Annie Lennox has said the fight for gender equality has reached “tipping point” and attributed her life as an activist to the traumatic death of her first child.
The Scottish star, aged 66, said global feminism is at a pivotal stage as debates over the treatment of women and girls continues.
She said that society is still “extremely broken and damaged” in regards to attitudes and behaviours towards females, but she is optimistic that change is coming.
Speaking on Skunk Anansie singer Skin’s podcast Lennox said: “There are so many conversations that need to be had. I’ve been really yearning to have them.
"It’s almost as if there is a tipping point, somebody says ‘we have permission now’ and suddenly everyone wants to have these conversations.
“That’s been missing for decades and it needed to happen.”
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The mum-of-two explained that losing her first child changed her life and prompted her to fight for vulnerable women with no access to childcare.
She suffered an “immense loss” when her son Daniel was stillborn in 1988.
Lennox explained: “One of the real turning points for me was becoming a mother.
“I had been through so much as a strident performer and songwriter, with different manifestations and wearing different hats.
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“To be really personal about it, I lost my first baby.
“It was so traumatic and so life-changing that my whole perception changed in a nanosecond. The loss was immense.
“I was in that trauma and grief and realising right away that there were millions of other women that had been through this massive loss.
“It was just a complete overnight moment.
“I couldn’t imagine being in a position of giving birth where you have no access to healthcare.
“I was also thinking about the mothers who had died giving birth and the young girls who may not have chosen to become pregnant and were maybe giving birth in dangerous circumstances.”
Lennox founded a global support network for women and girls and has worked extensively with human rights group Amnesty International.
She has also been at the forefront of HIV and Aids campaigns for decades.
Yet Lennox stressed how robust and knowledgeable activists need to be as they’re so exposed to criticism.
She said: “It’s very difficult to be an activist and put your head above the parapet if you’re sensitive to being shot down, because you will be.
“They will come at you and you will just simply crumble if you can’t take it.
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“You have to be really well informed on how best to protect yourself."
The Aberdeen-born singer also discussed her distrust of politicians, saying she had always felt “let down by them”.
Lennox added: “I’ve been looking back at a lot over this last year. It’s given me the opportunity to be reflective and introspective.
“I've been thinking a lot about my past, my upbringing, my journey. The activism has always kind of been there.
“It feels like part of my DNA and is in my bloodstream.
"My father’s side of the family were very political and left-wing, but I’ve never joined a political party.
“I’ve always felt let down by politicians. I’ve always felt they’ve always had a political agenda and never trusted them.”
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