Never Apologise – Catherine Calderwood, Open Letter.
I don’t know if you’ll ever read this or whether it’ll even make it to anyone’s eyes, but I just felt an overwhelming need to write to you.
I was driving back from another trip to the god forsaken supermarket when I heard your statement on the radio.
As soon as I heard your voice I felt this burn of rage “WHY!!” Why on earth are you apologising? I couldn’t comprehend it?!
You, a women of such magnitude and precision over what must be the most excruciating circumstances you’ve ever faced, is apologising for doing something so natural and completely necessary to your existence.
What I see is a woman kicking her pan in day and night to serve the Scottish public – forcing decisions and choices so unbeknown to the outcomes relying entirely on faith and belief in all your experience and training. Sacrificing her own personal wellbeing and that of her family to then go “home” to Fife at the weekend to be at peace.
Why is that something to apologise for? You are not defying your own advice – you ARE a key worker, you are turning up to work every day and returning home at the weekend. No different from the key workers separated from their kin travelling to temporary accommodation to stop the spread.
What I see is that you have been pitch forked for being an educated woman who has wealth, privilege and property made by hard-work, determination and consistency.
The objection is not your travel. The objection is that you have a “second home”. The objection is not that you defy your own advice (because you don’t) it’s that those who judge you are not and cannot understand the immense enormity of pressure you are under. They picture you a floundering woman with no grasp on what “we, the normal working man” are faced with.
The fact is you are not us, we are not you and I do not see any one of your critics putting themselves forward for the role of CMO.
I wholeheartedly believe you should never have apologised. You did nothing wrong and by apologising you forwent the behaviours of those who gaslight and cancel culture we’re all at the mercy of.
I so wish you stood up for your actions and simply stated your right.
So many females are condemned for surface value issues when the real reasons are clear. Politicians need to be more human and I so wish that this situation was different.
Catherine Calderwood – this is me, I have 2 homes – I work my fucking arse off for the Scottish people and at the weekend I take my kids to Fife, responsibly and in isolation from the rest of the world. If the Sun newspaper wishes to exert their non essential movement to photograph my family, they are the ones who should be reprimanded for misuse of lock down.
When I told you my story of forensic examination after being raped, you showed me empathy and above all compassion that my words would Invoke change, you would present my experience to your influencers within midwifery ensuring that rape survivors would be considered throughout pregnancy.
I believed you and I know the amazing efforts you have achieved.
Forever grateful and unbelievably saddened at the news of your resignation.
Best
Cara Mackay x
