For 1,400 years, the Archbishop of Canterbury has always been a man. Now, Sarah Mullally is about to shatter that tradition as the first woman to hold the role.
Yet in many newspapers and websites, in the opening paragraphs, what did we see? Her husband’s name first. Her husband’s profession. Almost as if her identity, her achievement, her name were secondary.
Urban Woman spoke to women about how they felt seeing that misrepresentation by the media:
Sorochi
When I saw the headline, I had to read it twice. “Wife of Professor Euan Mullally named Archbishop of Canterbury.” Excuse me? She’s not a plus-one; she’s the headline. It’s wild how even when a woman breaks a 1,400-year-old record, people still find a way to make it about her husband.
Chineme
I think it shows how deep the bias runs. We say we celebrate women, but when it’s time to give credit, we start bringing up the man beside her. Imagine if the first male nurse appointed to a top position was introduced as “husband of Dr. Sarah Mullally.” That would never happen.
Bola
It’s like we still can’t handle women having power without softening it somehow. “She’s married, she’s a mum, she’s humble.” Why must we wrap her achievement in domestic packaging to make it acceptable? Just say her name. Say what she did. That’s enough.
Lara
Honestly, I wasn’t surprised. It’s the same pattern every time a woman achieves something big. Headlines always manage to squeeze in her relationship status, single, married, divorced, like it’s a vital part of her résumé.
Zanna
To me, it’s not just bad journalism; it’s lazy thinking. You can’t claim to support equality and still write in ways that make women seem secondary. Sarah Mullally just made history. The least the world can do is name her first.
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and insightful content. She loves tackling complex topics and weaving engaging stories.
When she’s not writing, Olekanma enjoys immersing herself in a good book, exploring new cuisines, and discovering new cultures.