They Called Her Trash — She Wrote Bestsellers: Lessons from Jilly, Jackie & Megan on Reclaiming Female Shame

From Jilly Cooper to Megan McKenna — women shamed, silenced, and still rising. Here’s how to drop shame that was never yours to carry.

They Called Her Trash — She Wrote Bestsellers: Lessons from Jilly, Jackie & Megan on Reclaiming Female Shame

They called them trash. They called them disgraceful. They called them everything but what they were — powerful women who refused to carry other people’s shame.

When Jilly Cooper passed away this week, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way she — and so many women before her — were publicly mocked for being exactly who they were. Jilly and Jackie Collins were two of the most successful authors of their time, yet they were called “trashy,” “silly,” and “smutty” for writing stories about sex, power, and women’s desire.

And yet… everyone read them. Their books flew off the shelves. Because what they really wrote about was freedom.

Then there’s Megan McKenna, who was humiliated and slut-shamed in the press — only to later help change UK law on the sharing of private material. She didn’t go quiet. She fought back.

It reminded me how shame is so often a tool used to keep women small. When we dare to be visible, sexual, ambitious, or angry — shame is the leash that gets pulled.

But here’s the truth: that shame was never ours to carry.

Sometimes, the bravest thing a woman can do is put it down.

To look at the people who tried to hand it to her — and say, “No, thank you. I’m done.”

Whether you’re a writer, a survivor, a woman healing from trauma, or simply tired of apologising for existing — this episode is your permission slip to drop the shame and walk free.

🎧 Listen now on Her Shift Podcast: They Called Her Trash — She Wrote Bestsellers: Lessons from Jilly, Jackie & Megan on Reclaiming Female Shame.

💋 Join The Room — my private transformation space for women who are done carrying everyone else’s expectations. A mix of book club, healing circle, and soft rebellion. THE ROOM

Tags: female shame, Jilly Cooper, Jackie Collins, Megan McKenna, empowerment, trauma healing, women in media, slut shaming, reclaiming power