Blog

It’s time to re-evaluate the ABC’s ties with ACON to restore independence and credibility

A non-partisan coalition of feminist and LGB groups has written to Kim Williams, ABC Chair, to express our concerns about the ABC’s relationship with the advocacy group ACON. We are especially concerned that the ABC’s membership of ACON/Pride in Diversity and its participation in ACON’s Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) compromises the ABC’s independence and … Continue reading It’s time to re-evaluate the ABC’s ties with ACON to restore independence and credibility →

Local Action: Susan Hawthorne

AAWAA brings to you ‘Local Action’ - interviews with women getting it done across Australia. In Local Action we talk to Susan Hawthorne. Susan Hawthorne, a legendary Australian feminist, is an award-winning writer of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Susan Hawthorne, with her partner Renate Klein, founded Spinifex Press, a leading independent radical feminist publisher in … Continue reading Local Action: Susan Hawthorne →

Rejoinder to Michael Foran re Tickle v Giggle and the principle of legality

We thank Michael Foran for his recent and insightful analysis of our previous post. We maintain that: Parliament's intention was to amend the law to provide protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status, within the Act's defined areas. The removal of the definition of ‘woman' from the Act served this … Continue reading Rejoinder to Michael Foran re Tickle v Giggle and the principle of legality →

Tickle v Giggle and the principle of legality

Some questionable claims have been made recently about gender, sex, what it means to be a woman, and women's rights. But one statement from Justice Bromwich in the Tickle v Giggle case really takes the biscuit. Set aside, if you can, Justice Bromwich’s declaration in the Federal Court that “on its ordinary meaning, sex is … Continue reading Tickle v Giggle and the principle of legality →

Protecting the human rights of trans and gender diverse-identifying people: medical interventions including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones

In early May, AAWAA made a submission to the Australian Human Rights Council's national project mapping threats to trans and gender diverse (TGD) human rights in Australia. We welcome the AHRC’s interest in the human rights of people who identify as TGD, and note the AHRC’s mandate to investigate actions or practices that could be … Continue reading Protecting the human rights of trans and gender diverse-identifying people: medical interventions including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones →

Problems with surrogacy will disappear if surrogacy is banned

The NSW Women's Action Alliance (NSWWAA) has put in a submission to the NSW government for the Government's review of the Surrogacy Act 2010 and the Status of Children Act 1996. This review has come in response to an inquiry into an omnibus bill that seeks to amend twenty different laws all at once in … Continue reading Problems with surrogacy will disappear if surrogacy is banned →

Local Action: Speakers’ Corner in Brisbane, 21 July 2024

AAWAA brings to you ‘Local Action’, a monthly report on the brave feminist actions by women across Australia. Local Action this week is on the Speakers’ Corner. Sue Clarke and Leah Whiston are the founders of Woman Up Queensland. They facilitate the monthly Speakers Corners in Brisbane. I sat down to discuss the Local Action … Continue reading Local Action: Speakers’ Corner in Brisbane, 21 July 2024 →

AAWAA Women’s Summit 2024, Canberra: Draft program

Planning for the inaugural AAWAA Summit (Friday 4 - Saturday 5 October) is well underway and the program is looking fantastic, with talks and workshops covering practical activism, supporting women’s liberation, writing submissions, and much more. View our draft program, below. For women to walk away knowing they have the tools, skills, resources, networks, and safety … Continue reading AAWAA Women’s Summit 2024, Canberra: Draft program →

Federal minister’s welcome proposal to ban ‘sexual services’ from the NDIS

Federal Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Bill Shorten, has proposed to ban ‘sexual services’ from being funded by taxpayers.  This reform is one that we welcome, and we welcome it alongside prostitution survivors and survivor advocates who have vehemently opposed the funding of ‘sexual services’ under the NDIS since the inclusion of … Continue reading Federal minister’s welcome proposal to ban ‘sexual services’ from the NDIS →

Concerns that WHO guideline group lacks the diversity, balance, and expertise to address transgender health

The World Health Organisation recently provided an update on the membership of its Guideline Development Group on the health of trans and gender diverse people, and called for submissions. Our submission follows submissions we made on 8 and 15 January 2024 with our coalition partners -- AF4WR, CoAL, LGBAA, and WRNA -- responding to previous … Continue reading Concerns that WHO guideline group lacks the diversity, balance, and expertise to address transgender health →

Local Action: Mel Days, ‘Staying You’

QWAA brings to you ‘Local Action’ a monthly report on the brave feminist actions by women across Australia. Local Action this week is with Mel Day. Mel Day is a teacher who also works in the fields of sociology and counselling. In 2018-2020 she underwent treatment for aggressive stage 3 breast cancer. Mel discovered that … Continue reading Local Action: Mel Days, ‘Staying You’ →

Provision of free and accessible sanitary facilities must not come at the expense of adequate female-only facilities

The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) recently put out a call for submissions for proposals to create 'all-gender' sanitary facilities in the National Construction Code (NCC), by removing the term 'sex' and replace it with 'gender' throughout the code. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5yZ6UNKAx1936MCZsgMoZa AAWAA holds that the provision of sanitary facilities should be made in regard to the … Continue reading Provision of free and accessible sanitary facilities must not come at the expense of adequate female-only facilities →

Reform the eSafety act: A safer online environment will help eliminate discrimination and violence against women and girls.

AAWAA has made a submission to the Statutory review of the Online Safety Act 2021. AAWAA shares growing community concerns about the real-life harms facilitated by the internet, including harassment and abuse of women. We support the purpose of the Online Safety Act managing and mitigating these harms, including the grant of powers to the … Continue reading Reform the eSafety act: A safer online environment will help eliminate discrimination and violence against women and girls. →

Not-so-jolly hockey sticks. Why are women expected to play against men in Canberra’s female hockey comp?

Why are men taking part in women's hockey competitions run by Hockey ACT? And why aren't women being asked if they agree to that? WAAC was sent this story by a Canberra woman, and we have permission to publish it, here. I am a woman playing social grade hockey in the ACT. I have played … Continue reading Not-so-jolly hockey sticks. Why are women expected to play against men in Canberra’s female hockey comp? →

Sex self-ID being rammed through WA parliament

The Western Australian Parliament’s Births, Deaths, and Marriages Amendment (Sex or Gender changes) Bill 2024, introduced by the WA Attorney General, the Hon John Quigley MP, seeks to amend two different laws in Western Australia and would allow people to change their legal sex — multiple times. The effects of this would be 1) to … Continue reading Sex self-ID being rammed through WA parliament →

Local Action: Feminist Matriarch Merike Johnson

QWAA brings to you ‘Local Action’ a monthly instalment on the brave feminist actions by women across Queensland. In Local Action this week I talk to Merike a survivor and refugee to Australia who went on to become a an Environmental Scientist (hydrogeochemistry) with the NSW Department of Mines when women in science were rare. … Continue reading Local Action: Feminist Matriarch Merike Johnson →

Content and lack of public consultation in NSW Equality Bill poses serious questions about democratic process

Following public concern, the NSW Legislative Assembly recently referred the flawed Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023 to its Committee on Community Services to conduct an inquiry to examine "operational issues." The Committee is due to report by 3 June 2024. If passed, the bill will amend 20 different laws all at once in New … Continue reading Content and lack of public consultation in NSW Equality Bill poses serious questions about democratic process →

Local Action: Nina Lee, nature-loving, bilingual musician and poet

QWAA brings to you ‘Local Action’ a monthly report on the brave feminist actions by women across Queensland. Today we are talking with Nina Lee. Nina, a nature loving, bilingual, hippy musician and poet, lives in a commune in Northern NSW, and is an honorary Queenslander. I sit down with Nina today to to talk … Continue reading Local Action: Nina Lee, nature-loving, bilingual musician and poet →

Inclusion in sport must not come at the expense of safety, fairness, or the right to privacy and dignity in changerooms for women and girls

AAWAA made a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls in reponse to her call for input to her report on violence against women and girls to the UN General Assembly on violence against women and girls in sport. We value inclusion in sport but not at the expense of … Continue reading Inclusion in sport must not come at the expense of safety, fairness, or the right to privacy and dignity in changerooms for women and girls →

A potential SA human rights act must protect women and girls on the basis of our sex

The South Australian Women's Action Alliance, SAWAA, recently joined a coalition of Australian women’s and LGB groups in making a submission to the South Australian Parliament on that state's inquiry into a potential human rights act. Our submission is submission no. 302. The coalition consists of SAWAA, Australian Feminists for Women’s Rights (AF4WR), Coalition of … Continue reading A potential SA human rights act must protect women and girls on the basis of our sex →

Local Action: Edie Wyatt, writer and fighter for women’s rights

QWAA brings to you ‘Local Action’ a monthly report on the brave feminist actions by women across Queensland. In Local Action this time we sit down with journalist, top tier TERF and podcaster Edie Wyatt and we discuss culture, the state, and the state we have found ourselves in. Talking with Edie is the intellectual … Continue reading Local Action: Edie Wyatt, writer and fighter for women’s rights →

Better understanding of menopause impacts and treatments is essential for women’s healthy ageing

The Australian Senate's Standing Committee on Community Affairs has accepted AAWAA's submission into the senate's inquiry into issues related to menopause and perimenopause. We know that symptoms of menopause and the menopause transition can impact significantly a woman’s personal life as well her work, but sadly, this knowledge is not translating into a broader change in … Continue reading Better understanding of menopause impacts and treatments is essential for women’s healthy ageing →

Sex self-ID and the erosion of women’s rights: an Australian coalition’s letter to CEDAW

In February 2024, a coalition of Australian women’s and LGB groups, led by AAWAA, wrote to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) to raise urgent concerns about the impact of sex self-identification, or “sex self-ID”, on women’s rights and sex-based protections in Australia. Our coalition comprises teachers, lawyers, nurses, doctors, scientists, … Continue reading Sex self-ID and the erosion of women’s rights: an Australian coalition’s letter to CEDAW →

How using International Women’s Day to celebrate ‘gender identities’ hides structural and systemic sexism

8 March marks International Women’s Day (IWD); however, the now-common practise of de-centering women on this day (and in general as regards women’s issues) under the guises of ‘intersectionality’ and ‘gender inclusivity’ actively harms our collective anti-sexism journey and obscures the structural and systemic sexism women continue to face. This fact sheet explains how. Feel … Continue reading How using International Women’s Day to celebrate ‘gender identities’ hides structural and systemic sexism →

New SOGI expert must listen to lesbians

AAWAA has made a submission to Dr Graeme Reid, the UN's Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). Dr Reid recently put out a call for input into the protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, in relation to the human … Continue reading New SOGI expert must listen to lesbians →

Tasmanian teachers urged to ask the questions

For most Australian families, school will recommence next week, and WAAT has been hearing from teachers who are worried. They’re worried that this year will bring more students who want to be called by a different name, who expect to participate in opposite-sex sports, and who are openly telling others that they’re going to start … Continue reading Tasmanian teachers urged to ask the questions →

WHO’s guidelines need guidance

In light of the WHO's recent proposed development of a guideline on the health of trans and gender-diverse people and our concerns that the proposed health guideline will endorse the medicalisation of gender non-conformity, we have written as part of a coalition to the WHO's Guidelines Review Committee. Our concerns extend beyond the issue of … Continue reading WHO’s guidelines need guidance →

WHO set to rubber-stamp controversial new gender health guideline

AAWAA has joined a coalition of Australian women’s and LGB groups to co-sign a letter addressed to the WHO's Guideline Development Group (GDG) in relation to the 18 December 2023 announcement of the proposed development of a guideline on the health of trans and gender-diverse people. Our coalition respects the WHO’s global mandate to promote healthier lives, and your ongoing … Continue reading WHO set to rubber-stamp controversial new gender health guideline →

Not too late for AHRC to uphold lesbians’ civil and political rights to opinion and assembly

The Affiliation of Australian Women’s Action Alliances (AAWAA) is surprised and disappointed at the Australian Human Rights Commission’s preliminary view not to grant a temporary exemption to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (SDA) that would allow lesbians to meet on the basis of their sex and their sexual orientation. We are particularly puzzled as the … Continue reading Not too late for AHRC to uphold lesbians’ civil and political rights to opinion and assembly →