What we do.
BRING THE FEMALE LEAD SOCIETY TO YOUR SCHOOL
Here at The Female Lead we share diverse women’s stories in order to inspire young women to find success and fulfilment in their own lives.
In 2017, The Female Lead book was launched and given free to 18,000 schools. The book features 60 interviews with women from different backgrounds and nationalities, from a variety of careers – scientists, firefighters, artists, journalists, actors, directors and chefs.
The Female Lead Society is a school’s programme that will help shape discussions around female representation and ambition.
The programme is made of 30-45 minute sessions, focusing on a range of topics from careers, feminism, friendships, money and lots more. It’s a community of girls working towards a bright future for themselves and other women.
If you are a US school who has not yet received a copy of the book, you can request one through First Book.
You can sign up to The Female Lead Society here

INTRODUCING GIRLS TO POSITIVE AND DIVERSE ROLE MODELS
From presidential palaces to parliament buildings, women are totally overshadowed by men, and account for less than 7% of the world’s leaders and only 24% of lawmakers, according to the latest statistics. And yet, for more than 30 years, women have earned more Bachelor’s degrees than men (Department of Education).
We believe that one simple way that we can change women’s futures is by introducing girls to positive and diverse role models, earlier in their lives, before key decisions about their futures are made. While we have made some encouraging first steps, we recognise the need to do more.
That is why we have launched The Female Lead Societies. The free resources will cover financial empowerment, portrayal of women in media, resilience, ambition and so much more.
DEVELOPING GREATER SELF-BELIEF
Our hope is that the programme will develop greater self-belief in girls and in early testing we have already seen some positive results. We surveyed the girls who took part in our pilot project and at the end of the four-week programme, 83 per cent said they felt more optimistic about their future careers and 75 per cent felt more confident about putting themselves forward as leaders.
We demonstrate all of the ways to find success and fulfilment as a woman, in life and work. The way we explain this to girls is thus: if you imagine your life as a story, you are the lead character, you can be the person driving that narrative – not your mum or your dad, not your best friend. It is your story and you can decide where it goes.
18000 books have been donated
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Girls from year 10 completed the programme leaving the sessions feeling encouraged, inspired and empowered, and the resources invoked discussions at a deeper level as they considered the importance of role models in today’s society.
Maggie, Cobham Hall School
- Verity Gill
- Helen Crooks
- Barbara Fusinska
- Helen Louwrens
- Diana Akanho
- Lindsay Pellow
- Nicky Klein
- Maxine Mackintosh
- Elizabeth Moorcroft
- Magda Piatkowska
- Tess Merkulova
- Jackie Ronson
- Imogen Heap
- Caroline Carruthers
- Anthea DeSyllas
- Lara Izlan
- Natalie Jakomis
- Helen Hunter
- Michelle Wong
- Clare Mortimer
- Kirsty Neal
- Kathryn Parsons
- Manjiry Tamhane
- Jenna Barnard
- Noorin Virani
- Nasrin Hafezparast
- Angie Livingstone
- Steph Cullen
- Karishma Jaitly
- Jenna Zhang
- Tamara Castelli
- Lauren Sager Weinstein
- Yasmeen Ahmad
- Sue Unerman
- Gillian Tomlinson
- Jackie Clayton
- Belle Cartwright
- Berenice Pila-Diez
- Emma Swift
- Catherine Breslin
- Yvette Vega
- Michaela DePrince
- Sandy Powell
- Dr Cori Bargmann
- Yeonmi Park
- Tracy Edwards
- Sallie Krawcheck
- Michelle Kaufmann
- Clarissa Ward
- Masha Gessen
- Roya Mahboob
- Weili Dai
- Ashima Shiraishi
- Dame Athene Donald
- Ava DuVernay
- Lady Barbara Judge
- Brenda Berkman
- Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher
- Christiane Amanpour
- Christine Lagarde
- Clare Smyth
- Franchesca Ramsey
- Gail Rebuck
- Helena Morrissey
- Jo Malone
- Jude Kelly
- Julie Bentley
- Karlie Kloss
- Katharine Viner
- Laura Bates
- Laurene Powell Jobs
- Leymah Gbowee
- Limor Fried
- Lucy Bronze
- Lynsey Addario
- Maggie Aderin-Pocock
- Majora Carter
- Meryl Streep
- Mhairi Black
- Mickalene Thomas
- Minda Dentler
- Nazneen Rahman
- Nell Merlino
- Nimco Ali
- Ramona Pierson
- Rebecca Root
- Reshma Saujani
- Samantha Power
- Sheila Nevins
- Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe
- Taryn Davis
- Tavi Gevinson
- Tina Brown
- Vanessa Friedman
- Vanessa Ogden
- Billie JD Porter
- Emma Coates
- Mabel Ogundayo
- Zoe Smith
- Vanessa Sanyauke
- Shaleena & Roshni
- Phoebe Gormley
- Nara Pina
- Temi Olatunde
- Jessica Kruger
- Heather Knight
- Hannah Rose Thomas
- Grace Victory
- Ellie Cosgrave
- Deanna Rodger
- Charlotte Pearce
- Anne-Marie Imafidon
- Alex Brownsell
- Ruth Amos