LONDON.- Actresses Judi Dench and Sin Phillips are, according to the British press today, the first two women members of the Garrick, one of the oldest private clubs in Londonmuch criticized for being reserved for men.
Founded in 1831, the institution is located in the Covent Garden district in central London and includes among its members numerous judges and lawyers, journalists, senior civil servants and political leaders.
Like other prestigious clubs, the Garrick was reserved for men, according to an ancient rule, regularly denounced as archaic and a symbol of male supremacy in places of power and influence.
According to a list revealed in March by the newspaper The GuardianKing Charles III and actors such as Brian Cox and Benedict Cumberbatch are part of the club.
Pressure for women’s entry
The publication of this list increased pressure on the Garrick Club to allow women in.
MI6 chief Richard Moore and Downing Street Secretary General Simon Case then announced they were leaving the Garrick Club.
Following these latest events, members of the Garrick Club voted in May to allow women to join.
According to The GuardianThe Garrick Club on Monday named Judi Dench, 89, and Sin Phillips, 91, as senior members.
Judi Dench achieved worldwide fame for her participation in films of the James Bond saga such as GoldenEye y Heavy rain.
The octogenarian actress is the most decorated English actress, with two Oscars and seven nominations, as well as two Golden Globes.
Sin Phillips is a Welsh actress, best known for her stage roles.
In the cinema she acted several times with Peter O’Toole, to whom she was married for 20 years, also appearing in the film Duneby David Lynch, filmed in 1984.
According to the British press, other women are expected to join the club, such as former Home Secretary Amber Rudd and television journalist Cathy Newman.
In 2015, a vote at the Garrick on admitting women failed to secure a sufficient majority to allow such a step to be taken.
In 2021, a petition to allow women to enter was supported by Cherie Booth, a renowned lawyer and wife of former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Cherie Booth recounted that in 1976 she had to remain at the entrance of the club, while her future husband was allowed in.
FUENTE: AFP
