MP Stella Creasy has revealed how she was on the phone to ministers about the Afghanistan crisis ‘less than 24 hours after giving birth’ as she appears in Harper’s Bazaar issue ‘celebrating female spirit’.
The July/August issue features what the publication describes as a series of ‘strong female icons’, including Labour MP Stella Creasy, who is currently campaigning for maternal rights in Parliament.
Athlete Dina Asher-Smith, who holds the title of fastest British woman in recorded history, is also featured.
Other keys subjects include the women of Dattalion, an all-female network of data warriors fighting disinformation in Ukraine.
Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, features in the current issue of Harper’s Bazaar, which seeks to celebrate ‘female strength, spirit and resilience’
In her profile piece, Stella, who is the MP for Walthamstow, discussed some of the issues around working as a mother, noting that: ‘There’s no other environment where we just accept that something should be difficult – why not try to make things easier, because who knows what talent we might unearth?’
She also opened up about having to bring her son to Parliament after becoming a parent, explaining that she had no option, because she ‘didn’t have proper maternity cover’.
Stella explained: ‘For me, it’s not an option to tell my constituents that for six months they have no voice, no issues I can take forward.
‘I was on the phone to ministers less than 24 hours after giving birth because we had hundreds of Walthamstow residents affected by the Afghanistan crisis.
Also appearing in the special July/August issue is athlete Dina Asher-Smith, who discusses the male bias in sport, alongside other topics
‘I’m not going to say to someone cowering in fear from the Taliban, sorry, I’ve had a baby so your family doesn’t matter. It’s an impossible situation.’
According to the MP, who recently launched her MotheRED initiative, which provides grants to mothers standing for Labour candidacy, being a mother isn’t a disadvantage.
The July/August issue of Harper’s Bazaar, which profiles a number of ‘strong female icons’, is available from today
‘It’s an advantage,’ she said, ‘because right now, these voices are missing from public debate.’
As well as tackling the women in work, the issue also casts a spotlight on the sporting world, with Dina Asher-Smith opening up about some of the male bias in athletics.
She said: ‘Sport is an incredibly male-driven and male-dominated environment, and conceptualised with men at the centre.
‘Even talking about periods is taboo – people think you’re making excuses, without fully understanding that for some women, this can literally define whether they can run as normal or not.’
Dina, who scooped a bronze medal at the women’s 4x100m relay in Tokyo, also spoke openly about breaking down after she failed to qualify for the 100m finals at the Olympics in 2021, saying showing vulnerability is ‘important’.
She explained: ‘Normally, I’m quite calm and composed, and I work very hard at it, but that showed me in a new light. I welcome it – I think showing your vulnerability is so important.
‘But I can’t watch it, because I don’t like seeing myself cry.’
Walthamstow MP Stella, pictured here with her baby, spoke in the profile about how she had to bring the child to Parliament because she didn’t have proper maternity cover
Meanwhile Dina opened up about breaking down during the Olympics in 2021, saying showing vulnerability was ‘important’
Speaking more about mental health when it comes to sport, she said it’s crucial to be tenacious, and have the ‘ability to believe in yourself’.
‘You could be on amazing form, but if you have any chinks in your mental armour, then the race won’t go the way you plan,’ she explained.
‘For me, mental strength isn’t the cherry on top of my fitness, it’s the entire foundation of what I do.’
The July/August issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK is on sale from June 8.
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