Feminism, advocacy, and facing stigma Yes, there are plenty of people who think sex work is anti-feminist and that it degrades women. But 28 year old Aimee (that’s the name she uses online),...
By Jesse Blakers
Womanhood, immigration, and finding freedom
In her new novel, Untethered, debut author Ayesha Inoon, who is now based in Canberra, shares with readers an incredibly intimate portrait of a young Sri Lankan woman who immigrates with her husband...
Carer Spotlight: Linda’s story of dementia and devotion
When my mum, Linda, began caring for my grandma, Helen, due to advancing dementia, she was unaware of the enormity of the task at hand. “I didn’t know it would be like this,” she used to say to me. ...
Carer spotlight: Alice’s story of duty, isolation, identity
70.1% of primary caregivers cite “a sense of family responsibility” as the main reason that they became a carer. But what does that actually mean? Alice (a pseudonym) cared for her mum for over 30...
Carer spotlight: Erin’s story of being a young carer
10.8% of all Australians identified as carers in the 2018 Australian Census. That is approximately 2.65 million people! And yet, Erin–who was a Disability Support Worker for five years and is a...
Profile: Wendy Somerville on storytelling, identity, and knowledge
Wendy virtually introduces me to her Country through a photo. “This is the Shoalhaven River, this is Jerrinja Country.” She points to different spots and I begin to see more than just green and...
The Beyoncé of Finance: Representation and Hope
Falling in love with academia When Bomikazi Zeka attended a graduation ceremony as a guest during her Honours year, she decided that one day, no matter what, she would do a PhD. “There was...
Sexist stock photography, lesbian sisters, and androgyny
Recently, I stumbled across a “lesbian” stock image where the two women looked almost identical. Were they supposed to have shared a womb or were they dating? This sent me down a stock photography...
Confronting domestic abuse in the South Asian community
Manjula Datta O’Connor's book, Daughters of Durga, is an incisive investigation of domestic violence in South Asian communities, and the resilience of women in the face of adversity. Here she talks...