Sarah Atherton told The Telegraph she hopes to become the first woman to be appointed chair. Photo: John Super
Front The nominee to be the new select defense committee chair says hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will make her a «more measured» occupant of the position.
Sarah Atherton told The Telegraph she hoped that would be the case. to become the first woman to chair the committee after Tobias Ellwood resigned over a botched video he made while filming in Afghanistan.
A 55-year-old woman made a tongue-in-cheek comment about her recent experience with hormone replacement therapy , when she described how a woman can influence the way she sits.
“I think I'm less biased,” she said. “I think I’m probably more measured. Are all women like this… I take HRT, this is probably more balanced.”
In an interview with The Telegraph, Ms Atherton explained that her GP put her on HRT a year ago after working with the Ministry of Defense on how to make the military a better place for women going through menopause.
Ms Atherton is the only female former regular soldier in the House of Commons. Photo: John Super
About 15 per cent of women aged 45 to 64 in England are now prescribed HRT, up from 11 per cent two years ago, according to the National Health Service.
“Not enough attention is paid to menopause and HRT,” Ms Atherton said.
Today, the Department of Defense is looking at ways to better support women through menopause, including training health professionals to recognize symptoms.
“It was while we were exploring this issue that I realized that I needed support on these issues,” she added. “My mood was fluctuating and my energy levels were low. My tolerance level had dropped, I was experiencing muscle pain and my hair was getting thinner.”
“That’s when I started doing HRT. Without this I could not have done this job. I sleep better, I'm more relaxed, I'm more positive in my outlook and I have more energy.»
She added: «I can disagree without being unhappy, but I can still ask that killer question or this killer question.» Look what women are capable of.”
The Conservative MP for Wrexham, the only woman former regular soldier in the House of Commons, has been promoted to Minister for Defence, Veterans and Military Families. under the premiership of Liz Truss.
As chair of the defense select committee, she said she would ensure the committee operated as a co-operative, with all MPs given equal access and the opportunity to ask pointed questions of the government, while bringing together individual cross-party voices.< /p >War in Ukraine
One of the first topics she plans to ask the government is its funding of the war in Ukraine, especially in light of the cost of living crisis.
“I am an MP for the Red Wall constituency,” she said. “I listen to what people in Wrexham tell me and it influences my whole approach to parliament. If they say to me, “I'm worried about energy prices before Christmas, why are we spending so much money in Ukraine,” that will affect me. If I am asked about this, I must refuse this question.”
She added: “I will challenge them and ask them how do they solve this? We have seen a war of attrition in Ukraine with a high death rate, and yet we are reducing the size of our army. How do we take this? I will be guided by what they say on the ground, and these are the right questions to ask.”
Ms Atherton, who served in the Intelligence Corps for four years, said another focus for her would be to ensure compliance of the traditions of the Armed Forces with modern society.
“The British military is one of the oldest uniformed professions and is ingrained in heritage, behavior and tradition,” she said. «Some of these behaviors are not consistent with a modern, forward-thinking worldview.»
She acknowledged that «cultural change does not happen overnight,» adding that the Department of Defense is working on changes following the Defense Select Committee's report. Women in the Armed Forces: Protecting Those Who Protect Us» in 2021.
Ms Atherton led the report which analyzed levels of sexual violence and harassment in the military. It found that nearly 60 percent of female service members had experienced bullying, harassment and discrimination.
However, since the report was released, allegations of sexual assault and bullying have threatened to overwhelm the military.
Red Arrows
Two pilots from the Red Arrows demonstration team were recently sacked after members of the squadron were investigated over allegations of misogyny, bullying and sexual harassment.
Last October, the Royal Navy was forced to launch an investigation into allegations of rape threats and sexual abuse on board Britain's nuclear submarines, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst has been called on to tackle a «toxic culture» of sexual abuse after the charity said hundreds of female soldiers reported abuse during training.
The Department of Defense now takes a zero-tolerance approach to sexual assault and insists that any allegations reported will be investigated «with immediate action.»
Led by Ms Atherton, who currently chairs the subcommittee on women in the armed forces, the defense committee recently called for written evidence on women in the armed forces to put forward a series of recommendations aimed at improving the experience of servicemen and women veterans.
“Two years after our initial investigation, the committee will review the progress the Department of Defense has made in achieving a more diverse workforce, focusing on whether positive changes have occurred where needed on the ground,” Mr. Ms Atherton said.
The next chairman of the defense committee will be announced at the end of October. If Ms Atherton, who has cross-party support for taking up the mantle, is successful, she hopes it will be based on meritocracy rather than her gender.
“Obviously as a person I'm going to be proud , if I am elected chairman,” she said. “As a woman, I will be proud to be the first woman to do this. But I hope that I will be elected based on my abilities, skills and record, and not just because I am a woman. So for me, more important than being a woman is the question of ability, meritocracy and being the best person for the job.»
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