International Women's Day: Newry council defends male keynote speaker

The council said "the decision to invite a male speaker emphasises our commitment to inclusivity"

A council has defended its decision to book a man as the keynote speaker for its International Women's Day event.

On Thursday, Newry Mourne and Down District Council announced on X - formerly Twitter - that Billy Dixon would headline the event.

It described Mr Dixon as "a leader in personal marketing, coaching and image consultancy".

Several assembly members were among those who criticised the decision to book Mr Dixon.

Naomi Long, the leader of the Alliance Party, said the announcement was "mortifying" while Sinead McLaughlin of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) described it as "very 1990s".

In a statement to BBC News NI, the council said the "decision aligns with our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment".

• What is International Women's Day?

Mr Dixon told BBC News NI's Talkback programme that he was "surprised and shocked" by the controversy.

He suggested that most of the backlash was due to the fact that he was listed as "keynote speaker" for the event.

"If I had been listed as a speaker I don't think it would have had the same reaction," he said.

Also speaking on the programme, Doire Finn, an SDLP member of the council, said councillors were not consulted on the decision and that she had asked for an explanation.

She said that she "wouldn't want to exclude Billy...but I think the point that really needs to be looked at here is the exclusion of a woman from the position of giving that keynote speech".

She said there were "numerous women who would be able to undertake the keynote speech at that conference".

'Commitment to inclusivity'

In a statement to BBC News NI, the council said:"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."

Among the other speakers at the event are broadcaster Lynette Fay, founder of The Well Community Hub Sarah Jane Campbell, sexual violence victim advocate Niamh Quinn, and Daria Yakovenko, a refugee from Ukraine.