Vicky’s Work Area 2006 (Photo credit: Vicky TGAW)
Lets be clear on International Women’s Day. Flexibility is not gender diversity, nor is it equality. Nursing rooms, flexible hours and acknowledging the needs of returning mothers is also not equality, it is merely a fact of life. Gender diversity means that women have the same opportunities and choices as men do, and men can have the freedom to choose roles that we have traditionally attributed to women
I don’t know if I am the only one that has noticed, but there seems to be a distinct rise in what I would call “the mummy culture’ amongst young mothers, at least in Australia. They look fantastic, exercise regularly, cook up a storm, have a man’s man for a partner, they can be stay at home mums or career women. What ever way they all seem to have some things in common.
They follow each other in packs on Facebook and twitter posting and tweeting numerous photographs of their little ‘bundles of joy’ for all to see. Their world seems to revolve completely around raising their children but, I think, in a slightly different way to they way women of older generations raised their children. Here are a couple of characteristics that I have noticed;
I am interested in doing some research on this to see if it really is a new phenomenon, so please take part in this poll to voice your opinion. Are these ‘mummas’ undermining the work of feminists or are they just capitialising on the ‘choice’ that feminism has given them?
Thank you for taking the time to respond to the poll.
A young supporter, but does he know what he is supporting?
What began as a form of half time entertainment during Gridiron matches at the super bowl in the US, has now evolved into the successful and controversial Lingerie Football League (LFL), ‘true fantasy football’ according to the website. Now Founder Mitch Mortaza is intent on bringing his franchise to Australia next year.
Yet our Australian Sports Commission (ASC) does not support the LFL nor does Sports Minister Kate Lundy who is strongly opposed, making a public statement that “As Minister for Sport, I can’t abide a spectacle that degrades women and threatens to undermine the progress of women in sport in Australia.” White Ribbon – Australia’s campaign to stop violence against women, fully support Kate Lundy’s position on the LFL, stating, “White Ribbon denounces initiatives that objectify or exploit women & supports @KateLundy ‘s comments.” Read the rest of this entry
As a Changing Woman we all have the power to change the world around us, but Imagine for one moment the power we have if we harness that power jointly. I have always believed that a mothers love could literally move a mountain if we just knew how to harness the power. I still don’t know how to do that, but I know that as women we currently make up the majority of the worlds population. I also know that women have an indirect impact on the global economy by simply being a consumer. If harnessed, this joint consumer power can move those mountains and send strong messages to organisations and policy makers that behaviour, board structures and government policies need to change. Read the rest of this entry
International Women's Day 2012
The Changing Women Forum started in July 2010 and is currently only small but still with a small global following. Our theme for International Women’s Day 2012 will be ‘Changing the Language’, looking at current terminology, words and language that we accept as normal but limits us in terms of equality and inclusiveness.
An example is constant discussion about childcare, leave for new parents and child support being linked to ‘maternity’ instead of ‘paternity’, where the former restricts the issue of child care only to women, to mothers, not mothers and fathers, or same-sex parents. Further reinforcing the gender stereotype of women as primary caregivers. By changing the term to ‘paternity’, the discussion becomes inclusive of men and the wider community. During March, we will look at other examples and ways that we can change ourselves and our world as Changing Women by changing our language.
When: Thursday 8 March 2012
Where: Everywhere
What: International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women’s Day is a national holiday.
Why: Suffragettes campaigned for women’s right to vote. The word ‘Suffragette’ is derived from the word “suffrage” meaning the right to vote. International Women’s Day honours the work of the Suffragettes, celebrates women’s success, and reminds of inequities still to be redressed. The first International Women’s Day event was run in 1911. 2011 was the Global Centenary Year. Let’s reinvent opportunity for all women … more
December 01 Madrid & Central Spain
Globiles Spotlight is the feature where we give our most interesting and vocal members a stage on which to shine.
This month’s member, Susanne Moore, is “ a global citizen, consultant and entrepreneur “ she also manages the blog-
http://changingwomen.org
.
Here, she talks to us about gender roles in today’s professional environment.
- Interview by Andrea Maltman
G: You created the website “Changing Women” – can you summarize what exactly you feel needs changing regarding the image of modern women?
S: the questions around gender equality and gender change are big subjects and the approach for Changing Women is to keep it simple, focusing on “the changing woman”.
The aim is to promote positive images of real women whose bodies and minds change during the course of their life experiences.
G: Why do you feel you are the one to do this shifting?
S: Probably the best answer here would be because I can. I am an observer and strategist, so I have observed a great many things over the years.
I have more tolerance for people and I think that will help me to be a change agent on a global scale.
I have seen and done what works and what doesn’t work and I have begun to understand why society is the way that it is.
G: Globiles is about professional life and social mobility on a global/international scale. Do you think men and women truly enjoy equal access to these two experiences?
S: I think the degree of equality here varies depending on a couple of factors: First, what country or cultural restrictions are imposed on you, what restrictions you impose on yourself and finally, what restrictions are imposed on you by others.
In short, I don’t think that we can yet say that men and women enjoy equal access to professional achievement or social mobility.
G: In your blog you discuss the term of gender economics, what role does this concept play in business and professional life?
S: Gender Economics is a term that I am using to describe economies built around gender consumption.
It is an important aspect of our social and business climate today and certainly very important as we move into the future.
In the gender economy, we have reduced portions of the population to passive consumers, making indirect economic input rather than direct input. Stabilising the balance between indirect and direct impact has a role developing our economic future.
G: What advice would you give to women who want to scale the heights of their corporate or business environment?
S: Be true to yourself and try to do the work that you want to do. Once you are in the corporate environment, learn how the game is played. Understand the politics of climbing the ladder and be wary of people that want you to fail.
Above all, don’t apologise for being a female! But do try to harness some of the traits that assist men in business-promoting yourself, speaking in solutions not complaints and not taking business dealings personally.
G: Once there, do you believe there is camaraderie amongst the ‘sisterhood’, or a tendency to join the boys club, as it were.
S: Unfortunately I don’t think that this is the norm in the same way as it is for men. Men build strong networks, and compete head to head for promotion using the traditional “old boys” network, whereas in my experience, women seem to spend time competing against each other instead of working together.
It is such a shame because if they used their “woman-ness” they would know that the greatest assets that they have is compassion, intuition, the ability to work as a team and support each other.
The good news is that I think this trend is slowly changing, but it really needs to be addressed at school while girls are developing. Teach them to be happy with the self instead of looking outside of themselves for validation, working on self esteem will help them later in the workplace.
G: In your experience, have you found professional dealings to be easier with women or men?
S: I have mostly worked in male environments, construction and then Information Technology so I am used to working with men and find them to be easier than women.
I think that men are less complicated in the workplace and, as I said in the previous question, once you understand the game you know how to deal with it.
The absolute worst scenario is when another female tries to manipulate the men around you. Men are, in my experience, easily distracted by a beautiful woman, and often don’t pick up on the subtle manipulations and put downs of other women
I would say that every time I have seen this behaviour, the company, or the men in question have come off second best because they have made decisions that are not based on sound judgement.
G: As well as your writing and commentary on your website and blog, you are also an entrepreneur. Tell us about you business ventures and projects.
S: Since closing my consulting company in 2010 I have been doing lots of different projects. I helped my eldest daughter develop her range of beauty products, Alli’s Stuff, and sell these through my lifestyle portal
http://inthebushatthebeach.com
I am also consolidating my Integrity Management Methodology which I wrote in 1997,
http://integritymanagementmethodology.wordpress.com
I hope to work within a specific niche, which will look at imbedding integrity and improving business performance by linking environmental responsibility, cultural sensitivity, gender, and the development of new paradigms for business management.
G: You are also an accomplished public speaker, which subjects are you most passionate about?
S: I love talking about equality and integrity in business. I have also spoken on subjects like outsourcing, project management, leadership and managing diversity.
I have been well known as a International Leader in the field of project management and have spoken many times on that subject.
Lastly my most recent passion is about Changing Women and speaking about the ways that the Changing Woman can help to change the world by harnessing their own inner power and strength. This is just so important and something that I am extremely passionate about.
If you’d like to know more about Susanne, contact her on Globiles or check out her websites:
http://susannemoore.wordpress.com
Globiles is “A community of the global and mobile, sharing insights and contacts online and offline”
A great article in The Punch online magazine by Melinda Tankard Reist, http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Violence-against-women-is-endemic-to-our-sick-culture/ as a lead up to White Ribbon Day on November 25. The article clearly catalogs a range of violent practices against women that are dressed up to look like fashion, pop culture, television or just plain good entertainment. Tankard Reist gives numerous examples of some of the degrading messages about women that appear on T-Shirts, website’s, and books that promote violence against women. Tankard Reist starts by saying;
“Of course it’s good that men stand up and pledge not to be violent and put white ribbons on their shirt collars. We need men to be engaged in the issue. But since the inception of White Ribbon Day, violence against women and children has continued unabated. And the culture that helps to makes violence against women permissible, even something to be celebrated, remains unaddressed.
Moreover, the cultural messages that eroticise violence against women and make it appear sexy, is the same culture in which survivors of sexual assault have to survive. What happened to them is made into something others call art and fashion.
Media, advertising and popular culture reflect values. Any reading of the social landscape tells us that women are really only good for one thing: to be used sexually.”
Definitively worth a read and the most concerning part of the article is the comments she has received. Many demonstrating a lack of understanding of the damaging nature of this type of rhetoric. Many passing it off as ‘fun’, ‘fantasy’ or worse that they don’t see it as a problem;
“Chris_D says:
08:28am | 23/11/11
@KH, I think you miss the point that we see advertising like that and think “care factor zero”. Ignore it and it will go away. Keep hyping it up and the advertisers are the winners, and you are their foot soldiers.”
WhiteRibbon
Australia’s campaign to
stop violence against women
White Ribbon is an organisation that is working to prevent the most common and pervasive form of male violence – that towards women. All forms of violence are unacceptable. White Ribbon believes the prevention of violence against women will change society for the better.
White Ribbon believes in the capacity of the individual to change and to encourage change in others. It believes that our generation can and must work towards stopping violence against women.
Through primary prevention initiatives and an annual campaign, White Ribbon works to change the attitudes and behaviours that lead to men’s violence against women.
From the WhiteRibbon Website.
For the Full Story, please go to msnbc.msn.com
Yemen women protestors
“Yemeni activist Tawakkul Karman laughs as she speaks on the telephone after the announcement of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday. The 2011 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Karman, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee“
T-shirt & jeans
Looking for prize donations now so that I can offer to young designers to come up with an alternative to the T-Shirt for a #changingwomen body shape.
T-Shirts are so versatile but have you noticed that as your body changes and your tummy is not as flat, the old T-Shirt doesn’t look as good as it used to? You can wear a super baggy T-Shirt or a mens size but it just isn’t the same is it? I love T-Shirts and wear them to bed, going out with jeans and just hanging around at home, but many of them are just not comfortable, or that flattering. Since the advent of elastine, T-shirts seem to have become more fitted, which is great, but do you find that they ride up and you have to keep pulling them down over your hips?
This is because they are not shaped for a body that is changing – they are designed to fit a model figure which has no lumps and bumps, is straight up and down with not much in the way of curves. Tank tops and singlets are the same. I recently designed one for myself that is much more roomy and shaped for the real woman. When it is off it looks shapeless, but when it is on it is fantastic! It has more room under the arms and is longer than the norm so it doesn’t ride up and give you a feeling of constriction.
So I am looking for prize donations that would be suitable to offer to young design students in a competition to come up with a new T-Shirt design.
If you have any ideas or would like to give your time or donate a prize, please contact me now!
US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
You may see this as a political movement to help Gillibrand, there are some great messages here about the women’s movement. “Skilled, savvy women can rescue our sagging economy” is an article by Gail Sheehy that talks about Kirsten Gillibrand asking women to get “off the sidelines” and take their place in economic change.
It is pretty amazing that woman make up at least half of the population yet we still have less direct impact on decisions than men across nearly all spectrums of society. In Australia we constantly hear that women make up only a very small percentage of board roles and senior executive roles and women’s salaries still lag behind those of men for the same roles.
Women are often portrayed as mindless consumers who can be controlled and manipulated by the media and this is particularly clear in the advertising industry who proactively manipulate images of women to sell products. Women can contribute to the economy more positively than by being a mere consumer and change workplaces for the better, in turn improving business performance if we embrace them. Currently there is an enormous untapped resource in the economic society that is not being utilised and if we can better harness the potential of women as Gillibrand outlines in her speech it will make a positive impact on our economies.
Key issues raised by the Gillibrand article are that women (in the US) earn only 78 cents to every man’s dollar and only represent 16% of all fortune 500 executive board roles and this is in one of the most advanced democratic economies of the world and sadly the figures are not much better in Australia. The women’s movement is no less important now than it was thirty years ago and we risk slipping back even further on parity to men in the workplace if we don’t make a stand now and encourage younger women to remember the journey started by the Suffragette‘s and Feminists and learn to develop new positive strategies for advancement of women which will also advance humanity.
Off The Sidelines | Kirsten Gillibrand: Off The Sidelines.
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