb difference caused by the drug thalidomide. Growing up, I had to adapt a lot – and gardening was no exception. When my husband and I and our two children moved to our current house in Swansea in the 80s, I taught myself to garden using my bare feet, pulling out weeds…

THERE is a huge hole in our understanding of the brain. A gaping, woman-shaped hole. While neuroscience has given us countless insights into how our minds work, history reveals a major oversight: most of those studies were performed on both men and women without considering that there might be differences between their brains. Only recently have we begun to realise the impact of this blind spot. For example, research has now shown that the brain is dramatically remodelled after giving birth, while another study found that the fluctuations of the menstrual cycle affect how the brain works. This oversight not only leaves us in the dark about how reproductive stages affect the brain, but calls into question many other, broader conclusions in neuroscience. It is also what inspired neuroscientist-turned-entrepreneur Emilė…

When gymnast Sunisa “Suni” Lee began her floor routine in the all-around final at the Paris Olympics last summer, nothing was certain. It was her last rotation of the day, and Lee, the reigning gold medalist, was tied for fourth place with mere fractions of a point separating her from the competition. As she stepped onto the floor, NBC captured Lee reciting affirmations to herself. “I was telling myself that I got this, and this is going to be the last one, so I wanted to make it the best one,” Lee says. “Telling myself that I was ‘that girl,’ just going to go out there and do my thing, because that’s what I came here to do.” In 2023, a series of health struggles—including two kidney diseases—had Lee doubting whether she…

It’s 1987. I’m on my way home from school, my yellow Sony Walkman playing tinny Roxy Music. Suddenly, a girl strides right up to me and slaps me around the face. ‘Don’t ever cut your eye at my cousin again!’ she declares and disappears into a corner shop. I stand on the pavement, stunned, Love Is The Drug reverberating in my ears. Which cousin? When? Then I realise. Her cousin is probably a student at my new school. I sometimes – and totally inadvertently – do this thing with my face. I know this, because I’ve been called names as a consequence: ‘Stuck-up’, ‘Posho’, ‘Bitch’… Now, there’s another name to add to the list, courtesy of the Pope, who said that a group of Dominican sisters had ‘vinegar faces’ and needed to…

For many women in Singapore, the pressure of proving their worth goes beyond excelling at work. It often involves the constant balancing act of juggling one’s ambition with the demands of caregiving and motherhood, while navigating workplaces where toxic cultures and subtle biases remain pervasive. There’s also the fear of falling behind. Taking a career break often feels like an unconventional choice in a society that emphasises hustle culture. However, the mental health impact of not prioritising oneself is far greater. In 2024, Employment Hero’s Wellness at Work Report found that 61 per cent of Singaporeans felt burnt out, with millennials making up the majority. However, a shift is occurring as more millennial women choose to pause their careers. For some, burnout is only part of the story. Others seek…

When starting a new book like Gifted & Talented, what do you create first: plot, characters, or setting? I am what’s called a pantser, very character-first. I also started out as a fan fiction writer, a medium that’s 100 percent character. The book, about three siblings fighting for control of their father’s company, officially comes out in April but is already getting a lot of buzz. How do you decide what to share in advance to excite your fans? I love to keep twists a surprise, but I don’t mind showing my hand a little bit. Ideally, readers just get so drawn into the story that even knowing things in advance won’t change the experience of the read. Your protagonist, Meredith, has a very distinct voice. But (and speaking of twists!) there’s also a…

Audrey Hepburn fell in love with Paris in 1951, a city that would go on to influence her personal sense of style. For unlike many of her celebrity peers, Audrey’s fashion choices leaned towards casual, comfortable clothing when she wasn’t in front of the camera – and even, at times, when she was. While women were most often seen in dresses and skirts, Audrey favoured capri pants, which she owned in a variety of shades and patterns. An original influencer, sales of the item took off as women clamoured to get the look. The slim fit of her capris was almost always finished off with her signature ballet flats. Inspired by her love of the discipline from a young age, it was no surprise Audrey favoured the delicate slip-on shoes.…

Meet Sally Goodwin, a remarkable woman on a mission to inspire and empower women to embrace their God-ordained identity and destiny. A prophet, teacher, author, wife, and mother to three wonderful sons, Sally’s life journey is a testament to the power of faith and redemption. After experiencing a troubled childhood, surviving sexual assault, and enduring a toxic first marriage, Sally spent years grappling with feelings of inadequacy and disconnection from God. However, her second husband, Flynn, showed her what it meant to be truly loved, reigniting her faith and setting her on a path of healing and self-discovery. Through her ministry Activate-Her, Sally has dedicated her life to empowering women of all backgrounds to realise their worth and purpose in God’s Kingdom. Sally’s journey through the Bible, paying close attention…

AG Insurance-Soudal Belgium 2024 WT wins: 5 Team leader: Justine Ghekiere Team boss: Jurgen Foré Raison d’être: Continue growing and solidify credentials on the WorldTour It’s hard to believe that AG Insurance-Soudal only rose to WorldTour level at the start of last season. They got off to a flying start, too, winning the opening race of the year through Sarah Gigante at the Tour Down Under. Since then, the boat has steadied for the Belgian squad, and new talents have begun emerging. The biggest of those appears to be Justine Ghekiere who won the mountains classifications at both the Tour and the Giro d’Italia last year. New signing Urška Zigart adds further climbing firepower, alongside the veteran Ashleigh Moolman, now 39 years old and in her third year with the…

Those of you who know me know that being a Lioness is part of my very essence. I often find myself in situations where that part of me will arise battle-ready to take on her prey. But there are also times when I know I have to expose the softer side of me for the task at hand. This I believe is part of our superpower as women in this season. Knowing and understanding our fierceness and coupling that with our femininity. In a world fraught with challenges, we as women have emerged as pillars of strength, resilience, and influence. We have endured trials that sought to break us—moments where innocence was taken, voices were silenced, and value was dismissed. Yet, here we stand, not as victims of circumstance but…

Gender equality is not solely a women’s cause—it is a fundamental societal issue that affects everyone. Achieving an equitable world requires boys and men to be active participants, not just passive supporters. As allies, boys can challenge the systemic structures of inequality, promote respect and consent, and empower women and girls. Their involvement is critical to dismantling harmful stereotypes and fostering a culture of mutual respect and fairness. The Importance of Boys as Allies:- The role of boys in advancing gender equality cannot be overstated. As part of the social fabric, their actions, attitudes, and decisions influence the collective mindset. By educating themselves about gender inequality and advocating for change, boys contribute to creating an environment where both genders can flourish. This journey begins with small steps, such as challenging…

HEN DANNAH O’Brien banged over the conversion of Erin King’s late, late try against the Black Ferns in WXV1 in September, the scenes of delirium in the Irish camp befitted a side that made history. This was their most seismic victory in years, a five-tries-to-three epic featuring two tries apiece from Erin King, the outstanding 21-year-old back-row, and Aoife Wafer, the brilliant 21-year-old openside. At 27-27, it all came down to O’Brien, the 21-year-old fly-half. When she put over the extras and won the Test, it immediately went down as one of the great Irish rugby moments of recent years. It was Ireland’s third victory in a row against a top-ten nation, the first time they’d put together a run like that since 2017, and it came off the back…