‘Unlikeable’ and unapologetic: Hundreds of women convene at sell-out Unlikeable Woman™ Summit to spark social change

The Summit explored how successful and disruptive women are often described as “unlikeable” and how the fear of not being nice enough can negatively impact female ambition and assertiveness. The phenomenal line-up unpacked the societal labels often assigned to women who choose visibility, integrity and leadership on their own terms.

Held at the church in Farringdon’s Crypt on the Green, London, the summit featured a series of powerful and sometimes uncomfortable talks and discussions about the expectations of women in society and what happens when they resist.

Among a wealth of incredible female speakers were:

• Tamu Thomas – Author, Leadership Coach
• Dr Charlotte Proudman - Women’s Rights Barrister
• Ella Morgan – TV Personality and LGBT-rights Activist
• Laura Bates - Author and Keynote Speaker
• Misha B – Singer-Songer writer and Artist
• Jane Evans – Author and Activist
• Anniki Sommerville – Journalist and Columnist at Good Housekeeping

The Unlikeable Woman™ Summit was born out of original research conducted by Good Shout, which revealed a striking trend: a significant number of women in professional settings actively temper their voices, ideas and presence out of fear of being perceived as "unlikeable." This insight (rooted in data and amplified by lived experience) served as the foundation for the summit. The event set out to challenge this internalised pressure, spotlight the cost of likeability politics, and empower women to lead, speak and show up unapologetically.

Throughout the event, speakers delved into topics such as the UK legal system, the rise of deep fakes, our nervous systems and the Supreme Court’s latest ruling against the trans community. Their insights provided attendees with valuable perspectives on navigating professional and personal challenges while staying true to their values, as well as calls to action with regards to driving political and social change for women worldwide.

A standout speaker at the event was singer-songwriter Misha B, who spoke candidly for the first time about her experience on The X Factor and the long-term effects of media misrepresentation. Reflecting on being labelled and misunderstood at just 19 years old, Misha shared how reclaiming her voice, embracing abstract art, and channelling her grief through creativity became acts of healing, rebellion and empowerment.

'I reclaimed my power by speaking my truth, not just accepting the narrative that they pushed and poked onto me,' she said.

“When there are spaces that do not welcome us, we will continue to create spaces that are for us,” she added.

She closed with a wonderful musical performance, sharing an original song, Real Bad Woman.

In her talk on ‘The power of no’, Tamu Thomas had this to say: “Every time we abandon ourselves to be liked we tell the world our safety is optional.”

“Crazy is the go-to insult for women who upset the status quo,” added Anna Bogutskaya, author of Unlikeable Female Characters, in her presentation.

The response from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Engagement in the chat, post-event feedback, and social media commentary all pointed to the same conclusion: this was a necessary and overdue conversation. Participants left the summit energised, challenged, and equipped with practical insights they could carry into their work and wider communities.

Amy Kean, Founder of Good Shout, shared, “Niceness and likeability are entirely manufactured concepts designed to keep women in their place. At Good Shout we’ve worked with hundreds of women who’ve been ‘told off’ for being too much, too confident, too direct, too ambitious, the list goes on. As far as we’re concerned, when it comes to women, the word ‘too’ is now banned from our vocabulary.”

The Unlikeable Woman™ Summit created a space where difficult conversations could be had with honesty and intelligence, and where being “unlikeable” was reframed as not only acceptable, but powerful.