Does feminism speak for all women?
Date and time
Location
Melbourne Town Hall-Swanston Hall Room
90/120 Swanston Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Australia
Refund policy
Description
Feminism is making a comeback. In Australia, feminism is increasingly becoming a part of pop culture, politics, and a dominant topic in the world of social media. Internationally, struggles by women all over the world are adding to the significance of feminism. Women are reclaiming feminism for a new era and applying it to the context of their lives.
But does feminism today speak for all women?
One of the critiques of feminism is that it does not represent the diversity of women’s experiences, by making sweeping assumptions of what feminism means. In particular, feminism can be seen to disregard the complexities of racialised/gendered identity.
With the resurgence of feminism, now more than ever, it is important to ensure that feminism gets it right.
What areas of feminism need to be challenged to ensure it truly works to further the interests of all women, regardless of background? What would this new feminism look and sound like?
Featuring a panel of 3 amazing young feminists, this not to be missed forum will raise key questions about feminism today.
Panelists:
Dr Odette Kelada
Odette Kelada is a lecturer at the University of Melbourne who researches and publishes on whiteness, race, colonisation and feminism in Australian writing and the arts. She was born in Melbourne to migrant parents; her father is Egyptian and mother is of Irish descent. Odette is interested in constructions of nation, power and identity in creative representations, the teaching of racial literacy as anti-racist pedagogy and activist education.
Recent writing includes ‘The Stolen River: Possession and Race Representation in Grenville’s Colonial Narrative, Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature, ‘White Blindness: A National Emergency’, Australian Critical Race and Whiteness Studies Journal, and ‘The Urban Frontier and the Abduction of the Racialised Body’, Journal of Postcolonial Studies.
Durkhanai Ayubi
Durkhanai Ayubi is a first generation Afghan-Australian. She believes that the most important factor in empowering and unifying people is a mind free to challenge, to understand and to overcome. Much of her writing centres around achieving this through exploring issues facing minorities in Australia, particularly women. She is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Federal Government, a Director of the Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre, assistant editor and co-founder of Australia’s first publication by Muslim women Sultana’s Dream, an occasional freelance journalist, and a guest speaker at community forums.
Juliana Qian
Juliana Qian is a Shanghainese/Melburnian cultural critic, media maker and poet-provocateur who is interested in justice and liberation. Her words have appeared on airwaves, stages and pages including Overland, Social Alternatives and Going Down Swinging. She writes for Asian-Australian arts and culture magazine Peril and presents radio monthly for Queering the Air on 3CR Community Radio.
Moderator: Hanifa Deen
Hanifa Deen is an award-winning author of Pakistani-Muslim background who writes narrative non-fiction. Hanifa has held a number of high profile positions including Deputy Commissioner Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission WA and Director Community Education, Victorian Ethnic Affairs Commission. She also served as a Hearing Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission of Australia and on the Board of Directors, Special Broadcasting Services (SBS).
Hanifa has appeared on Q&A on the ABC and presented at the IQ2 Debate held at the Melbourne Town Hall. Hanifa is Chair of the Institute of Cultural Diversity and founding Editor of the Online Magazine Sultana’s Dream.
All proceeds from the event will go to The Multicultural Centre for Women's Health, a national, community-based organisation committed to the achievement of health and wellbeing for and by immigrant and refugee women.
Wheelchair access:
Enter the venue via the copper doors which are situated on the left hand side when facing the main entrance of the Melbourne Town Hall.
This event is supported by the City of Melbourne.
Registrations essential