A survey looking at the cost of being a woman in Ireland feeds the narrative that women are victims.
That's according to Newstalk Breakfast host Ciara Kelly, who was responding to a piece in the Irish Examiner.
It found that it costs €12,000 extra a year to be a woman in Ireland - with menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, reproductive health and cosmetics all contributing.
Ciara said the findings don't sit right with her.
"I dislike intensely the narrative of women as victims," she said.
"Some of this stuff is a choice - I think there's about €3,000 in there for aesthetics, or certainly a couple of grand in there for aesthetics like Botox and fillers.
"Most women don't use Botox [and] don't use fillers, so that cost can be gone."
'Something odd'
Ciara said some costs, like around fertility, are not just the woman's responsibility.
"They also include things like fertility costs - and they're ascribing them to women - for couple's attending fertility.
"I think there's something odd in that they would think that that's the woman's cost.
"I don't think fertility, for a couple who are having infertility problems, is all... to do with the woman".
'Let's take back our power'
Ciara said a lot of what women do is a choice.
"I think the €12,000 is a little inflated," she said.
"Are there societal norms and societal expectations around women's appearance? Yes there are.
"Do we have to buy into it as women? We don't. Do we choose to - lots of us do."
'I reject the notion'
Ciara said women should not be seen as put upon or poor.
"I'm the one spending the money and buying the makeup and all that," she said.
"But I get tired, and I resent and I reject the notion that women are just these constant put upon, poor things as a woman.
"I don't want to be viewed like that, I don't want to view myself like that, I don't want other women to view themselves like that, and I don't want young women to view themselves like that.
"Let's take back our power and talk about choice.
"Choose to do your nails and your hair and your hair extensions and your Botox if you want to - but recognise it as a choice.
"Don't see it, do it and then say, 'Oh poor me,'" she added. "There's something in that that doesn't sit right with me."
