Virginia Ironside Explained

Virginia Ironside
Birth Date:3 February 1944
Birth Place:London, England
Occupation:Journalist, author

Virginia Ironside (born 3 February 1944) is a British journalist, agony aunt and author. Born in London, she is the daughter of Christopher Ironside, painter and coin designer, and Janey Ironside who was the first professor of fashion design at the Royal College of Art. She is the niece of the painter and designer Robin Ironside.[1]

Education

Ironside attended Miss Ironside's School in Kensington, where her great-aunt was headmistress.[2]

Career

Ironside writes a column, "Dilemmas", for The Independent, an agony column for the Idler, and a monthly column for The Oldie.[3] Her first book, Chelsea Bird, was published when she was 19. During the 1960s she wrote a rock music column for the Daily Mail newspaper.[3] She is an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society.[4] [5]

Comments about abortion

Ironside received attention after her appearance on BBC One's religious discussion programme, Sunday Morning Live, 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."[6] Though some viewers supported Ironside, many complaints were registered on the programme's website message board.

My Death My Decision

Ironside is a Patron of the right to die organisation, My Death My Decision. My Death My Decision is a right to die campaign organisation that wants to see a more compassionate approach to dying in the UK, including giving people the legal right to a medically assisted death if that is their persistent wish.[7]

Works

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Virginia Ironside on Robin Ironside. Pallant House Gallery. 4 March 2012.
  2. Web site: A funny little girl in socks and sandals. Virginia . Ironside. The Independent. 9 January 1995. 7 October 2022.
  3. News: Virginia Ironside: From agony aunt to 'granny stand-up'. The Journal, Newcastle. Karen Wilson. 15 June 2011. 27 February 2020.
  4. http://www.secularism.org.uk/virginia-ironside.html Virginia Ironside profile from website of the National Secular Society
  5. Web site: Honorary Associates. www.secularism.org.uk. en-GB. 1 August 2019.
  6. Web site: Abortion and euthanasia: Was Virginia Ironside right?. TheGuardian.com. 6 October 2010.
  7. Web site: About Us - Who We Are.