Why Kathy Burke’s ‘All Woman’ is a Must-Watch for – Well, All Women! | #ThisGirlEats

I’m currently at home by myself while my boyfriend is living it up and drinking beer touring in Canada and you know what that means – lots and lots of watching telly.

I was scouring the web for things to watch – no, not THAT kind of stuff, you filthy animals – and, because I’m a bit of a nerd, I spent a lot of time looking for new documentaries. I’d watched all my usual suspects like Louis Theroux and Stacey Dooley, and eventually stumbled across a three-part series with Kathy Burke.

For those of you who were born in this millennium, Kathy Burke was very popular in the ’90s for her role in British comedy with shows like Gimme Gimme Gimme, Absolutely Fabulous and French and Saunders. She’s not only known for being funny, but also for being an independent, no-fucks-given woman who don’t need no man (but makes no secret of the fact that she does like to get off with them).

 

Her latest show, All Woman, is something I absolutely smashed through in a matter of hours and, as a woman, I can safely say that she nailed it with this one.

The episodes touch on three main things – beauty, motherhood and relationships – and really explore these topics from extreme to the other. The whole thing is fascinating from start to finish, but there’s almost definitely at least something in each episode that will really tap into the experiences of so, so many women out there.

It’s just such a personal show, with Kathy herself opening up about feelings that some of us might be too afraid to express ourselves. When she says she doesn’t regret putting her career first, or that she was more hurt when people insulted her intelligence rather than her looks, it’s refreshing and encouraging.

 

And it’s not only Kathy’s voice that is a welcome relief; we meet a whole range of women in the episodes, including celebrities, from Katherine Ryan and Samantha Morton talking about their experiences as single parents, to Megan Barton-Hanson discussing the double-edged sword – or knife – of plastic surgery, and Caroline Flack opening up about being slut-shamed for her singlehood. It’s not just celebs who open up either – we also meet a great group of women who support each other by getting together to regularly stitch swear words into blankets. We even meet a nun along the way!

It’s a real deep exploration into being a woman, by women, for women. And I’m all for that!

So, ladies, if you’re stuck for something to do, or something to watch, this is my latest recommendation for some supportive, life-affirming girl power. All women should be watching All Woman!

Kathy Burke’s All Woman is available on All 4.

---

Check out similar posts:

What Do Women Do When We’re Not the “Right Type” of Curvy? | #ThisGirlEats

Embrace Yourself: Why You Shouldn’t Be Scared of Being Alone | #ThisGirlEats

Advertisement

Sometimes My Confidence Gets In The Way of Supporting Other Women, and It SUCKS. Am I Alone? | #ThisGirlEats

Let me be super clear here; I love women and I love supporting them. I’m not saying for one second that I can’t or don’t support other women, I’m just being honest: I don’t always find it easy. Or at least, as easy as social media would have us believe.

I honestly love supporting the women around me. My family, my friends, my colleagues, other bloggers, I think you’re all fantastic and I’m so, so proud of every one of you. But when you haven’t got much confidence in yourself, it’s really hard to silence that self-loathing envy, and it’s difficult not to feel that the achievements of others reflect your own shortcomings. Trust me, that says more about myself than it does anyone else!

We’re living in crucial times; as a woman today, it’s SO important to be supportive. To be there for each other, to fight for each other, to promote each other and to understand each other. We should all be basking in the glow of each other’s fabulousness! It makes me feel like the worst feminist ever to admit that I don’t always find that easy.

shemazing.net

Is that okay? Am I allowed?

Sometimes, when I look at myself and feel a bit squishy – let’s say I’m hopelessly trying to squeeze into my jeans again or whatever – my confidence is at its lowest. Self-doubt plagues my mind and clouds my judgement. Then I see a lovely lady showing off her weight loss on Instagram, or a group of girls all going out looking a million bucks, or a blogger posting a “candid” shot that looks absolutely stunning while in all my candids I look like a potato.

I want to be supportive. I want to congratulate her on losing the weight, I want to ask those girls where they got their outfits because they look awesome, I want to comment on the photo and ask for photography tips. But I also feel like chucking my phone across the room and throwing a strop like a toddler because I’m annoyed. Not at them, but at myself. I’m mad at myself because I can’t do those things, or I don’t like look that, or I haven’t achieved those goals. It’s silly, it’s selfish, but it’s true.

Of course, I don’t say this (until now!). I smile, and I say well done to all the smart, confident, beautiful, hard-working, brave, funny, ambitious, sexy, relentless, fierce women I know because, let’s face it, they’re all bloody wonderful.

I’ll say it again – it’s so, so, so important for us girls to stick together and support each other, to lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. But I think it’s also important to acknowledge that overcoming our own insecurities to do so can be difficult for some of us. But that just proves how strong us women can be for each other, right?