Virginia Ironside
Encyclopedia
Virginia Ironside is a British
journalist and author. She is the daughter of painter and coin designer Christopher Ironside
and fashion designer and professor of fashion design at the Royal College of Art Janey Acheson. Ironside writes a column, "Dilemmas", for The Independent
and a monthly column for The Oldie
. Her first book, Chelsea Bird, was published at the age of nineteen. During the 1960s she wrote a rock column for the Daily Mail
newspaper. She is an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society
.
in 2010. She stated "If a baby's going to be born severely disabled or totally unwanted, surely an abortion is the act of a loving mother." and added "If I were the mother of a suffering child - I mean a deeply suffering child - I would be the first to want to put a pillow over its face... If it was a child I really loved, who was in agony, I think any good mother would." Though some viewers supported Ironside, many complaints were registered on the programme's website message board.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist and author. She is the daughter of painter and coin designer Christopher Ironside
Christopher Ironside
Christopher Ironside FSIA 1970, OBE 1971, FRBS 1977 was an English painter and coin designer, particularly known for the reverse sides of the new British coins issued on decimalisation in 1971....
and fashion designer and professor of fashion design at the Royal College of Art Janey Acheson. Ironside writes a column, "Dilemmas", for The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
and a monthly column for The Oldie
The Oldie
The Oldie is a monthly magazine launched in 1992 by Richard Ingrams, who for 23 years was the editor of Private Eye. It carries general interest articles, humour and cartoons, and has an eclectic list of contributors, including James Le Fanu, John Sweeney, Thomas Stuttaford, Virginia Ironside,...
. Her first book, Chelsea Bird, was published at the age of nineteen. During the 1960s she wrote a rock column for the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
newspaper. She is an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society
National Secular Society
The National Secular Society is a British campaigning organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of church and state. It holds that no-one should gain advantage or disadvantage because of their religion or lack of religion. It was founded by Charles Bradlaugh in 1866...
.
Books by Virginia Ironside
- The Virginia Monologues - Why Growing Old is Great (2010)
- The Virginia Monologues - 20 Reasons Why Growing Old is Great (2009)
- No! I Don’t Want to Join a Bookclub (2007)
- The Huge Bag of Worries (2004)
- Janey and Me: Growing Up with My Mother (2003)
- Goodbye, Dear Friend: Coming to Terms with the Death of a Pet (1998)
- Problems! Problems!: Confessions of an Agony Aunt (1998)
- You’ll Get Over It: The Rage of Bereavement (1997)
- The Subfertility Handbook (Overcoming Common Problems) (1995)
- How to Have a Baby and Stay Sane (1989)
- Made for Each Other (1985)
- Distant Sunset (1982)
- Chelsea Bird (1964)
Controversy
Ironside received considerable attention after her appearance on BBC1's religious discussion programme, Sunday Morning LiveSunday Morning Live (BBC)
Sunday Morning Live is a religious and currents affairs discussion programme. The first series aired on BBC One from July 2010 to November 2010 after the end of the third series of The Big Questions.A second series began on 26 June 2011.-Format:...
in 2010. She stated "If a baby's going to be born severely disabled or totally unwanted, surely an abortion is the act of a loving mother." and added "If I were the mother of a suffering child - I mean a deeply suffering child - I would be the first to want to put a pillow over its face... If it was a child I really loved, who was in agony, I think any good mother would." Though some viewers supported Ironside, many complaints were registered on the programme's website message board.