An exciting new project is coming to Perth which aims to highlight the influence of female historical figures from the area.
In 2021, over 100 years since the suffrage movement fought for the right for women to vote, the lack of female representation within the city is still tangible.
The new community-led movement aims to raise awareness of women’s history in the area. The campaign will culminate with a statue designated to a local woman in a public space in the city centre.
The project also aims to give the women of the city a safe space to gather and discuss the issues in the area surrounding gender representation.
In Scotland, there are only 20 statues of women. Four of those are symbolic rather than dedicated to a historic figure and five are to Queen Victoria.
None of the remaining statues are in Perth & Kinross. Though statues are not the issue, they help illustrate the wider issue of female representation in society.
Perth & Kinross is teaming with fantastic stories about incredible women, past and present.
Among these is Jean Valentine, born on Needless Road, who helped crack the enigma code. Meanwhile, Katherine MacPherson, of Charlotte Street, was key to the suffrage movement in the area.
Increasing Female Representation
Taylor Waggoner, founder of Perth’s Women, said: “I love Perth & Kinross. I was born here and I want to make my life here but things can’t continue as they are.
“There are more statues of fish in Perth than there are of women. The lack of female representation up and down the country is appalling but rather than just complain about it I want to do something positive.”
The group is open to everyone and aims to be a community for the people of the city. Perth’s Women wants to give women a space to be seen within the community.
The Perth’s Women campaign will be working with several already-established charities and organisations, including Gender Equality Perth, to ensure that the voices of all women in Perth & Kinross are being heard.