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Opinion

#100years of women having the vote

8 February 20183 December 2018 Suzanne Hemming

This week saw the centenary celebration of The Peoples Representation Act of 1918.

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theachopsbooks

The whole reason @theachopsbooks exists is my daug

The whole reason @theachopsbooks exists is my daughter, Thea.

13 years ago I searched for books to read to her, and sought out the fairytales I had read as a child. But reading them in 2013, with adult eyes, I was horrified at the pink passive princesses, and princes who climbed through windows and kissed without seeking consent.

So I started writing and @theachopsbooks was born. 📚

13 years on, honestly, it feels like the world is going backwards. I was writing to try and help create greater equality for my daughter and yours, and for your boys in the face of toxic masculinity.

And yet today I read that a large percentage of Gen Z men think feminism has “gone too far” and women should obey men.

My heart breaks reading this. Are we going backwards? What does the future hold for our children? Will our girls be safe? Will our boys be influenced by men who promote misogyny as masculinity?

I made this Reel as I thought the audio was too funny as a parent of a now teenager. So I do want to celebrate in this post that my little Thea Chops, the one who inspired it all, is now 13. She is smart, and funny, and knows her own mind, and is not afraid to tell me! And I cannot wait to see the young women she will become. If this world is heading backwards I will stand beside her as she marches forwards.

She was due on the 8th March, which as we all know is #internationalwomensday but she arrived one day early, on the 7th. I like to think it’s because she just couldn’t wait to take this world by storm! 💪🏽

Happy birthday Chops. Thank you for making me your mum. 🫶🏽💕

Same time of the day, very different thoughts! 🤪

Same time of the day, very different thoughts! 🤪

Anyone else remember being carefree and 23?!

#authorlife #childrensauthor #mumsofinsta #rememberwhen

“There is a special place in hell for women who do

“There is a special place in hell for women who don’t support other woman”

Or who think a 15 year old is fair game.

Can we please stop defending men who are indefensible.

#equalitymatters #believewomen #specialplaceinhell #iwasfifteen

This is why it’s important to teach boys that it’s

This is why it’s important to teach boys that it’s okay to have feelings and show them.

What an amazingly wonderful display of masculinity from @chattyman @nickmohammedy and @olusoga

10/10 gentleman! 👌🏽

They say when women support women amazing things can happen, but here is exactly the same happening when men support men.

It’s the very reason I wrote How Frank Helped Hank; to teach kids, but especially little boys that it’s okay to cry and feel sad!

Can not not tell you how happy I was when @chattyman won #celebritytraitors and seeing this beautiful display of masculinity was just the icing on the cake! 🎂

#boysgetsadtoo #itsokaytonotbeokay #equalitymatters

Well played @johnlewis well played. What dyou th

Well played @johnlewis well played.

What dyou think?

So far I’ve only read positive commentary about this ad, heartwarming being a word used a lot. But I did see one comment that said, finally a proper English family… 🤔

Anything that promotes showing your feelings is right by me! And using a banging @alison_limerick tune? Chef’s kiss @johnlewis chef’s kiss👌🏽

#johnlewischristmas #wherelovelives #boyshavefeelingstoo

Every boy learns from the world around him. But w

Every boy learns from the world around him.

But we have the opportunity to lay the ground work. To show boys what it means to become a man.

It’s what we say and do and probably most importantly show them, that will make the difference when the world tries to shape them.

I read today that one woman is killed by a partner or former partner in the uk, on average every 3 days. I’m posting this Reel on 4th November, 306 days into 2025. Which means over 100 women have been killed this year. That took a dark turn Suze. Aren’t you a children’s author?

I am yes. But it’s all connected though isn’t it? What we teach kids, shapes who they become as adults. And sometimes those adults, predominantly men, act violently.

Now I’m not creating a line of blame here from mothers raising boys to men who murder. God knows there’s enough mum guilt already in the world! And note I only mention mothers as the majority of my audience are women, and mums. But our actions have consequences. Our words shape little minds. Things we do are being watched.

So what can we do and say to try and lay that ground work? I have a daughter and I’ve been very vocal since she was tiny that it’s her body her choice. Stop tickling me mama! No problem your body your choice babe. She has the right to say stop.

But I’m not a boy mum. So this question is to the boy mums: what can you say do or show boys, that will help them grow into empathetic men? Let’s make a list in the comments. I’m mean obvs, you can read my book How Frank Helped Hank to your boys! Obvs! 😜 But seriously, please share your tips and advice, and let’s raise boys right.

#raisingthefuture #mumsofinsta #boymum

Tag a friend who needs reminding that this shit is

Tag a friend who needs reminding that this shit is hard and they’re doing great 🫶🏽

#parentingishard #youredoinggreat

I mean you gotta have hope right?! I know misogyn

I mean you gotta have hope right?!

I know misogyny and VAWG is at an all time high. I know it feels like when it comes to equality and women’s rights, gay rights, trans rights, an end to racism and violence, that the world is hurtling backwards…

But you gotta have hope. And you gotta take action. Could I do more? Maybe. Possibly. But I’m doing what I can. Writings kids’ books that teach equality, acceptance, inclusion, and how embrace being ourselves and showing our feelings. I will get book 4 written. There’s some kind of huge writer’s block because I’m worried that I won’t get it right. It’s going to be about consent. In a kid friendly way, in rhyme! No biggie! No pressure Suze! 🤪

But I’ll get there. I’ll keep trying to teach about equality so we stop misogyny and hurt. And the 10k followers thing… it’s not just for vanity. If more people followed, then more parents would hear about the books. More teachers would discover them. Maybe some celebs would buy a copy and share it online. Maybe together we can do this. So we start to move forwards.

If you’ve read this far can you help a girl out? Tag your mum friends. Your teacher friends. Any famous folk who you know are also talking about equality issues. Who knows, maybe we’ll get 10k of them and the books could reach every child in every school.

I’m hopeful.
Suze x

#equalitymatters #kidsbookstagram #parenting #primaryschoolteacher

I mean you gotta have hope right?! I know misogyn

I mean you gotta have hope right?!

I know misogyny and VAWG is at an all time high. I know it feels like when it comes to equality and women’s rights, gay rights, trans rights, an end to racism and violence, that the world is hurtling backwards…

But you gotta have hope. And you gotta take action. Could I do more? Maybe. Possibly. But I’m doing what I can. Writings kids’ books that teach equality, acceptance, inclusion, and how embrace being ourselves and showing our feelings. I will get book 4 written. There’s some kind of huge writer’s block because I’m worried that I won’t get it right. It’s going to be about consent. In a kid friendly way, in rhyme! No biggie! No pressure Suze! 🤪

But I’ll get there. I’ll keep trying to teach about equality so we stop misogyny and hurt. And the 10k followers thing… it’s not just for vanity. If more people followed, then more parents would hear about the books. More teachers would discover them. Maybe some celebs would buy a copy and share it online. Maybe together we can do this. So we start to move forwards.

If you’ve read this far can you help a girl out? Tag your mum friends. Your teacher friends. Any famous folk who you know are also talking about equality issues. Who knows, maybe we’ll get 10k of them and the books could reach every child in every school.

I’m hopeful.
Suze x

#equalitymatters #kidsbookstagram #parenting #primaryschoolteacher

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