EVENTS ‘The Sisterhood Is Really Growing Now’: Leila McKinnon On News, Feminism And Knitting TV news veteran Leila McKinnon was our first Domain trailblazer, speaking in Sydney last week. Here are her takeaways. By Natalie Cornish EVENTS TV news veteran Leila McKinnon was our first Domain trailblazer, speaking in Sydney last week. Here are her takeaways. By Natalie Cornish Previous article It’s Equal Pay Day Today. Here’s Why You Should Speak To Men About It Next article Members On Their Way: Mel Wojtas Leila McKinnon is a true trailblazer. She started as a junior reporter in Rockhampton in Queensland, where she would “ask politicians questions and they would answer the cameraman, because [as a woman] they couldn’t look me in the eye”. Stints in Cairns, the Gold Coast and working for A Current Affair in Brisbane followed before she joined Nine’s newsroom in Sydney in 2002. Now, she’s one of the most recognisable faces on our screens – having interviewed royalty, Hollywood stars and Australia’s elite, and hit the road as a foreign correspondent to cover the biggest stories on the agenda.In the first of our partnerships with Domain to highlight trailblazing women, Leila talked surviving toxic news room culture, the stories that have stayed with her and why wishes she was Beyoncé last week in Sydney. Here are our favourite takeaways. (L-R) FW Founding Director, Helen McCabe, in conversation with Leila McKinnon. McKinnon told the crowd she was a proud feminist. FW Founding Director, Helen McCabe. (L-R) Domain's Belinda Sinclair and Alice Stolz, real estate agent Cherie Humel, Helen McCabe and Leila McKinnon. On surviving toxic news room culture:“I think I just operated as an honorary bloke. I am quote a blokey person. I just regarded myself as one of the men, and even though it was a blokey culture, I didn’t feel discriminated against. I mean yes I did, you couldn’t have a child or do things that you can now but day-to-day I was one of the guys. And by the way it was a brutal horrible culture to men. I saw men go into terrible addiction or break downs because it was a horrible culture in general.” career Best Of Future Women Leaders How this CEO stamps out passive-aggressive behaviours By FW Leaders The six values guiding this former Premier By FW Culture The impossible choice faced by tens of thousands of Australian women By Melanie Dimmitt Leadership New FW partnership to boost number of women in cybersecurity By FW Gender diversity Soft Power By Briana Blackett Gender diversity Be honest. Did you think Bluey was a boy? By Briana Blackett Gender diversity Cyber expert laments “lost generation” in online misogyny panel By Sally Spicer Culture It’s morally corrupt. And it’s happening to one in six women By Melanie Dimmitt Your inbox just got smarter If you’re not a member, sign up to our newsletter to get the best of Future Women in your inbox.