His Majesty’s Procureur, the President of Policy and Resources, and a former Bailiff will be joining sixth form students for a now-annual debate event next month.
The Ladies’ College has hosted its ‘Big Debate’ since 2022 and the fourth iteration is due to take place on 3 November with participants discussing the motion: ‘This house believes that trying to have it all sets women up for failure’.
Students Isabel Round and Bailey Austin (both pictured top with their headteacher) will take part in the debate alongside Megan Pullum and Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez.
Miss Round and Ms Pullum will propose the motion while Miss Austin and Deputy de Sausmarez will oppose it. Their debate will be chaired by Sir Richard Collas, retired Bailiff of Guernsey and former Governor of The Ladies’ College, at the College itself.
Daniele Harford-Fox, Principal at The Ladies’ College, said she is very proud of her students for getting involved in what she thinks is a very important debate.
“When I was at a girls’ school in the 1990’s we were told we could have it all – conquer the world and be back in time to make tea! But when I speak to my friends now many feel that as soon as they became mothers, that balance felt almost undoable. This motion challenges us to think about the expectations we place on women and how these shape the choices they make and the burdens they take on. For our students, it’s an opportunity to grapple with ideas that are both personal and societal.
“Events like the Big Debate give our students the chance to think deeply, challenge assumptions, and express their ideas with confidence.”
Deputy de Sausmarez added that she too ponders whether women ‘can’ or ‘should’ ‘have it all’.
“I’m delighted to be taking part in this year’s Big Debate. The question of whether women can or should ‘have it all’ goes right to the heart of conversations about differing societal expectations of men and women, equity of opportunities, and how we structure our society. I’m looking forward to exploring some of the tensions between these aspects with the students and hearing their perspectives on what the future might look like for them.”
Ms Pullum added: “I hope this motion will challenge us to pause and reflect on what ‘having it all’ really means. True empowerment isn’t about doing everything – it’s about choosing what matters to us and defining success on our own terms.”
The event is open to the public with tickets available HERE.
