Dear Hillary, It is with a heavy heart I write you. In the days since the election, I’ve grieved with much of the international community. The outcome of this election has left many scared for what the future holds, especially for women and minorities. I cannot tell you how much I wish this were a letter…
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Name: Kait Fenwick Age: 21 Occupation: Full-time student, part-time console operator Location/Hometown: Newcastle, NSW Describe yourself in one word. Curious What is your feminist philosophy? Inclusivity is at the forefront of my feminist philosophy. I’m conscious of my whiteness and the privileges that are associated with that. What inspires you? The writings of the late…
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When Natasha Stott-Despoja was appointed Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls in December 2013, she said: ‘I continue to be proud of Australia’s efforts to work with and for the world’s women, and I’m honoured to have been given a chance to contribute to this work.’ In October 2016, when the United Nations appointed Wonder…
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Like any other little girl, I would spend hours at a time imagining my perfect wedding. The ring, the bridesmaids, the cake and of course, the fairytale white dress. But it wasn’t until I recently attended a friend’s wedding ceremony that I started thinking – what does all of this really mean? Of course, like…
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According to Weight Watchers, recent findings have revealed that 63 per cent of Australian women believe a good sex life is important to an individual’s overall wellbeing – not unlike the content we see in some popular women’s magazines. However, about a quarter of these Australian women report having avoided sexual activity on at least…
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When the noted Australian female sports journalist Rebecca Wilson died earlier this month, public outpourings of condolence were swiftly forthcoming. Recognising Wilson’s groundbreaking work during her career of more than 35 years and paving the way for other female journalists in what remains traditionally a man’s domain, The Australian newspaper credited Wilson with ‘smashing down…
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I have a confession to make. I have never seen one episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. And yet, I can still name every member of the Kardashian-Jenner brood. I can tell you the brand of the dress Kylie was wearing last week on Instagram (it was Meshki), and I can tell you which…
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In September, banned Essendon player Jobe Watson made his long-awaited announcement that he would play on in 2017. At his press conference, he wore a cap emblazoned with the word ‘FEMINIST’. Watson spoke of his New York housemate Jackie Funder, girlfriend of former Essendon Bombers player Scott Gumbleton, who had educated him on gender equality…
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This is a love letter to domestic violence victims. To the sisters, the mothers, the aunts, the grandmothers. The sophisticated ladies, the spitfire working class woman, the timid girl. The women who are victims of violence within their own homes. You, who have traversed the hallowed roads of hell. This is for you. This is…
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Why is it such a familiar sight to see coaching and administration in women’s sport still made up predominantly of men? What does this mean for the women trying to break into this industry? I got thinking about this after discussions on Twitter about Carlton choosing Damien Keeping as their coach for the…
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This is the final instalment of Kill Pill. To follow Madeleine’s personal journey, check out the archives. There’s something unsettling about this column ending on the number 17. My first thought was ‘they need to end on an even number’, then my second thought was, ‘well, nothing ends on an even number’. So here we…
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There is no space of time more intense for Australian party leaders than the weeks leading up to the day of the federal election. We know this, because there seems to be very little practical work going for the rest of the year. Though it seems that during this week of hand shaking and baby…
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Content Warning: this article contains mention of rape, rape culture and victim blaming ‘… we should not make the mistake that law can provide the solution to the oppression that it celebrates and sustains’ – Carol Smart in Feminism and the power of law This quote from Carol Smart has been banging around in my…
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The federal election is now less than a month away, and in the past week or two, the issue of women’s participation in sport has managed to make its way onto the mainstream agenda. It appears that the two major parties are vying to demonstrate who is better committed to women’s sport. With…
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