RIBA West Midlands 4x4 Debate series: Pregnant then VE’d

Join us for the second event in our 4x4 debate series, and the culmination of the RIBA West Midlands and Birmingham Architectural Association (BAA) weeklong programme celebrating International Women’s Day.
We are delighted to welcome an outstanding panel chaired by Ruth Reed, former and first female RIBA President. Joining her are Joeli Brearley, Founder of Pregnant Then Screwed and a passionate campaigner for working women’s rights; Chris Williamson, current RIBA President and founder of Weston Williamson; and Emma Cochrane, Director at Weedon Architects in Birmingham, to explore where Architecture is going wrong and what the future needs to look like.
The profession is celebrated for its creativity and impact, yet long hours, historic cultures of gender bias, alongside inflexible working practices, and office cultures, create for a challenging landscape as young architects navigate the profession. For architects who are also parents, juggling work and family life can often feel impossible, with people readily leaving the profession for more progressive professions, or to explore the flexibility of starting their own practice. The conversation will draw on the lived experiences of our panellists, shedding light on the tensions many face when striving to succeed both personally and professionally within Architecture.
Does having children inevitably limit or hold back a woman’s professional journey? Is the profession still shaped by structures suiting male counterparts? What are some of the changes we should be demanding to shift this dynamic.
As parental rights change, and other professions accommodate flexible working, shared parental leave, and career breaks with ease, are Architects being shortchanged. Exploring these themes and more, we will consider how the profession can evolve to better support parents of all genders.
Each panellist will share their perspective before opening the floor to what promises to be an engaging, audience-led debate.
Join us for this important event as we challenge assumptions, spark honest conversation, and examine how the architectural profession can move closer to a future where architects are truly able to “have it all.”
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