With Le Fil rouge, Christine Ginel pushes women into the headlines

Christine Ginel entend bien mettre en lumière les femmes d’Occitanie Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

Avec le Fil rouge Midi Libre, Christine Ginel œuvre depuis six ans pour plus de visibilité des femmes dans les médias.

Few things annoy Christine Ginel. But faced with the figures of the evolution of the presence of women in the media, his usual smile changes into a grimace." We have not yet reached parity", complains the former head of external relations for the editorial staff of Midi Free.

According to the annual report of the Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (Arcom), the rate of women present on radio and television is 44%. % in 2023, or six points more than in 2016. Their speaking time is, however, much lower than that of men and stagnates: it is 36%, as in 2019.

It’s this under-representation of women in the media that pushes Christine Ginel to create Le Fil rouge Midi Libre in 2019. The goal ? Highlight the women of Occitanie for their actions and their commitment.

Her action earned her an award on May 30, 2024 at the Hôtel de Girard in Montpellier during the evening “Together , let's flourish !" organized by Montpellier life coach May Makhlouf and American entrepreneur Paula Fellingham.

Breaking imposter syndrome

Now a young retiree, Christine Ginel continues to work at the head of the association. Regularly contacted by press titles looking for female speakers, she draws from among her nearly 300 members. They are lawyers, business leaders, artists, cooks, blacksmiths and doctors. “They are all gems. Women have things to say. However, they remain in the background when we ask them, she regrets. With the Red Thread, we are trying to break this imposter syndrome that many are victims of. “I myself have been paying the price for this for a long time,” she admits.

Since this year, the group has evolved into a real Club des Femmes du Fil rouge Midi Libre. Members have access to a dedicated LinkedIn group to exchange with each other and to a directory with the contact details of all members.

They are also invited during "Face to Face" organized by the newspaper's editorial staff in the presence of ministers or readers and are invited to the "Labs" by Midi Libre (Health, Real Estate, Agriculture, Eco).

Fostering sisterhood

During these events, synergies are created between women. Caroline Bouvier, founder of the eponymous fashion house located in Montpellier, and Claire, a painter, have created a whole collection of clothes together. Aline, at the head of the Femmes 3 association ;nbsp;000 she calls on the services of Nadia, caterer, to provide the buffet for one of her events.

"Seeing women collaborate together is a success for me. This is also the goal of the Red Thread: to promote sorority between women", congratulates Christine Ginel, moved. Because beyond professional collaborations, real friendships are forged between these women.

Next meeting: the 2024 edition of the Fil Rouge gala on June 20 in the pine forest. On the program: participatory workshops (media training, boss dating, etc.), round tables or even the organization of a major debate with inspiring women.