A dabble, a tipple, a little dram to take the edge off. For decades, alcohol consumption among women has been viewed with a wink and a nod. Viewed as an amusing little secret that’s actually not fooling anyone. It’s the old image of the harried mum taking nips and sips — and more — of…
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A half-finished crochet blanket lays on the floor, its frayed ends fully submerged in last night’s pasta alfredo. My dead pointe shoes (three months overdue for replacement) are haphazardly strewn against the cheap faux-leather ottoman I bought on Amazon with a gift card from last Christmas. My friend, Alec, surveys the mess and laughs. ‘You…
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Feminism is defined as “the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities”. The broad spectrum of feminist ideologies (from radical, Marxist to liberal) have different expressions of this core belief, but they are all fighting to create an egalitarian society. Many branches of feminism also place emphasis on intersectionality, which considers…
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Dear Michelle Obama, My name is Christine Anu. I come from humble beginnings in the Torres Strait Islands, located off the top of North Queensland, Australia. Growing up we survived on fish, mango and damper. We had no electricity or money and there was a housing shortage. Domestic violence was rife and there were…
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Today I am meant to be continuing my series of essays centred on the contemporary female experience. I have sat down at my computer to engage in the daily battle: woman versus blank page. I can’t tell you how often the blank page wins or how sweet victory tastes when I do. Today seems a…
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From its inception as a (widely panned) movie, through to the iconic TV show and comic book series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BTVS) has proven to be an ‘undying’ piece of pop culture. Celebrated for its punning protagonist Buffy Summers and her ‘Faith’-ful Scooby Gang, BTVS is canonical in its portrayal of female strength. In…
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In 1967, literary critic Roland Barthes wrote in his seminal essay The Death of the Author that writing is the destruction of every voice, of every point of origin. Writing is that neutral, composite, oblique space where our subject slips away, the negative where all identity is lost, starting with the very identity of…
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Laura Elizabeth Woollett’s The Love of a Bad Man begins with tenderness: ‘Baby, wake up,’ he says, and he’s kissing my eyelids, my cheeks, trailing his fingers over the bib of my nightgown and it’s so soft it must be a dream. Woolett’s short-story collection focuses on the lives of twelve women (or in the…
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For some time now, women have been statistically underrepresented in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This trend is particularly troubling, as STEM fields are aching for qualified workers. The cyber security industry, as an example, is a field that has grown to be particularly important in today’s technological age, yet a mere…
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“Good daughters hold their tongues, obey their elders and let their families determine their destiny. Rebellious daughters are just the opposite.” Rebellious Daughters is an anthology of essays by Australian female writers that explores rebellion, identity and the familial bond. Editors Maria Katsonis and Lee Kofman have curated a challenging and important collection of pieces….
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Rebellion is a historical drama that puts women at the centre of the action. The five-part mini series premiered earlier this year, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland, and is still available on Netflix for subscribers to binge-watch at their leisure. The series begins in 1914, with three…
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This article contains spoilers for Season 4 of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, along with discussions of potentially upsetting content, including rape, torture and violence. Our favourite Litchfield inmates are back, with June 17 heralding the season four premiere of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black. Season four is arguably the most enthralling, witty, and…
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Advertising is an industry that is all too easy to dismiss as anti-woman. For decades now, the industry has grown while presenting women as objects to be consumed, all the while limiting opportunities for women who seek careers in the field. The television series Mad Men reinforced the unfortunate status of women in advertising, from…
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Like many little girls, I grew up idolising Disney princesses. Ariel was my favourite; I never took her voicelessness too literally. When I was six years old I suggested my parents name my newborn brother ‘Prince Charming’. In my young eyes there could be nothing better. They went with ‘Liam’ instead. Once I was…
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