The NZ herald has an article about International Women’s Day and Lucy is featured as part of the Five well-known Kiwi women have their say for International Women's Day article.
Lucy Lawless
Who is your favourite heroine and why?Wairaka. Being from Mt Albert, I would walk home from school over the mountain, Owairaka. She was on the plaque at the gate to the pa. Wairaka was a real life warrior princess who arrived in the Bay of Plenty at the time of The Great Migration from Hawaiki. She saved the women of her tribe by seizing the paddles of the adrift canoe, which was tapu to women, and steered them back to shore. The town of Whakatane, which means "act as a man" is named after her. She later settled in Tamaki Makaurau and as a kid, I felt inspired by her. She was valiant and free-thinking.
What was the greatest victory of the women's rights movement?
Universal suffrage.
What issue most needs to be worked on?
Access to birth control and education about natural family planning in countries where birth control is not widely practicable for reasons sociological, religious and poverty related.
What is one instance you've encountered sexism in your own life?
I have five brothers and my mother said I didn't know I was a girl 'til age 8. I don't complain much about sexism. Probably it worked in reverse for me. My Kiwi bloke-ishness went against me in Hollywood. Not "feminine" enough.
What do you think the world would be like if all the top positions were held by women?
Unbalanced. No need to be greedy. Fifty percent will do nicely. And it's gonna be great.