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| Mid-term elections 2018: Female MPs give new congresswomen advice | Mid-term elections 2018: Female MPs give new congresswomen advice |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| On Wednesday, less than a month after her 29th birthday, New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was elected to the US House of Representatives. Abby Finkenauer, also 29, achieved the same result in Iowa. | On Wednesday, less than a month after her 29th birthday, New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was elected to the US House of Representatives. Abby Finkenauer, also 29, achieved the same result in Iowa. |
| Upon formally taking office, the pair will become the youngest women ever to serve in Congress. | Upon formally taking office, the pair will become the youngest women ever to serve in Congress. |
| While the House of Commons is still some way off achieving gender equality, a record 208 women MPs were elected in 2017 - and the number of women elected before the age of 30 is on the rise. | While the House of Commons is still some way off achieving gender equality, a record 208 women MPs were elected in 2017 - and the number of women elected before the age of 30 is on the rise. |
| So, what advice can our MPs offer their US counterparts? | So, what advice can our MPs offer their US counterparts? |
| "Always believe in yourself," says Danielle Rowley, who was elected as MP for Midlothian last year, aged 27. | "Always believe in yourself," says Danielle Rowley, who was elected as MP for Midlothian last year, aged 27. |
| "People will always have an idea of what politicians should be, and you're never going to fit into that, but they will believe in you for being you." | "People will always have an idea of what politicians should be, and you're never going to fit into that, but they will believe in you for being you." |
| Ms Rowley admits the advice is "dead cheesy" but stresses self-belief is hugely important in an often male-dominated arena. | Ms Rowley admits the advice is "dead cheesy" but stresses self-belief is hugely important in an often male-dominated arena. |
| "The only skill you need is to be passionate about helping people and passionate about representing your area," she adds. "Everything else you can learn, and that's fine." | "The only skill you need is to be passionate about helping people and passionate about representing your area," she adds. "Everything else you can learn, and that's fine." |
| Kirsty Blackman was 29 when she was elected as MP for Aberdeen North in 2015 - a seat she held in last year's election. | Kirsty Blackman was 29 when she was elected as MP for Aberdeen North in 2015 - a seat she held in last year's election. |
| Ms Blackman echoes her colleague's views on self-belief, adding: "It really helps to surround yourself with people who are positive and have a similar outlook to you." | Ms Blackman echoes her colleague's views on self-belief, adding: "It really helps to surround yourself with people who are positive and have a similar outlook to you." |
| Is there anything they wished they had known before becoming an MP? | Is there anything they wished they had known before becoming an MP? |
| "I'd always thought Westminster would be a very hostile place," says Ms Rowley, "that it would be a 'boys' club". | "I'd always thought Westminster would be a very hostile place," says Ms Rowley, "that it would be a 'boys' club". |
| "I now know there is a massive group of really welcoming, supportive people who are there for you all the time. I wish I'd known that." | "I now know there is a massive group of really welcoming, supportive people who are there for you all the time. I wish I'd known that." |
| While both women have had positive experiences with other MPs, receiving the wider recognition they have earned can prove a battle in itself. | While both women have had positive experiences with other MPs, receiving the wider recognition they have earned can prove a battle in itself. |
| 'I don't fit in that box' | 'I don't fit in that box' |
| "I've just been at an event in the constituency where there was another older male politician and someone came and asked me if I was his secretary," says Ms Rowley. "I get that quite a lot." | "I've just been at an event in the constituency where there was another older male politician and someone came and asked me if I was his secretary," says Ms Rowley. "I get that quite a lot." |
| Ms Blackman adds: "I do a lot of my own phone calls and it's pretty unusual for anyone to think that I'm the MP when I'm phoning from my office. | Ms Blackman adds: "I do a lot of my own phone calls and it's pretty unusual for anyone to think that I'm the MP when I'm phoning from my office. |
| "Quite often they'll say: 'What's your name?' I'll tell them and then they'll ask who's office I'm phoning from. | "Quite often they'll say: 'What's your name?' I'll tell them and then they'll ask who's office I'm phoning from. |
| "'My office,' I'll say." | "'My office,' I'll say." |
| She adds that people "have this picture in the head of what an MP should look like - and I don't fit in that box". | She adds that people "have this picture in the head of what an MP should look like - and I don't fit in that box". |
| But not fitting the mould of a stereotypical politician can also be an advantage, says Ms Rowley. | But not fitting the mould of a stereotypical politician can also be an advantage, says Ms Rowley. |
| She explains: "When I was standing for election a lot of people said: 'Are you not a bit young? What experience do you have?' | She explains: "When I was standing for election a lot of people said: 'Are you not a bit young? What experience do you have?' |
| "But I find that a really good opportunity because when people question me I can talk about my experience and explain, while I might be young, this is what I've done, this is my experience and this is what I'm passionate about." | "But I find that a really good opportunity because when people question me I can talk about my experience and explain, while I might be young, this is what I've done, this is my experience and this is what I'm passionate about." |
| 'I still want to be myself' | 'I still want to be myself' |
| Unlike many politicians around the world, candidates chasing election in their 20s have grown up in a world of social media. | Unlike many politicians around the world, candidates chasing election in their 20s have grown up in a world of social media. |
| Should young politicians attempt to temper their online presence? | Should young politicians attempt to temper their online presence? |
| Ms Blackman suggests only posting things you are "willing to stand by", adding her eight years as a councillor (before being elected as an MP), mean she has never really posted anything she "would have been upset with people looking at". | Ms Blackman suggests only posting things you are "willing to stand by", adding her eight years as a councillor (before being elected as an MP), mean she has never really posted anything she "would have been upset with people looking at". |
| Ms Rowley adds that she has not tried to "delete or hide" anything from her social media now that she is an MP. | Ms Rowley adds that she has not tried to "delete or hide" anything from her social media now that she is an MP. |
| "I got elected being myself so I thought I'm not now going to become what people expect a politician to be," she says. "I still want to be myself." | "I got elected being myself so I thought I'm not now going to become what people expect a politician to be," she says. "I still want to be myself." |
| Regardless of the challenges ahead, Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Ms Finkenauer have already made history. | Regardless of the challenges ahead, Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Ms Finkenauer have already made history. |
| Their election to Congress is seen by many as a sign of greater opportunities for young people in politics - and their stories will undoubtedly inspire the next generation. | Their election to Congress is seen by many as a sign of greater opportunities for young people in politics - and their stories will undoubtedly inspire the next generation. |
| More women than ever before won seats in Congress in the 2018 mid-terms. | More women than ever before won seats in Congress in the 2018 mid-terms. |
| What does it mean for Congress - and America? | What does it mean for Congress - and America? |