Latest news with #Geographic
Business Insider
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Jane Goodall, 91, on being objectified early in her career: 'If my legs were getting me the money, thank you legs'
Jane Goodall, 91, may be one of the world's leading primatologists now, but there was a time when she wasn't being taken seriously. During an appearance on Tuesday's " Call Her Daddy" podcast, Goodall reflected on the challenges she faced in her decadeslong career. Goodall told podcast host Alex Cooper that her love for animals started when she read "Tarzan of the Apes" as a child. "Anyway, I knew there wasn't a Tarzan. But that's when my dream began," Goodall said. "I will grow up, go to Africa, live with wild animals, and write books — no thought of being a scientist." Most people around her thought her dream was unrealistic, except her mother, she said. "And everybody said, 'That's ridiculous. I mean, you don't have money. Africa's far away and you're just a girl,'" Goodall said. Years later, Goodall appeared on the cover of National Geographic. She recalled being objectified by others in the scientific community who said that her looks, not her research, earned her the spotlight. "Well, some of the jealous male scientists would say, well, you know, she's just got this notoriety and she's getting money from Geographic, and they want her on the cover, and they wouldn't put her on the cover if she didn't have nice legs," Goodall said. If someone had said that today, they'd be sued, she added. "Back then, all I wanted was to get back to the chimps. So if my legs were getting me the money, thank you legs. And if you look at those covers, they were jolly nice legs," Goodall said. The English conservationist acknowledged that things are different now. "I did it by accepting that, in a way, they were right. So, thank you for giving me this advantage. It was good to give me that money," Goodall said. "I know that for me it was a long time ago. It was a different era. It wouldn't work today. " While Goodall's experience may have unfolded years ago, gender inequality persists in the workplace. Sexism at work comes in many forms, including wage disparities, stereotypes, and harassment. Several female celebrities have also spoken up about the discrimination they faced in Hollywood. In an interview with Porter magazine in November 2023, Anne Hathaway said she was told her career would "fall off a cliff" after she turned 35. In January 2024, Sofia Vergara told the LA Times that her acting jobs were limited because of her "stupid accent." Kathy Bates told Variety in September that she could have a long acting career only because she " wasn't a beauty queen." A representative for Goodall did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.
Telegraph
09-03-2025
- Telegraph
Adventurer's daughter wants to become first woman to travel solo across Canada's Baffin Island
The daughter of adventurer Sir David Hempleman-Adams is planning to become the first woman to travel solo across Canada's Baffin Island, battling temperatures as low as -40C. Camilla Hempleman-Adams, 32, will cover 150 miles during the two-week expedition, which she will complete on foot and on skis while pulling a sledge in winds of up to 68mph. She hopes the challenge will inspire women to break boundaries while also highlighting the impact of climate change on the region and its local Inuit communities. Ms Hempleman-Adams, a producer living in London, previously became the youngest British female to ski to the North Pole in 2008 at the age of just 15. Her father will fly out to Canada with her next Thursday, with the solo challenge expected to begin a few days later. Sir David is the first person to have reached both the Geographic and Magnetic North and South Poles, climbed the highest peaks in all seven continents, flown to the North Pole in a balloon, and crossed the Atlantic in an open basket. He will be waiting for his daughter at the finish line. 'I have two sisters and growing up in a family of explorers, our dad would always encourage us to take on challenges regardless of our gender – it's a nightmare when we get together to play games at Christmas,' Ms Hempleman-Adams said. 'I was part of a similar trek group across Baffin Island two years ago and I thought 'I can do this solo'. 'I want to show other women out there that boundaries can be broken and I hope this expedition inspires more women to take on adventures and challenges of their own.' Ms. Hempleman-Adams will solo traverse Baffin Island – Canada's largest island – from Qikiqtarjuaq to Pangnirtung, crossing the unforgiving landscape of Auyuittuq National Park. She will carry a satellite phone and update a daily online blog throughout the challenge, where temperatures are expected to range from -20C to -40C. Her preparations for the gruelling trek have included weight training, cardio and dragging heavy tyres. The attempt is being supported by Torabhaig Distillery, a whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye. Emma Sprackling, the distillery's senior brand manager, said: 'Camilla has an incredible explorer family pedigree and we've loved supporting her father's expeditions over the years. But this solo Arctic adventure is all about inspiring younger women to follow in her footsteps.'
