By VALENTINA SERVERA AND CATRIONA STEWART

SCOTLAND has shaken off its macho image and is now leading the way in feminism, claims First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

And she hailed young, gay politician Mhairi Black as being unafraid to "upset the apple cart" in working for change.

Speaking to Glasgow Clyde College journalism students in The Pattern magazine, the First Minister has also advised young women “don’t try and fit in with others around you, instead to “be yourself”.

She said: "When I was in my twenties I don’t think Scotland would have been seen as a feminist country.

"Scotland’s traditional reputation is as quite a macho aggressive country so that’s been probably a relatively recent and positive transformation.

"We are ahead of many other countries in terms of the policies we’re implementing, I’ve got a gender balanced cabinet.

"Very few countries in the world even now have that.

"We are working really hard to encourage better gender representation and gender balance on company boards and public sector boards."

Ms Sturgeon spoke about how she discovered feminism “as soon as she could think for herself”.

And she hailed MP Mairi Black as a powerful role model.

She said: "Mhairi is phenomenal and I think having people like that – young, female, gay, absolutely passionate about what she believes in and not scared to articulate that or upsetting the apple cart - can be really powerful."

While Ms Sturgeon was growing up, there weren’t many female role models, but it was about quality more than quantity.

"There weren’t very many women in politics at all when I was growing up [except for] in my party, and indeed in the area I grew up in became active in politics,” she added.

"In the SNP, although there weren’t hundreds and hundreds of senior women, there were a small number of very influential women.

"Winnie Ewing, Margaret Ewing and even Roseanna Cunningham was an MP when I was younger, so there were a number of women to look to and learn from which was really important to me.

"I think it’s so important for women in all walks of life."

Although Ms Sturgeon is considered a strong feminist leader, the road to where she is now has not been easy.

Even though she didn’t know the term “feminism’’ growing up, she was always campaigning for women’s rights.

She said: “I think looking back on it, I probably discovered feminism almost as soon as I could think for myself.

"I was always really passionate about women’s rights and equal opportunities.

"I would always, even as a primary school child, find myself getting angry at a fellow woman not getting a fair crack at the whip."

Ms Sturgeon said she cares a lot about the next generation of female politicians.

She said: "The advice I give out to young women starting out in politics today is that the most important thing is to be yourself.

"Not all women are the same but be yourself and allow your own personality.

"Don’t try to fit in and behave in the same way that others around you are."