The University of Westminster recently hosted the annual Wollstonecraft Society (WS) Lecture, bringing together students, colleagues, writers and members of the public to celebrate the legacy of Mary Wollstonecraft, the pioneering feminist philosopher whose ideas continue to shape modern discussions on women’s rights and equality.
The event was held on 28 April at the University’s Regent Street Campus and this year’s theme, Myth vs Reality, focused on how ancient Greek myths shift over time, how women in myth, like Medea, have been misrepresented, and how feminist retellings challenge traditional narratives. The conversation examined how these stories influence contemporary ideas about women, power and justice, connecting classical storytelling with modern feminist thought.
The lecture featured Sunday Times bestselling author and broadcaster Natalie Haynes, also known as the rock star mythologist. Known for books such as Pandora’s Jar, Stone Blind and her acclaimed new novel No Friend To This House, she is celebrated for reclaiming women’s voices in Greek myth.
Haynes was joined in conversation with Bee Rowlatt, writer, former BBC journalist and chair of the Wollstonecraft Society. Rowlatt is the author of One Woman Crime Wave and In Search of Mary, a travelogue inspired by Wollstonecraft that won the Society of Authors’ K Blundell Trust award. She also organises cultural events at the British Library and was recently awarded an MBE for services to women’s rights.
Together, they unpacked the shifting cultural power of myths, the role of humour in reclaiming women’s stories and the surprising ways in which classical narratives resonate with Wollstonecraft’s own radical ideas.
The event also served as a fundraiser for the WS, an education charity bringing Wollstonecraft’s human rights legacy to young people through creative outreach and learning programmes.
About the event, Bee Rowlatt said: “Solidarity, objectification and superpowered women in Greek myth! It was a thrill for the Wollstonecraft Society to be back at the University of Westminster, this year for a dazzling conversation with rockstar mythologist Natalie Haynes. Her deep insights into the Classics combined very sharp wit and a lot of feminism, with some surprising connections to Mary Wollstonecraft. It was an inspiring evening with all proceeds going to support the Wollstonecraft Society's creative human rights education projects.”
Lynne Berry, Chair to Westminster’s Court of Governors and Patron of the WS, who hosted the event, added: “As Natalie Haynes wove stories of super heroines, mythical creatures and dreadful acts of violence, the dream team of the Wollstonecraft Society and the University of Westminster turned them into stories of passion, commitment, education, politics and the rights of girls and women everywhere. Bee Rowlatt brought laughter and a strong stomach to the gruesome stories to turn them into stories of empowerment, making the invisible visible and standing up for justice. Westminster was again delighted to host the annual Wollstonecraft Society lecture. Come back for more ideas we can turn on their heads next year!”
The event directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education, 5: Gender Equality and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at the University of Westminster.
Lynne Berry hosting Wollstonecraft Society Lecture 2026
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