Emily Lindin founded The UnSlut Project in 2013 after American teenager, Rehtaeh Parsons, committed suicide. She had been gang raped and consequently labelled a “slut” by her classmates. Emily decided to publish her own diary entries dealing with sexual shaming in high school as a blog to provide some perspective for other young girls experiencing…
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Hawa is a vivacious, young girl with big dreams of becoming a lawyer. Her home is Sierra Leone, a small country still on the mend after being torn asunder by a decade-long civil war. Known for its abundance of minerals and diamonds, it is ironic that life in Sierra Leone is far from glittering. A…
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It is a murky practice that is rarely discussed within its own culture, let alone outside it. Khadija Gbla is a nationally recognised spokesperson and survivor of Female Genital Mutilation. ‘I didn’t even know what Female Genital Mutilation was growing up, I never heard of it being spoken of,’ Khadija says. Khadija, aged 27, was…
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Meet a woman who is championing the rights of women living with HIV in Papua New Guinea. Sylvia John is a 33 year old women’s rights activist living with HIV in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. A few years ago, Sylvia knew something wasn’t right. She happened to be attending an awareness talk at her…
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Thousands of women will take to the streets of Melbourne this Saturday 18 October to protest harassment and violence against women. Natalie Pestana is usually photographing live bands at pubs and clubs around Melbourne, but three years ago she took her anger about the press reporting around the rape and murder of Jill Meagher and…
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Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and this year’s theme is ‘Suicide Prevention: One World Connected.’ In a world where we are constantly trying to stay connected via our iPhones and Twitter pages, we have seen an increase in depression, anxiety and suicide rates worldwide. Which begs the question: how connected are we really? My…
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The Big Bash League and the Brisbane Heat have teamed up with Ovarian Cancer Australia (OCA) to drive a month-long campaign to raise funds and awareness for ovarian cancer, one of the biggest silent killers among women. In 2014, it is estimated that approximately 1470 Australian women will be diagnosed with the cancer, but many…
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You might not think purple is your colour, but you should don some of the hue this Friday. Wondering why we here at Lip so concerned about what you’ll be wearing for once? Well August 29 is Wear it Purple Day, an initiative to recognise and support sexuality and gender diverse young people in their…
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‘Today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow.’ It’s a phrase often touted by well-meaning experienced leaders to inspire young people. But from the Tiananmen Square Protests to the Arab Spring, young people have always been key instigators of change in the fight for social justice. Growing up with the Internet, our generation has the resources…
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Next month, 1000 young volunteers from across the country will take part in a four-day road trip to Canberra in a bid to educate everyday Australians about extreme poverty and to petition government leaders to commit to ending extreme poverty. The roadtrip forms part of the End Poverty Campaign by Oaktree, Australia’s largest youth-led movement…
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HIV rates and the rate of STIs have increased in Australia over the past few years – and we are currently sitting at a 20-year high due to increasing unprotected sex between casual male partners. The need for preventative measures, such as condoms and regular testing, has become more and more apparent here in Oz,…
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By now we’re all too aware that we have an excess of men in leadership across all sectors, industries, government and media. Try this game: Can you name the seven women who are CEO’s of ASX 200 companies? Can you name a Breakfast radio program that is hosted by more than one woman? What’s the…
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In the ever-present and isolating world of social media, we sometimes get caught up in our own headspaces. Don’t deny doing the typical thing, that I have often done, when receiving a Facebook event or seeing a Tweet about a not-for-profit cause or someone’s theatre show that they need you to help fund with Pozible,…
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I have been quietly and frantically working away on the Found Festival for almost two years now. It is an arts event taking place from 17–25 of May at The Abbotsford Convent featuring 100+ women – artists, performers, producers, speakers, musicians, choir members, meditation experts and everything in between and around those limited definitions. I…
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