My Career: Barrister Sara Phelan
My Career: Barrister Sara Phelan

Sara Phelan

The best yoga poses to help alleviate period pain, from Liz Costigan Fleury
The best yoga poses to help alleviate period pain, from Liz Costigan Fleury

Sarah Gill

18 pairs of relaxed shorts to keep you feeling comfy and cool all summer long
18 pairs of relaxed shorts to keep you feeling comfy and cool all summer long

Sarah Gill

Laura de Barra’s guide to cleaning with everyday household items (for less than €100)
Laura de Barra’s guide to cleaning with everyday household items (for less than €100)

IMAGE Interiors & Living

June 08: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds
June 08: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Sarah Gill

A creative renovation of a Wexford dormer bungalow into a light and bright family home
A creative renovation of a Wexford dormer bungalow into a light and bright family home

Amanda Kavanagh

Wedding planning? Don’t miss this incredible wedding showcase happening this month
Wedding planning? Don’t miss this incredible wedding showcase happening this month

Sarah Gill

Designed by an award-winning architect, this split level property in Cork is on the market for €950,000
Designed by an award-winning architect, this split level property in Cork is on the market...

Sarah Gill

Why you should know more about the contraception options for women in Ireland today
Why you should know more about the contraception options for women in Ireland today

Leonie Corcoran

This extremely aesthetically pleasing Portarlington home is on the market for €268,000
This extremely aesthetically pleasing Portarlington home is on the market for €268,000

Sarah Gill

Image / Editorial

WATCH: this must-see video shows just how much pressure women are under every day


By Grace McGettigan
24th Feb 2020

Cynthia Nixon for Girls. Girls. Girls. Magazine

WATCH: this must-see video shows just how much pressure women are under every day

Cynthia Nixon for Girls. Girls. Girls. Magazine

A new video created by ‘Girls. Girls. Girls.’ magazine highlights just how much pressure women are placed under every single day (and how conflicting these messages can be)


“Don’t be too fat. Don’t be too thin. Eat up. Slim down. Stop eating so much. Don’t eat too fast. Order a salad. Don’t eat carbs. You need to lose weight. Go on a diet. God, you look like a skeleton. Why don’t you just eat? You look sick. Eat a burger. Men like women with some meat on their bones. Be light. Be little. Be petite. Be feminine.”

Speaking the words of Camille Rainville, this new video by Girls. Girls. Girls. magazine shows Cynthia Nixon narrating all the ways society puts pressure on women. From how we look, to how we interact with others, the video covers the many conflicting ways in which we are expected to present ourselves to the world.

“Be a lady they said. Don’t talk too loud. Don’t talk too much. Don’t be intimidating. Why are you so miserable? Don’t be a bitch. Don’t be so bossy. Don’t be so emotional. Don’t cry. Don’t yell. Don’t swear.

“You’ll make a good wife someday. Take his last name. You hyphenated your name? Crazy feminist. Give him children. You don’t want children? You will someday. You’ll change your mind.”

The video, directed by Paul McLean, is a disturbingly powerful watch. See it in full below:

Be a Lady They Said from Paul McLean on Vimeo.

Feature photo: Girls. Girls. Girls

Want more videos like this straight to your inbox? Sign up to the IMAGE newsletter here. (It takes less than a minute!)


Read more: Internalised sexism: how to spot it and how to undo it

Read more: We live in a world designed for men – from smartwatches to spacesuits

Read more: Marian Finucane: 5 of her most maverick moments