Young Donegal entrepreneur Katie Mc Gloin is featuring in a national report this week on life for women in Ireland today.
The Bundoran 18-year-old is one of six young women featured in ‘The Big Picture – A Woman’s World’ on RTE. This social media and TV series examines society 100 years after Irish women got the vote.
In an online video, Katie told her business story and highlighted her strong views on gender equality.
Gender equality and women’s rights is a key part of Katie’s own company K.T. Clothing Co.
The Magh Ene College student founded Ireland’s first gender neutral clothing brand two years ago as her Transition Year Mini-Company. She has since won numerous entrepreneurial accolades, including Start-Up of the Year Award at U Magazine’s 30 Under 30 awards.
Katie’s role as Youth Ambassador for The Shona Project – an empowerment initiative for girls in Ireland – led to her being selected for RTE’s The Big Picture.
Katie told Donegal Woman: “It was really exciting to have my name brought up to be part of the series.
“The message is a lot of what I do in the K.T. Clothing brand. My interests are women’s rights, gender equality and gender neutrality.”
The Big Picture examines what has changed for women in the past 100 years in the year of the global #metoo movement, issues around gender pay gaps and the passing of the abortion referendum. It looks at opportunities and barriers and exposes how extraordinary obstacles still remain to gender equality.
Katie said she is confident that things are changing, but there is still a way to go. On the future of women’s rights in Ireland, she believes that goals will be achieved through action.
Katie said: “I’ve heard a lot of people say that things are never going to change, but we’ve come so far in 100 years that we need to keep pushing. We need to continue as women have done all along – to be the change and to influence change.”
The Big Picture – A Woman’s World series culminates in a special documentary on RTE One this Thursday at 9.35pm, followed by a live studio discussion with presenter Miriam O’Callaghan.