Northern Ireland council defends decision to book man for International Women's Day keynote speech
A Northern Ireland council has justified its decision to book a man to deliver the keynote speech for its International Women's Day event.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council came under fire after announcing motivational speaker and brand consultant Billy Dixon had accepted an invitation to be one of the speakers at the event.
However, the council said that while some had concerns or questions they felt Mr Dixon aligned with their commitment to "fostering a diverse and inclusive environment".
A post on X promoting the announcement has been viewed over 350,000 times and has over 200 comments in response.
The event is set to take place on Friday March 8 in the Canal Court Hotel in Newry and tickets priced at £36 plus VAT.
The council said the event would emphasise "the pivotal role of inspiring others to understand and value women’s inclusion to forge a better world".
Billy Dixon, it said, would talk about "how each of us as individuals can improve and maximise our potential".
Speaking at the launch Chairperson Councillor Valerie Harte said: “International Women’s Day is a time to recognise the contribution that women make within society.
"It’s an opportunity to acknowledge progress that has been made and to continue to advocate for change so that together we can forge a better future for everyone. I have used this year’s theme, #InspiringInclusion to showcase women within our own society that are truly inspirational and work every day to make a better world for those they support."
Hundreds took to social media to question the decision to have a man make the keynote speech.
One X user said that while they were sure Billy was a "nice guy" and good at what he does, "but there were no women who could have been a keynote speaker on International Women's Day at all?"
Another said it would be interesting to hear a brand consultant's take on the decision.
Many simply posted: "You couldn't make it up."
In a statement to UTV, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said: "The theme of our International Women’s Day event this year is ‘Inspire Inclusion’.
"After careful consideration of potential speakers, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was delighted to announce that Billy Dixon, an internationally renowned motivational speaker and brand consultant, had accepted our invitation to be one of our speakers at our International Women’s Day event.
"Together with our ‘Influential Voices’ - Lynette Fay, Sarah Jane Campbell, Niamh Quinn and Daria Yakovenko who will also be speaking at this sell-out event – we look forward to an inspiring International Women’s Day.
"Whilst we understand that some members of our community may have initial concerns or questions about the choice of Mr Dixon, we believe that this decision aligns with our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment.
"Mr Dixon has consistently delivered compelling and insightful presentations that have captivated audiences by his content and delivery of his message, and we recognised the potential to resonate with a diverse audience and contribute meaningfully to the theme of Inspire Inclusion.
"Our goal for this International Women's Day Conference is to foster an environment where minds and hearts are open to embracing everyone as equals. The decision to invite a male speaker emphasises our commitment to inclusivity, encouraging a collective understanding that gender should not be a barrier to shared inspiration and empowerment.”
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