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Female spies of MI6

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11–20 of 182 posts

Re: Female spies of MI6

#11

>> When her children were teenagers, Rebecca decided to tell them that she was a spy. “They were super sensible, and I judged the information wasn’t going to be a burden for them, that they wouldn’t tell everybody.” Is Rebecca still working there?

Yeah... not a good idea. That's the type of info you might divulge on your deathbed to adult children. Absolutely insane to tell teens while still working there.

Re: Female spies of MI6

#12
There's a very good book in French on the same topic (Espionnes by Dalila Kerchouche). The author interviewed several women in the various FR services (DGSE, DGSI, etc.) in various leadership and non-leadership positions. If you can read French, you will find it very interesting. It's both a cultural trip and partial demystification of the trade.

Re: Female spies of MI6

#13
post #12

There's a very good book in French on the same topic (Espionnes by Dalila Kerchouche). The author interviewed several women in the various FR services (DGSE, DGSI, etc.) in various leadership and non-leadership positions. If you can read French, you will find it very interesting. It's both a cultural trip and partial demystification of the trade.

https://www.amazon.com/Espionnes-Doubles-exclusive-services-...

Re: Female spies of MI6

#15
> These photographs do not contain individuals working in British intelligence or document MI6 equipment and locations

Or so they want you to believe...

Re: Female spies of MI6

#16
post #11

>> When her children were teenagers, Rebecca decided to tell them that she was a spy. “They were super sensible, and I judged the information wasn’t going to be a burden for them, that they wouldn’t tell everybody.” Is Rebecca still working there?

Yeah... not a good idea. That's the type of info you might divulge on your deathbed to adult children. Absolutely insane to tell teens while still working there.

Between a duty to family & country, which should truly come first in our short lives?

Had her children ever accidentally found out at near any time in their lives, they may have never been able to trust their mother again - severing what arguably should be one of the strongest bonds one can have.

Would you (rhetorically) find it reasonable that she, or anybody with children, is required to live with that thought in the back of their mind? In an occupation she’s otherwise taken an oath (highly presumably) to devote her allegiance to?

I’m not sure. It definitely seems like a question with a hard answer.

Re: Female spies of MI6

#17

> In the past, women have been overlooked, relegated to secretarial roles or, before the SIS era, deployed as “honeytraps” to ensnare or blackmail enemies Amusing of MI6 to claim they no longer use honeytraps.

They still are, but they were in the past, too.

"I used to do drugs. I mean, I still do, but I used to, too."

-Mitch Hedberg

Re: Female spies of MI6

#18
post #10

Wait what - seriously the head of equipment is named Q ... after the Bond Character ! I mean that's either the greatest bit of journalist pranking I have read all year or it's true and, well, a bit naff.

I think it was just short for Quartermaster so it might make sense aside from the Bond reference.

Yeah, has to be the abbreviation for Quartermaster. Even the exasperation of the character in the movies is obviously based on the demeanour of every ageing CQMS in the British Army (he doesn't appear in the Fleming books, where there's only the Q Branch responsible for supply).

Re: Female spies of MI6

#19
post #16
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah... not a good idea. That's the type of info you might divulge on your deathbed to adult children. Absolutely insane to tell teens while still working there.

Between a duty to family & country, which should truly come first in our short lives? Had her children ever accidentally found out at near any time in their lives, they may have never been able to trust their mother again - severing what arguably should be one of the strongest bonds one can have. Would you (rhetorically) find it reasonable that she, or anybody with children, is required to live with that thought in t…

Lol. It's supposed that one of them (i.e the mother) should behave like and adult and own it. Of course nobody forced her to choose serving her country but I believe in this case she failed both her duty to family & country.

It's just proof that not all the people are up for this job.

I remeber when my brother spilled the beans on a "family secret" to some close family friends in front of my mother...good that was just a silly thing. Now imagine that could get her fired or worse, cause someone's death.

I wonder if she(or the remaining parent) would find it sensible to share that as well with the children.

Re: Female spies of MI6

#20

>> When her children were teenagers, Rebecca decided to tell them that she was a spy. “They were super sensible, and I judged the information wasn’t going to be a burden for them, that they wouldn’t tell everybody.” Is Rebecca still working there?

Don't Tell Everyone You're A Spy Challenge: Difficulty IMPOSSIBLE
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