Issue 91.8 by On Dit

ISSUE 91.8

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Welcome Welcome A Huge Thank you To Niharika and laura For making elledit so beautiful. tHIS WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU. Editors Ngoc lan Tran Niharika gyawali Kathers Anderson Louise Jackson Sebastian Andrew Sienna Sulicich

Cover Art SIENNA SULICICH

Graphic Design Sienna Sulicich Lily Baxter Louise Jackson

Art Sienna Sulicich Louise Jackson Reading Feminism

Contributors and Sub-Editors Asirah Abdul Kadir Lily Baxter Shona Edwards Arantza Garcia Grace Harkins Lauren Hernan Peter Jackson Natalie Jane Jenny Jung Emily Kelsall Loki Maelorin Talara McHugh Katherine Queen Devanshi Shah Simone Singh Orla Spurr Alexandra Sudlow-Haylett Ellie Venning Charlotte Whincup Skye Xie

Enhance your uni experience. Get access to on and off-campus discounts, exclusive competitions, giveaways, free Member Lunches and event perks. Join online youx.org.au/join or at YouX HQ on Level 4, Hub Central.

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We want to acknowledge that the University of Adelaide’s On Dit is written and created upon Kaurna land. The Kaurna People are the traditional custodians of the Greater Adelaide Plains and their culture, knowledge, and spiritual connections continue to run deeply within this Country. We acknowledge that the University of Adelaide is a place of learning attended by First Nations People from around the continent and, like Kaurna, their land and sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our deepest respects to the Elders of the past, present, and emerging.

Contents Editorial

Fuck EmBroidery

Guest Ed’s Meet Each other

10-11

SRC President’s Report

12-13

Editors’ Picks

14-15

Vox Pop

16-17

LRC

18-20

Club Spotlight

DisabiliDIT

22-23

Econ DIt

24-25

History Corner

26-27

Gig Guide

28-29

The Demonisation of women (Literally)

30-31

An Interview with Magdelene Moshi

32-33

Mum

Female and Non-Binary Musicians

36-37

Frida and Diego

38-39

To My Maternal Lineage

40-41

I’M A Blank Space, Baby

42-45

Periods ≠ Womanhood

46-47

Political Gender Equality

48-49

AN Interview with Pip Finkemeyer

50-51

Of Spices and Growing up

Radically prude

53-55

Sitting Down with comic artist Georgina Chadderton

56-57

Crossword

Printmaking feminism

61-64

Craft corner

EDITORIAL Dear readers,

In 1990, On Dit editors found that it was crucial for the magazine to have an issue dedicated to women’s issues. Two years later, Elle Dit editors wrote: “Elle Dit is a printed space for women. The mainstream media has often been labeled ‘malestream’ because it reflects the male dominance of its structures and hence gives a male outlook on the world. Elle Dit gives women a chance to write, from our viewpoints, about the issues which play a significant role in our lives.” Over twenty years later, here we are, with another Elle Dit. What is the world looking like now for women? Can feminist issues be boiled down to the Barbie movie? Do the Taylor Swift concerts upend patriarchy? How can we reckon with so much that has changed in the world since 1992? Unlike in 1992, the challenge against ‘malestream’ media no longer just lies upon the shoulders of women, or more specifically, cis white women. The patriarchy doesn’t oppress just one group of people: Our trans sisters are severely under attack, constantly questioned for their existence and expression. Our non-binary allies face violence and harassment at every turn. Our WOC sisters never get a break from systematic racism inherent in an ultra white capitalist world.

You can turn a blind eye, but you cannot deny that we are living in an incredibly transformative global society where diverse identities and expressions of the self are under attack - often just because we are being true to who we are. This is why we guest editors believe so much in the power of the articles in this issue, each bearing a heartbeat, a memory, a lesson, a story, all derived from the lived experience and learned knowledge of being female, being queer, being non-white, and living through the world. We hope that you find in this Elle Dit a collective of stories that weave into a tapestry of resilience, that you get inspired by the boundless strength of our contributors as they write down how they work through tales of triumph over adversity, confronting social norms, embracing self-discovery, breaking silences, and channeling solidarity. In a world that often tries to divide, one thing remains true: our stories are ours to tell. Our stories matter because they inspire, educate, and instigate change. They matter because they are not just words on paper, they are bridges of understanding, courage, and hope. We hope you find your story through ours. With love and solidarity,

Ngoc Lan Tran and

Niharika Gyawali

Meet the Guest Eds When Laura met Nia: I was introduced to Nia through the tales of others. What struck me was her fervor for contributing to Elle Dit – she was already curating a Pinterest mood board! She was working hard, envisioning the very texture and appearance of this issue. Me? I was lost in the clouds, fumbling through my idealistic notions of feminism. Upon meeting Nia, I warmed up to her instantly. Her humor resonated with me. She had just gotten a haircut and was worried about resembling Lord Farquaad, to which I cheekily reassured that her look was more Edna Mode from the Incredibles (All in jest, of course ^^) As we sat down and engaged in conversation about our ideas for the issue, I was overjoyed to discover our shared ground. Both international students, I instinctively understood the intricate ties she had with her homeland and her life in Nepal – not so different from my own complicated relationship with my homeland of Vietnam. Her words struck chords in me, and I immediately felt compelled to share my own writings with her. Deep down, I sensed that we were both storytellers. As Nia spun tales of a Nepali daughter and the tribulations of living away from home – brimming with both cherished moments and internal struggles – I felt a kinship with her, as if our narratives intertwined.

Destiny has grand plans for Nia. I learned that she is not just a writer; she’s also a singer, a remarkably talented one at that. I was taken aback when I discovered her stint on The Voice Nepal. Nia was indeed basking in the limelight of the music world: touring, performing on local stages, and savoring the exhilaration of it all. I could only rely on imagination to see what Nia was feeling and thinking, in my mind, she was stealing moments of silence from the chaos around her, quietly stoking up the storytelling fire that burned within, jotting down lyrics during her travels, because one cannot simply take away the writer out of one’s soul. On a random Friday afternoon, Nia and I sat in a quiet corner of the Hub. Hearing her story, I couldn’t fathom the life she had led, nor the mystical alignment of circumstances that had brought us together – in Australia, at this very university, collaborating on this very issue. When she shared her decision to step back from the musical world and rekindle her career as a writer, while also exploring a new path as an emerging researcher (!), I understood the potency of her artistic pursuit. Nia’s story stands as a testament that the trajectory of our creative journeys is never linear: they twist, turn, they circle back to their origins, and they lead us to unimagined paths. Because of this, I think I learned more from Nia than she might realize: that it is okay to accept change and embrace the diverse facets of ourselves without ever losing who we truly are. After all, what is a “true” self anyways when we are constantly changing?

meet each other When Nia met Laura: All I knew about Laura was that she was an international student like me, and had experience working as a guest editor for last year’s Elle Dit issue. I was expecting a highly determined intellectual, passionate about feminist issues and she did not disappoint; she was exactly that. What I wasn’t expecting was a warm, kind human being who actually found my jokes funny! When I first met Laura in the On Dit office (yes, the day when she called me Edna Mode from The Incredibles), she radiated a calm confidence that I immediately envied. The sheer amount of knowledge and ideas she had for the issue penned neatly in her diary, I felt like an idiot for not knowing much about core feminist issues and ideas I could contribute to the issue. But listening to her brainstorm, without her knowledge, she was helping me get over the creative block I had been having for quite some time. When we finally sat down to hammer out the details for the issue, I learnt that in addition to being a PhD candidate, she has regularly contributed to On Dit. And later on, when I went through her CV and her LinkedIn profile, I was dumbstruck in awe. But underneath her extensive portfolio in research and academia is an incredible human being with a zest for literature, crochet, and a love for cats.

Ngoc Lan Tran (Laura) Niharika Gyawali (Nia)

Soon enough, we started sharing stories. Being an international student, a fresh one at that, I hadn’t been able to make many connections with people who had similar experiences. When I sat there ranting about bits and pieces of my life, her patience, kindness, and understanding made me feel safe. Her experiences in Australia resonated with me and made me feel like I wasn’t alone. What I found in Laura was a friend. When she told me, “It seems like you’ve got a lot to say, you need to write them down.” I don’t think she understood the impact it had on me that helped me reconnect with the writer in me after years of struggle. I sincerely respect her dedication to academia, and her ability to make doing a PhD look effortless. She is an independent, headstrong individual forever persevering to go against the grain to find her own theories of life. To me, she is the embodiment of the Robert Frost poem-

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. She walks the road less traveled by, paths yet to be forged and lights it up with her brilliance, and I deeply look up to her for that.

SRC President’s The role of student media in telling student’s stories (particularly those of women) is underappreciated. On Dit is the only student magazine in South Australia that produces an annual edition centred around women and non-binary people - and has been doing so for over 33 years! The first edition of Elle Dit was published in 1990, where the editors stated the importance of publishing women’s writing: ‘It is, as far as we know, the first of its kind for many years if not ever. We hope it will not be the last. In fact, we demand that it not be the last.’ - ElleDit Editors, 1990 The SRC has an important role in fighting for women on campus. This year we have delivered free period products across all UofA campuses and secured a brand new women’s room. Last year we helped expand the Uni’s sexual misconduct policy to cover off-campus club events, and there will be more coming in the near future. Importantly, after more than three years of advocacy and pushing, the Women’s Collective affiliated as a YouX club. If you’re unaware of the history of the Women’s Collective (more frequently referred to as the WoCo), there are plenty of excellent On Dit articles you can read to catch up. The affiliation of the WoCo became an issue that reached beyond student politics and became emblematic of the treatment and regard of women. What was once referred to as ‘not unique or necessary’ is now an official club where women and non-binary students can come together to learn, make connections, and support women’s initiatives on campus.

Report I want to particularly acknowledge the work of Rebecca Etienne, Arabella Wauchope and Stella Salvemini in fighting for this club’s right to exist for over three years. I also want to touch on an important national campaign. In my position as President, I’m proud to be standing alongside EROC Australia, Fair Agenda, and the National Union of Students in their fight to hold universities to account for the safety of students. An open letter to the federal government has called for intervention to address nationwide university failures: ‘If nothing changes, based on National Student Safety Survey figures, at least 14,300 students will be sexually assaulted in university contexts each coming year. For many, the university’s response will compound their trauma, and adversely affect their academic outcomes, their ability to complete their degree, and their capacity to pursue their chosen career.’ Something has to change. At our University, we’re working alongside staff to ensure that students are protected, and treated with fairness and respect during the reporting process. No one should have to undergo more trauma when trying to seek justice. We all have a role to play in ensuring our campuses are safe, and our universities set the tone for these conversations. More must be done. Myself and the SRC Women’s Officer, Anjali, are available to field and direct any concerns, queries, or ideas. Please reach out. Long live Elle Dit. Long live the WoCo.

In Unity,

Georgia Thomas srcpresident@adelaide.edu.au 13

Editors' Edito rs' Picks Picks 1. The Vietnamese Cone Hat (Nón Lá) As an homage to my Vietnamese heritage, I of course have to pick the cone hat. Made out of dried bamboo leaves, they can weather the harsh effects of sun and rain. They also double as a fan when it’s hot outside, or as a basket if you need to run to the market. You can’t blame Asians for being practical! Would cats love the cone hat? NO! Because cats hate hats, just as they hate everything in the world that is not themselves. But I think cone hats will look really cute on them, so why the heck not?!

2. Tiara Tiaras are not hats, but they’re headwear. So it still counts! Cats are so glamorous. They are royalty, and they think hoomans are their servants. So of course I will pick a tiara for my cat. Now of course, this one has so much potential to think outside of the box. A tiara doesn’t need to be made of jewelry. It can be a flower crown tiara! (Because cats are vicious predators and rule the natural world.) Heck, you can crochet a tiara if you want. Stitching and bitching with your cat sounds like heaven to me. Crowns go with scepters, but I think scepters are a bit too much. I mean, don’t give them any more reasons to think they can run the world. Also, with those cute paws, they can’t pick them up anyway!

the Top 4 Hats They Would Put on Their Cats: (also applicable for dogs and most types of pets)

3. The Dhaka Topi Dhaka Topi is the traditional hat of the Nepalese people. It signifies the rugged, mountainous landscape of the country, and its high reaching peaks. Once you put it on your cat, they will become obsessed with momo, and cry to Sugam Pokhrel’s songs every Dashain. Their love for Mount Everest will triple a thousand-fold, and so will their love for bhatti ko chowmein. Yes, with the crunchy, panfried part.

4. The Cowboy Hat: Want your cat to be the star of the show, break doors and hearts, look all broody and mysterious while they save the damsel and ride into the sunset? Well, look no further! The Cowboy Hat perfectly turns your lovable little furball to a star of a Western drama saying, “Meowdy, pardner.”

BONUS: The Top Hat: Don’t ever put your cat in a top hat. Consider this a severe warning. They may look like a dandy candy but deep inside, they will regain consciousness as the supreme dictators of the world and with a cup of Earl Grey in their hand, take over the planet (but hey, no more patriarchy, only cat-riarchy so is this the best case scenario?)

We ask four UofA students the most pressing questions. If you want to be featured in another issue, email us!

VOX VOX POP POP

1. Girlboss, I think. 2. Introverted Barbie is what I’d be. 3. It starts small for me actually. I think it would be about being allowed and not judged for however I decide to sit. No “act like a girl” or “behave in a more girly manner” unless I choose to be that way. That’s something where people need to mind their own business, that’s what I feel.

Samridhi.she/her M.Media(Strategic_Comm)

1. I feel like I’m more of a Girlboss - or everyone would describe me as that. Probably a bit of gaslight there though.

3. I feel I want to be a leader within my field and inspire others, which is male dominated. Personally, I want to be independent and worldly and strong. At the same time, I really do like being a girl and my feminine traits. I think there is some strength in that.

Katherine.she/her

M.Construction_Management

POP XOV

2. Depression Barbie. 100%. I binged all of the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice the other day. I’d like to be CEO, Executive or Presidential Candidate Barbie though. That would be fun.

1. Which one are you: Girlboss, Gaslight, Gatekeep? 2. If you were a Barbie, what kind of Barbie would you be? 3. How do you flip the gender script?

1. Gaslight (“what do you mean you didn’t receive my assignment? don’t you remember that I gave it to you yesterday???”). 2. Sleepy barbie because physics has really fried my brain this semester. 3. I flip the gender script by challenging stereotypes, promoting equality, and breaking down gender norms.

Isobel.she/her B.Electrical/Electronic_Eng

VOX POP

1. Definitely girlboss. 2. I think I would be an ‘Artsy Barbie’ because I love visual creative arts, sketching, dancing and I love my plants ;) 3. As a woman studying films and media that’s mostly a male dominated field, I would flip the script by creating and sharing stories that represent and inspire people to follow their own path, and breakfree because not all societal norms are for everyone and not every rule is necessarily right for ‘you’.

Kanishtha.she/her

B.Media

1.\

The gender quota was introduced in order to incentivise women’s participation in politics. Do these quotas exclude different gender identities and do we still need them?

socialist alternative: Written by Leila Clendon SA Liberals rejected gender quotas, because they aren’t committed to combating party sexism. However, quotas wouldn’t remedy the issue as sexism is rooted in their policies, like the Religious Discrimination Bill and treatment of Higgins. Gender quotas also haven’t eradicated Labor’s sexism, evident in NSW’s Discrimination Bill revival, stagnant welfare amid a cost-of-living crisis, and a liberal government driving SA abortion reform after 16 years of Labor. To attract more women, they need to first address the sexism in their politics.

GREENS CLUB: Written by Valeria Caceres and Michael Petrelli Quotas are an important tool, but they are not a silver bullet. Quotas work because they trigger reflection within a party on how they can provide an inclusive and safe space that empowers people of all genders. The Greens do not have many explicit gender quotas but rather we have worked to foster an environment supportive of people of all genders, ages, ethnicity, and life experiences which has been incredibly successful.

Liberal club: Written by Kaitlyn Phillips The question shouldn’t be about excluding different gender identities. Instead, it is vital to highlight the need of selecting the most qualified individual for the given role whether they are male, female or another gender.

labor CLUB: Written by Steph Madigan Currently, gender quotas reaffirm the gender binary and fail to address structural barriers that disproportionately affect gender nonconforming people. However waiting for diverse representation to emerge organically won’t work. Consider the National Gallery of Australia’s model for admitting artists’ works: 40% women, 40% men, and 20% shared between both sexes and those identifying outside the gender binary. Ultimately it’s more about confronting systems and processes, less about setting a numerical target.

2.\

The federal government has raised Australia’s humanitarian intake cap to 20,000 (returning it to the same level as when Labor was last in power). W hat cap would you propose? propose?

socialist alternative:

Liberal CLUB:

Written by Leila Clendon Socialists stand for open borders. States shouldn’t have the right to pick and choose who is and isn’t “worthy” of living in Australia. Someone’s right to be safe should not depend on whether they are profitable for the bosses or if they win the humanitarian visa lottery. All humans deserve safety and to live where they want.

I would propose to return Australia’s humanitarian intake to its previous cap of 17,875 established by former Liberal PM, Tony Abbott. By cutting migration intake, this would improve stagnant wages and unaffordable housing by reducing pressure on infrastructure and resources allowing for a more focused investment in supporting the existing Australian population during the current cost of living crisis.

GREENS CLUB:

labor CLUB:

Written by Valeria Caceres and Michael Petrelli

Written by Steph Madigan

The racist politicisation of immigration by both major parties is shameful. The inhumane and illegal offshore detention of immigrants again by both major parties is shameful. Australia has some of the lowest rates of humanitarian intake in western world. Australia needs to end offshore detention and drastically increase its intake particularly in the context of the political and climate crisis the world currently faces.

They should–in 2022, Labor promised to increase the refugee intake cap to 27,000. Placing 25th globally in terms of refugee resettlement, Australia is turning its back on +100 million displaced people. When our humanitarian intake peaked at 22,000 in the mid-80s, it precipitated a decade of unparalleled economic and cultural development. Now it’s time to put Australia’s millions of empty homes and abundant settlement infrastructure to use.

Written by Kaitlyn Phillips

Image Licensed under CC0 1.0 We the people. Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons

3.\

The Matildas have received equal pay for the first time at the FIFA Women’s World Cup thanks to union action, but have not received equal reward pay. Should government bodies be doing more to advocate for equal pay for elite athletes?

socialist alternative: Written by Leila Clendon Equal pay should be a requirement of any organisation operating in the country. The sexist idea that women’s sport is paid less because people are less interested in watching it has been completely exposed by the popularity of the WWC. More women’s teams- and women workers in generalshould take a lead from the Matilda’s and strike for equal pay.

GREENS CLUB: Written by Valeria Caceres and Michael Petrelli Governments should absolutely be doing more for equal pay for elite athletes. Women’s sports have been under-recognised, underpaid and not supported by policymakers for too long. We have seen that when women’s sports are supported at levels closer to men, interest in women’s sports increases. Funding and support from governments need to start from grassroots sporting organisations all the way to elite athletes.

Liberal CLUB: Written by Kaitlyn Phillips I hold the perspective that Governments finds themselves constrained in this matter. While enforcing policies for equal pay among elite athletes is possible, the exposure and viewership of men’s sport in comparison to women, is substantial. For instance, the 2022 AFLW Grand Final drew 500,000 spectators, whereas the men’s AFL Grand Final was 3.06 million. Until we see a rise in media coverage of women’s sport with a broader and more consistently engaged viewership, unfortunately the rewards pay will stay as it is.

labor CLUB: Written by Steph Madigan (She/Her)

Absolutely! The majority of WBNL and AFLW players juggle day jobs in order to afford coaches, athletic centre access, physio and so on. This strenuous workload increases the risk of burnout and injury; recently highlighted by the diagnosis of Heather Anderson with CTE. Let’s back those making the most-viewed broadcasts in Australian history! Changing pay and workload means investing in the future of Australian football.

wocCluob Spotlight 1.

Hey club, tell us about yourself!

The University of Adelaide Women’s Collective, known affectionately as the WoCo, is a student-lead club for women and non-binary people on and off the campus. We run social events, promote gender equity, and encourage women and non-binary folk to speak up!

We have held picnic catch-ups, fundraisers for organisations such as Catherine House, movie nights, arts and crafts sessions. We try to run events in the women’s room to encourage women and non-binary folks to use this safe space more often!

Why is YOUR club important?

We actually encourage men to join our club too! Gender equity and women’s rights are conversations that not only women are responsible for, but men too. We believe active participation will allow for greater collaborative change!

How can students get into contact with you?

What kind of activities do you hold?

The WoCo is an important space for students that is both social and safe. It allows for people to come together for casual events and make meaningful connections. Our aim is to provide a supportive platform for the sharing of ideas, knowledge and experiences.

What’s a FUN FACT ABOUT YOUR CLUB?

You can follow us at @uofawoco on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a message for more info!

The Second (and Third, Fourth etc.) Shifts of Disabled University Students Shona Edwards (she/her), Alexandra Sudlow-Haylett (she/her), Orla Spurr (she/her), Natalie Jane (she/her) In 1989, The Second Shift: Working Parents and the Revolution at Home by Arlie Hochschild with Anne Machung was published. The ‘second shift’ refers to the work done by women in the domestic sphere in addition to paid working roles outside of the home. In our experience, disabled students at university often experience additional ‘shifts’ in much the same way. Similarly to caring and domestic work, these shifts are often invisible until someone isn’t doing them. At the Disability Illness and Divergence Association (DIDA) this is a common experience amongst our membership. At university, ill and disabled students experience a significant burden of self-management. We self-manage our own individual conditions but also our needs, how our needs will be met, and addressing what happens when they are not met. Alongside all other social, familial or professional demands, we have to account for the administrative labour of booking, confirming, and checking our medical appointments. Followed by the fatigue and energy expenditure associated with travelling to, attending, and recovering from them. These seemingly simple, taken-for-granted aspects of life create time and energy debts, taking up extra hours of our day, sometimes several days, weeks or even months of our lives.

At university, we perform additional administrative labour when forms are required for extensions. We agonise over long email chains asking for accommodations we need, with negotiations sometimes stretching over months. Even more time is spent when campuses are physically hostile, requiring us to find the least hostile paths to minimise additional burdens on time we do not have and mitigate harm to our bodies. As a result, many of us withdraw from classes or even drop out entirely before we can reach a solution. Although DIDA began as a social club for disabled students, we have found ourselves doing a significant amount of advocacy on disability issues in higher education out of pure necessity. We spend a considerable amount of effort, time and energy advocating to make improvements so that individual disabled students don’t always have to do so much additional work just to exist on campus, let alone participate in their studies. Sometimes this is work that is proactive, like influencing university policy or infrastructure, but often it means sharing tips, making calls, writing emails or providing support to peers who are struggling. Advocacy weaves its way into our social events, chats and groups out of necessity. It is woven into the fabric of our lives.

By definition, disabled, ill and neurodiverse people have less time and less energy to commit to advocacy than others. We are always doing our best with what we have but we are limited. Frequently we are forced to expend time and energy towards advocacy at the cost of our own health and wellbeing because our advocacy work is survival work; in order to change the institution we have to be around long enough to change it. We often find ourselves pointing out that disability accommodations like lecture captioning, access rooms, screen reader friendly content, and accessible forms (we could go on!) are not ‘luxuries’. When they are not provided, students work to mitigate the impacts of this or are forced to withdraw from their degrees. When work doesn’t appear on the university payroll, someone else is doing it. Someone is staffing the ‘second shift’ and they are struggling to do so. It doesn’t have to be this way. We are inspired by the work of strong disabled women and Adelaide alumni such as disability rights lawyer Natalie Wade, who successfully

advocated for the installation of a lift in the Napier building , during her time as Abilities Officer in the SRC. Like Natalie, we too are determined to demand better from our institution so that future students can avoid these extra shifts and get the most out of their university experience.

Sign up to DIDA today: https://tinyurl.com/yc3ba4a7 Follow DIDA today: Facebook: www.facebook.com/ dida.uoa Instagram: @dida.uoa Twitter: @dida_uoa Website: www.didauofa.com

2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup : A Matildanomics Perspective Grace Harkins It has been undoubtedly a success for Australia as a host nation on many fronts. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the third largest global sporting event, with 2023 setting a new attendance record of 1,852,579 after 62 matches, and is a rare opportunity for Australia and a unique platform to promote women’s sports. Australia first qualified for the women’s football World Cup in 1995 and never before have we seen a huge impact on women’s sports as this year with the success of the Matildas’. The FIFA Women’s World Cup not only showcases the athletic talent of the soccer players but is also a beacon of women’s equality and empowerment in the sport Australia has experienced various economic benefits because of the World Cup. In 2020, Football Australia had estimated a $460 million injection into the economy. However, this has been well exceeded with Airwallex’s General Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Luke Latham, reporting that the World Cup has brought in a staggering $7.66B cash flow. Latham appropriately and succinctly referred to this boost as a “screamer of a goal for the Australian economy.” The tournament had a national impact with various states hosting various numbers of matches. New South Wales emerged as the front-runner with an economic boost of $2.98 billion, hosting 11 matches. Victoria closely followed with $2.30 billion from hosting 6 matches, followed by Queensland hosting 8 matches ($1.55 billion), Western Australia hosting 5 matches ($663.2 million), and South Australia hosting 4 matches ($160.9 million), all experiencing substantial benefits, showcasing the tournament’s nationwide impact and audience. Tourism is one of the largest contributors to Australia’s economy which saw a massive downturn during COVID-19. With 32 teams from across the globe competing in Australia, FIFA data revealed that over one in five ticket holders were international visitors. Hotels across Australia were occupied by both players and visitors alike,, injecting a substantial cash boost into Australian hotel, hospitality and retail industries. It is also found that$4.53 billion of the $7.6 billion generated by the 2023 World Cup was from travelers and foreign exchange. The global appeal of the World Cup was reinforced by the significant number of travelers entering the country specifically for the tournament and the exchange of pounds, yen, euros, pesos, and dinar for the Australian dollar to spend in Australia increased as a result. Interstate travel also increased as hosting opportunities were shared amongst the states. The strategic pricing of tickets contributed significantly to the success of the major event. The pricing focused primarily on promoting the sport, maximising stadium capacity, and affordability, taking the current cost of living into its consideration. Adult ticket prices ranged from $20 to $120, with children under 16 paying half the price. “The whole strategy behind that was to make it as affordable as possible. We didn’t want price to be a barrier to filling the stadiums,” FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 CEO David Beeche said. With over 1.77 million tickets sold by the conclusion of the group stage, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup continued to break records. It has overtaken the previous Women’s World Cup ticket sales record of 1.35 million set by Canada in 2015 and is an enormous success for both women’s football and Australia. This unprecedented demand prompted the Matildas’ opening match against the Republic of Ireland to be moved to Sydney’s Stadium Australia, further highlighting the enthusiasm of fans.

For those who couldn’t secure tickets or travel to the matches in person, many took to public venues to watch socially alongside other eager fans. The hospitality sector has opened its doors and welcomed the influx of eager patrons in the normally quiet winter season. In Sydney, New South Wales, hospitality venues broadcasting the Women’s World Cup were granted the right to stay open until midnight. Consumer spending on food and drinks increased, boosting the gain of local businesses. The enthusiasm of fans extended into merchandise, sporting the iconic green and gold uniforms in support of the Matildas. The Australian Financial Review reported that Matilda’s jersey sales surpassed those of the Socceroos’ kits during the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup—a testament to the spirit and success of the women athletes who have captured the nation’s heart. With the popularity of the Matildas, Independent sports stores sometimes could even not keep up with the unprecedented demand Adelaide Soccer Locker reported that since early August, the Matildas jerseys and kits had sold out! Local football clubs have had an influx of aspiring players, particularly little girls. This renewed heightened interest in the sport isn’t just limited to the present; it lays the foundation for future growth and inclusivity in the sports community. The South Australian government under Malinauskas has committed $18 million to grassroots women’s sports, including $10 million specifically for football. Premier Malinauskas stated, “We’d rather make a lasting investment in the growth of women’s sport.” The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has also generated a significant number of temporary employment opportunities.. An estimated 3,000 full-time jobs were created, which potentially helped in alleviating the pressure of the cost of living. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is a reminder that women’s sports can and should have the same recognition and support as their male counterparts. However, despite the resounding success of the event, the Matildas will only receive a payment of $2.45-$2.6 million depending on their placement after the match against Sweden. It is a quarter of what the Socceroos would earn under the same conditions. The Matildas have achieved equality with their male counterparts in almost allrespects but when it comes to money, it seems that patriarchy still prevails.

E C O N D I T

Beer has existed for a really, really long time. The first fermented beverages are traced to Jiahu, China as early as 7000 BCE. The first solid evidence of beer brewed from barley was detected on Mesopotamian drinking vessels from around 3500 BCE. It is thought that Mesopotamians from Babylon or Sumer taught the process to neighbouring Egypt, who passed it to Rome, and on it travelled through the ancient world. Women were at the heart of ancient brewing. In early hunter-gatherer societies, brewing was considered a domestic task akin to cooking. Even with the shift towards settlement and farming, the important task of brewing remained with women. Because water quality was generally poor, low-alcohol beer presented far less risk of disease. Barley beer was discovered through the fermentation of barley bread, the baking of which was another domestic task. In Babylon, women were afforded many rights to property and finances. Some sold their excess beer, and women were encouraged to become professional brewsters (the feminised form of brewer). Even the deities of ancient beer were goddesses. Sumerians worshipped Ninkasi, a goddess who gifted beer to humans for their wellbeing, and brewed for the gods. In Egypt, Tjenenet was worshipped as the goddess of beer, childbirth, and pregnancy (a winning combination…). Mbaba Mwana Waresa taught the Zulu region of South Africa to farm and brew beer, gaining her huge popularity as a deity. Homebrewing remained common throughout Europe until the Industrial Revolution. Depending on how kind (aka respecting of women) your feudal Lord was, some female brewsters were able to manufacture on a greater scale. In colonised America, Founding Father Thomas Jefferson is acknowledged as a pioneering craft brewer. What is not generally acknowledged is that his wife Martha brewed low-alcohol beer regularly for the household in the early years of their marriage and supervised much of the brewing he is credited for. 26

History Corner

Women and Beer Louise JAckson Capitalism strikes again – the death of women’s brewing The commercialisation of brewing consistently led to a dramatic gender pivot. In Ancient Egypt, breweries took over from home brewing, and women were pushed out of the manufacturing process. A beer tax, to fund the war with Rome, may even have been the final nail in the coffin for Cleopatra. The industrialisation of beer production took a leap forward when hops entered the scene in Germany during the 16th Century. Hops provide flavour and aroma, but more importantly they are a natural preservative that increases the shelf life of beer. The cost of hops forced many brewsters out of their profession, while breweries, owned and operated by men, sprung up to capitalise on the longer-lasting beverage. Trade guilds were formed, and women were officially excluded from mainstream brewing. The same pattern occurred in Colonial America, and across the world as townships became cities and beer became highly profitable. Beer is now heavily associated with - and marketed to - men, right down to the stereotype that women don’t even like beer. Thankfully today women are making a return to professional brewing. If you drink (the author does not…), go out and support your local women and nonbinary-owned breweries, and raise a glass to the past, present, and future of diversity in brewing.

References

Nurin, T 2016, ‘How Women Brewsters Saved the World’, Craft Beer & Brewing, 21 April, viewed 23 August 2023, <https://beerandbrewing.com/how-women-brewsters-saved-the-world/>. Schell, A 2017, ‘Women and Beer: A Forgotten Pairing’, 11 May, viewed 23 August 2023, <https://www.womenshistory.org/articles/women-and-beer-forgotten-pairing>.

The Gig Classical Arcadia Winds

Jazz Through a Different Lens

with Mitchell Berick 15/9/2023 @ 12:30pm Elder Hall, Adelaide $14 general admission, 25% savings with a Gold Pass subscription

Niki Vasilakis, Lucinda Collins 22/9/2023 @ 12:30pm Elder Hall, Adelaide $14 general admission, 25% savings with a Gold Pass subscription

Tickets available from Elder Conservatorium of Music Concert Series website, Lunchtime Concert Season Two

Punk-Rock

Unseen Landscape Michael Ierace 29/9/2023 @ 12:30pm Elder Hall, Adelaide $14 general admission, 25% savings with a Gold Pass subscription

Unwritten Law (US) ‘The Hum Tour’ Unwritten law 24/8/2023 @ 8pm Unibar Adelaide, Adelaide $59.23 from Moshtix

Silver Linings Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, Luke Dollman (conductor) 6/10/2023 @ 12:30pm Elder Hall, Adelaide $14 general admission, 25% savings with a Gold Pass subscription

Theatre Nineteen Eighty-Four University of Adelaide Theatre Guild Student Society 14-17/9/2023 @ 7:30pm Little Theatre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide $10-$15 from Trybooking

Broadway Musical A Chorus Line 2023 Graduating Class of ECMT 28/9-1/10/2023 @ 7:30pm Scott Theatre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide $39-$49 from Trybooking

If you’re a student of UofA and have an upcoming gig, please email us at onditmag@gmail.com and we’ll include it in our gig guide!

Guide Festival I’m Not A Burden - live music and tattoos Matt Schultz and Love Lost Studio Tattoos plus guests Nicolas Cage Fighter, Life Pilot, Shatter Brain, High Ground, Catalyst, Sundowner, Ghostsmoker, Larsen, Bifurcation, Bong Coffin, Holur, I Choose Violence, Devoidence, Scratch Lines, Endless Grey 23/9/2023 @ 11am Unibar Adelaide, Adelaide $28.14-$33.24 (first release) from Moshtix All profits from tickets and tattoo sales to be donated to Beyond Blue

Papercuts Comic Festival Creators in Conversation Gavin Aung Than (WA), Dan McGuiness (SA), K. O’Neill (NZ), Georgina Chadderton (SA), Sarah Firth (Vic), Sarah Searle (WA), Rachel Ang (Vic), Scott Pritchett (Vic), Briar Rolfe (Vic), Ryan K Lindsay (ACT), Jessica Walton (Vic, Scott Wilson (WA) 16/9/2023 @ 10:15am Studio 01, Adelaide City Library, Adelaide Talking Pictures (live performance) 16/9/2023 @ 6:30pm The Braggs lecture theatre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide

GRITT. RAT!hammock, Ethanol Blend, Superdose Gangway, Bermuda Bay, Sick Visor (VIC), Mum Thinks Blue, Alexander Black, Jessie’s Overalls, Violet Harlot 7/10/2023 @ 6pm Unibar Adelaide, Adelaide $43.43 from Moshtix

Punk Toob Scoots, Free Drinks (the band), Jongo Bones + the Barefoot Bandits 15/9/2023 @ 8pm Unibar Adelaide, Adelaide $6.73 from Moshtix

Halftime Oranges ‘Soggy Darts’ Single Launch Halftime Oranges, Violet Harlot, Free Drinks, Stiff Necks 16/9/2023 @ 7.30pm Unibar Adelaide, Adelaide $6.73 from Moshtix

Market Day 17/9/2023 @ 11am Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide Workshops 17/9/2023 @ 11am Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide

All events are free but bookings essential for some events as places are limited. Find more information at www.papercutscomicsfestival.com

The demonisation of women (literally)

It is unwise to be out past dusk; every Malaysian kid knows that. If you do happen to be out, make prayers that you will not encounter a beautiful woman with long hair who smells of frangipani. Do not take her beauty or her slender fingers or her pristine white dress as an invitation to behold, much less approach her. Any man who is foolish enough to do so will soon find their blood stained upon those very fingers and pristine white dress. Perhaps, he was deserving of that. Pontianak is not the only spirit that dots the vast constellation of folk horror. She manifests in different iterations across various cultures from her neighbour, the Indonesian Kuntilanak, to La Llorna of Mexico and Japan’s Sadoko. Men denounce them, children fear them. As for me, I only feel sorry and angry for them. If we dare look past their sharp teeth and long nails, we will soon learn that their only crime was loving a man too much or having some self-respect. Pontianak and Kuntilanak are often known as women who tragically died at childbirth or by male-inflicted violence. La Llorna took the lives of her children and herself because her husband not only ignored her upon the birth of their children, but he also cheated on her. Sadako was killed by a man whom she rejected. In contemporary cinema, Jennifer Check was sacrificed in a demonic ritual by a group of men seeking fame in the music industry – her only crime was being a teenage girl.

So, how did we come to demonise these women? I believe the answer lies in the way we treat our living women. You see, the demonisation of women transcends folklores and spiritual realms. Women who are very much alive also struggle to escape the suffocating grip of double standards and misogyny. It’s because we, as a society, have precise ideas of what a woman should be. So, the instant she deviates from those expectations – even in the slightest – she must be burnt at the stake.

That explains why we criticise Taylor Swift so much for her history of dating a string of men, but not Leonardo DiCaprio with his many (often very young) exes. We label assertive women as bossy and unbearable, but view directive men as leaders. She’s immediately reduced to a “Karen” for speaking up. She’s a bad mother for admitting how tiring it is to take care of her kids. She’s a slut for not saving herself. If we can bring ourselves to demonise the living, what’s stopping us from doing the same to something “fictional” or “unhuman”? The connotations attached to these spirits – often that they are vengeful – also speaks volumes of how unjust our society has been towards women. We couldn’t care less when they were wronged by men in their lives but are so quick to vilify them when they take matters into their own hands, albeit in their deaths. Perhaps we craft stories of them banished to purgatory, terrorising the living in search of revenge as a way to conceal our inaptitude in serving justice to women when they were alive. Maybe Pontianak would have died peacefully had her abuser been punished in her lifetime; maybe she wouldn’t have died at all. We have failed these women and we are ashamed to admit it, but when they decide to seek justice for themselves, we call them monsters. If we dare brush the cobwebs off that broken mirror and peer into it, we will soon see that the way we speak and think of these spirits is actually a wretched reflection of our patriarchal society and its hypocritical values. The true horror story lies here: not in life, nor death will women be able to outrun the screaming men and their pitchforks and burning torches.

Asirah Abdul Kadir

Fibromyalgia: An with Magdelena Questions by Louise Jackson Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic pain condition characterized by sleep issues, fatigue, cognitive problems, stiffness, and generalized pain. Fibromyalgia Australia estimates that as many as 1 million Australians are affected by some severity of fibromyalgia. Majority diagnosed are women, and it impacts pretty much everything. Magdalena Moshi represented Tanzania in swimming (freestyle) at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. She holds a PhD in Public Health from the University of Adelaide and works as an epidemiologist. What was your experience of fibromyalgia diagnosis? My experience was very roundabout. I had been competing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and after my 100m event, I had a cardiac incident and passed out. I was taken to the polyclinic and they did tests. Back in Adelaide, I was referred to a respiratory specialist who did some tests and looked at my family history. I was told that I had a rheumatic disease called Sjogren’s Syndrome, and that some of the pain problems I was having could be related to fibromyalgia. My GP was overwhelmed and referred me to a rheumatologist. The rheumatologist was very dismissive of fibromyalgia and saw it as a mental illness, not an actual condition. He wasn’t used to seeing it in someone so young, or dealing with patients as young as I was. He was used to rheumatoid arthritis, and people in their sixties and seventies. I was put on some very archaic drugs which made me very unwell and told to calm down.

If you want to focus on cookie cutter diseases, you shouldn’t be a rheumatologist. That area of medicine is cryptic. At that point I had qualified for my third Olympics, and I knew my body very well. I wasn’t choosing to be in the situation that I was in. I wanted to get better, and he just refused to believe that. He wrote to my GP saying that I needed a psychiatrist. The next rheumatologist was at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. After that appointment I felt much better about my illness, about myself, and I felt relieved that I wasn’t making this up. She sat down and explained to me how the drug works and what it would do. All they really could do is limit the symptoms. One way of doing that is by getting quality sleep. How was your sleep being affected? At the Rio Olympics, I really struggled to adjust to the time difference. I was not sleeping, I was not adjusting, I was not recovering. I was in a lot of pain and none of the techniques I used before to manage pain as an athlete were working. My rheumatologist explained that my sleep cycle was out. The new medication enabled my body and brain to recover through quality sleep. I went from not being able to have physical contact with anyone because I was just feeling pain, to my family touching me in affectionate ways and I wouldn’t react. But people experience fibromyalgia very differently, and some people don’t have the sleep complexities that I have, they experience it in other ways.

Interview Moshi Image: The Citizen Tanzania

What had stopped you investigating these symptoms earlier? I thought the pain that I had been suffering from for a long time was simply sporting injuries. I thought my body wasn’t recovering properly, so I had been wearing compression garments. I was having significant neck and shoulder pain issues, which are just hallmarks of swimming. The only real thing that I thought was odd was the pain that I experienced in my lower legs, feet and calves. It was not common in the kind of swimming that I was doing. My strength was upper body, not leg based. And I had been really struggling to recover with my legs. My coach would often say ‘I don’t know why you’re having this problem, because you don’t do much legwork.’ When my pain was being investigated, they said,

‘actually you don’t have any injuries there’ But I thought that I did. How did the diagnosis affect your life? Initially I had just been like, ‘I can defeat this’. I’ve been able to push my body to the limit my whole life. As my disease progressed, I still attempted to maintain the same level of training and my PhD work. In about May 2017, my very trusted physio, my exercise physiologist, my swimming coach and my GP held an intervention and ‘this needs to stop’.

‘She is going to kill herself.’ They blocked me from training until the start of 2018, until we could get everything under control to some level. They walked me back into it slowly.

It made me realise just how hard I had been pushing my body for all of those years. It made me reevaluate my life, and the toll that my life was having on my body. I now know that if I go out late, it will take me one or two days to recover. I know that if I get really stressed out, it will take a week for my body to recover, and it will affect my ability to sleep. How does an athlete adapt to a chronic pain disorder? I have to be very mindful and strict about my activities, and how I manage my sleep schedule. I’m very strict on routine. I eat at the same time each day, and I take my medication. I have a very strict exercise routine. But unlike before, if I’m not feeling great when I wake up, I’m not going to push myself because I know that will make the situation worse. I spent a lot of time figuring out these markers with my swim coach, to actually know when and when not to go to training. What’s the one thing you’d say to someone freshly diagnosed with fibromyalgia? You’re not crazy. And like myself, you’ll find out that depression is just a symptom of the condition, and not the condition itself. Be kind to yourself and stick to it.

Mum ‘Mum’ – it hurts even to say out loud. When you birthed me, how lonely did you feel? You held me like a punishment, unfurled so helplessly on that cold operating table. Mum – oh, I can’t even hold you in my thoughts. When you look at me, do you see everything you despise about yourself? You were so fearful of what you created, you never had another. Mum – is this resentment or is it pity? When all I see in you is a familiar, scared little girl with a mouth just as bitter as mine, a gaze just as helpless as mine. Mum – this curse you have given me, You would never have wished it upon your worst enemy, yet you have inoculated it within your own ugly, damned, daughter. Mum – ‘Umma’. A word this holy finds its home within every wretched thing on earth she will pray restlessly for a daughter so she may be rebirthed and there is a birthmark from my navel to my pelvis the shape of a steady incision.

Jenny Jung 34

Female and NonBinary Musicians Niharika Gyawali Songs, I believe, are poetry in motion. They tell stories, build pictures of worlds unseen and tug on the deepest recesses of your heart. There are hundreds of perspectives that can be perused through the music written by female or non-binary musicians. Quite often, we find that they’re pushed away into oblivion to become indie pieces because of the very perspective that they convey. I’ve tried to put together a list of 5 extremely underrated female and non-binary musicians that absolutely ought to be in your playlist if they aren’t already!

1. Kehlani

Kehlani identifies themselves as a non-binary individual with the preferred pronouns of ‘They/Them’. Their musicality defies boundaries as they experiment across various genres. Whether you want to feel like a bad bitch or a sweet angel, there’s one song in their discography that fits your mood. Recommended Songs: Ur Best Friend, Honey, Escape

“I like my girls just like I like my honey, sweet A little selfish I like my women like I like my money, green A little jealous ‘Cause I’m a beautiful wreck If you need songs that make you feel like the bad bitch that you A colorful mess, but I’m funny” are, I highly recommend that you listen to Valeria Broussard. (Honey) Her songs are unconventional —l- like if Snow White ended up becoming the Evil Queen. Recommended Songs: Killer, A Little Wicked

2. Valerie Broussard

“Beware the patient woman, ‘cause this much I know No one calls you honey, when you’re sitting on a throne” (A Little Wicked)

3. Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor is a gem with her breathy voice and outlandish songs. Her songs talk about love, grief and the absurdity of life. To me, she seems to be singing about everything and nothing at the same time. Recommended Songs: Better, Lacrimosa, Hold On (One More Time With Feeling)

“Oh, everyone takes turns, now it’s yours to play the part And they’re sitting all around you holding copies of your chart And the misery inside their eyes is synchronized reflecting into yours” (Hold On, One More Time With Feeling)

4. Gabrielle Aplin Gabrielle Aplin is a gem. I’m surprised that not many people actually listen to her. Her songs are larger than life and perfect for sunsets and big life realizations. Recommended Songs: Mountains, November, How Do You Feel Today? “We moved faster than fate but it came at a cost Now you’re tripping over backwards for the days of youth you lost I offered you my hands and I’ve given you my hope So let me be your salvation I refuse to be your rope” (How Do You Feel Today?)

5. Dodie

If you haven’t heard Dodie’s songs yet, put this magazine down and go to her Spotify. ASAP. NOW. I’m not even kidding. Dodie has the softest vocals that will remind you of the softest rain on sunny afternoons. Quite literally, SHE MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME! Recommended Songs: She, Monster, Would You Be So Kind

“I’m guessing that I’ve grown horns I guess I’m human no more I can tell I’ve rotted in your brain Oh, how easily passion twists You think I’m a crazy bitch A thousand words are left unsaid ‘Cause no one listens to the dead” (Monster)

Frida & Diego

LOVE AND REVOLUTION What was impossible to ignore whilst walking through Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution, AGSA’s newest exhibition, isn’t Frida Kahlo’s striking self-portraits, but rather, the absence of them. Upon entering, audiences are immediately greeted with an introduction to the context behind the exhibition, the Mexican Revolution, expressed through the art of those close to Frida. Diego’s notable slice of life portraiture depicting the working-class members of Mexican society, is prominently displayed on one wall. In juxtaposition, the opposite wall showcases the photography of Frida’s father, capturing the Mexico’s elite. It is undeniable the exhibit’s focus was on its context. Alongside Kahlo’s works, are pieces from other notable Mexican artists, many perhaps unknown to the average viewer. Featured are abstractionists Carlos Mérida and Gunther Gerzso, modernist photographer, Lola Bravo, and painter, María Izquierdo. These artists, like Frida, sought to portray their national identity through a blending of traditional Mexican symbolism with contemporary techniques. In the second room you are greeted with Frida’s first piece “The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego and Señor Xólotl”. Hidden from view and nestled behind a column, this discreet placement subverts the typical iconic presentation of Frida. “Fridamania” (1), the commercialisation and obsession of her image, has elevated her image to a status that goes beyond herself as an artist. Whilst Diego certainly dominated as the artist during their lifetimes, Frida has persisted as a transcendent cultural icon throughout the 20th – 21st century. Although the ubiquitous recognition of such an influential artist helps to shift the spotlight towards important women in history, I wrestle with the notion that her legacy has been reduced to her distinctive appearance: a unibrow, flower crown and quaint moustache, all motifs now commonly found in the form of mugs, tote bags, and fridge magnets at your local gift shop.

Lily Baxter

But there she was – not the iconic Frida with her prolific unibrow and flower crown. Instead, she was subtly nestled among her contemporaries. This presentation recontextualised Frida into the era in which she worked, letting us see her more as the artist of that turbulent political period rather than just the cultural icon we know today. Majority of artworks were provided exclusively from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman collection, both of whom were close friends of Frida and Diego. Their extensive donation featured a large array of modernist Mexican pieces, making Love & Revolution one of the most comprehensive displays of Mexican modernism ever exhibited in South Australia. The extensive collection offered a meaningful contextualisation to Frida’s pieces and highlighted other notable artists of the era. Yet, a noticeable gap was the absence of Frida’s darker, introspective self-portraiture as the Gelman’s, unfortunately, were not interested in this series of work. Frida’s work often dealt with the pain she experienced following a devastating bus accident in her youth. Only one piece in the exhibit – her 1932 lithograph, “Frida and the Miscarriage” – hinted at this tragedy. It is the self-portraits she created from this context that are the heart of her art. The mirror situated above her bed gave her an outlet to represent her view of the world through herself and her pain. Her portraiture illustrating her defiant, unwavering gaze and unapologetic appearance has generated her as a cultural heroine for a variety of marginalised groups: feminists, LGBTQ+ community, communists, the disabled and more. Thus, the story being told of Frida felt incomplete and with this being the first major exhibit of Frida, it disappoints me that audiences will lack knowledge of the full magnitude of her work and identity.

The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego and Señor Xólotl, 1949

To my maternal lineage, Dear mẹ, dear bà, I don’t know when this story was expected of me, but I would like to see it changed. You know this story. You have told it to me as your mothers have told them to you, and the mothers before that; a story told without words. It goes: Go to school, child. Get an education, get a job, get married, have children, have a stable life. Mẹ, bà, I get it. I understand. Your lives have never been unfamiliar to violence. Through you I have felt a decades-long ache of never knowing your family – their presence ripped away by war and colonial violence. Fractals of memories, specters of absences, and the lingering ghost of national tragedy – have you ever gotten to grieve for yourself and not the loss of others? I know you want the best for me. I am the first of the generation not drowned in the turbulence of a war-torn land. You wish upon me education because that is what you were told is success. Life success.

But mẹ, bà, I haven’t gotten to figure out what life success feels like for myself. I have to be honest, there were times I resented this story. I have learnt of how stories like this stereotypes us: yellow people with yellow success; good at their shit and learn to behave; a golden excellence cheapened by the judgment of others. I have cried over the fact that I have never stereotyped myself for you – do you know that I have always longed for your happiness without knowing what mine is? Do you know that I only ever saw excellence through your eyes? The story which irks me is the story I grieve, told through words I never read; a motion picture I never saw; a song I have never heard. Is this story even real? Is it even achievable? How can I strive for an unattainable thing which is already enshrined as the sacrifice of ancestors and woven into the fabric of my culture?

Would you listen to a story about a woman loving another woman with all her soul? The beauty of figuring things out one day at a time and not caring about the long-term materiality of family, marriage, and children?

Can I follow that story without learning the sexisms, classisms, and ableisms embedded within the institutions that determine whether one will or will not have that success? From the knowledge of violence passed down for so many generations, can I ever untangle the complexities, undo the injustices and inequalities of the world… with just education? Do you know what irks me the most? That it is a story already prescribed, already told, and there’s nothing I could do about it. People know it, people assume it, and people tell it on my behalf. But it’s not a story told by me.

Would you listen to a story about a woman and her cat? Cuddles, purrs and loving chaos? I know you’re scared. I know this story hasn’t been told before. Because I am telling it as I live it. Mẹ, bà, I know my story is untold, but I promise you, I will be happy. I have an inkling of what happiness looks like for me, because happiness looks different for everyone, and I have my whole life to figure out what makes it whole. A happy life not possible without you.

Mẹ, bà, would you listen to a new story? Ups and downs, nuances, mistakes, influences of agency and institutions, justice, care, violence, peace, and love?

Ngoc Lan Tran

I’m a Blank Space, Baby

Katherine Queen

Stolen kisses, pretty lies You’re the King, baby, I’m your Queen This is my journey of finding who the duck I am. Hi, I am Katherine Queen - Clubs Representative, minor big name on campus. Or so people say. Or so my friends think. But in reality, I’m not very sure who I really am.

Nice to meet you, where you been? I could show you incredible things I recently went to dinner with a friend I hadn’t spoken to in almost 11 years. We caught up over drinks, recounted our lives and looked back on memories that I’d almost forgotten. We relayed stories of work and difficult meetings, and the strength that we both felt that empowered us through certain experiences. Then, she said something about me that really hit like a wrecking ball. “You’ve changed. You’re timid. A lot more anxious. Nervous.” I’ve sat on those words for weeks. I didn’t know I had changed so much. I mean obviously, people change all the time, but now looking in the mirror, I keep wondering: who was I? Years I’ve been looking inward, feeling incomplete, inadequate, uncertain, and downright wrong. I’m looking at someone who’s always felt she is not enough. Who isn’t good enough. Who, no matter how hard she tried, was always missing something. Trying to fill a piece of her heart that had left a long time ago. These thoughts circled my head over and over, and then became an epiphany after a very long and arduous conversation with one of my other best friends.

Got a long list of ex lovers [men] They’ll tell you I’m insane

I look at my reflection, critiquing every little thing. My actions, my body, my soul, my empathy, my ability to be a person… and I know that I am always self-criticising every part of me, because I am always trying to be enough for the people around me. Most especially in the eyes of men. I will become enough for the men in my industry in order for them to take me seriously. I will become enough for my past lecturers who never listened to my complaints or needs anyways. I will become enough for the men in my life who may or may not reciprocate the ways I deeply care for them or how I will always have their backs, because they can take their frustrations out on me and I will always listen; they tell me my faults and I will always bring them on board.

This is how I feel around men: I feel as though I’m not really my own self, more so just a version that is easily digestible, easily dealt with, catered for men. Someone who won’t be overbearing and won’t be too much and is excruciatingly looking for validation for her sense of worth. Someone who isn’t chaotic and cruel. That is exactly how I feel, and I have felt like that for years… That’s fucked, isn’t it? I know I shouldn’t feel this way, I know men aren’t supposed to be some scary monsters who live under the bed, jump out and grab my legs when I stand up. Some of my best friends are men. And despite all this self-deprecation, all this fear, I have not been able to quiet a part of me that would still be willing to change myself to be better consumed by the people who matter most to me. By the men who matter most to me.

So hey, let’s be friends I’m dying to see how this one ends My past lovers haunt me everywhere I look. “He” lives in the shadows of my relationships, a third party who always makes me doubt my relationship’s validity. “He” makes me feel as though I’m not enough. “He” makes me feel as though my voice, my life, and who I am are not worthy. I’ve never felt so caught up and fragile. It breaks my heart to hear “he,” who means so much to me, say: “This is who you are to me. This is what I see. This is the girl standing in front of me. These parts are not enough for me and never will be. These are the traits I see. This is you.” As much as I hate to, I agree with “his” description of myself. I hate it because I couldn’t argue with “him”. No matter how much I disagree or fight against “his” description of me, I knew that “he” wasn’t wrong. Is this exactly who I was, is this exactly how I displayed myself? Especially to “him”? Do I want to define myself by becoming that girl who made “his” eyes light up? To the point where even I wouldn’t recognise who I am anymore? Because I love “him”?

Find out what you want Be that girl for a month Wait, the worst is yet to come “I will take it on board when you tell me my faults. I will fit into the box you want me to fit into! I will be perfect for you! I will change all of my personality to be what is best for you! I will be smaller for you! Please let me be enough for you! Let me in! Let me be your friend! I am good enough! I will like the things you like! I will dislike the things you dislike! I will be enough for you!”

Very Meredith Grey of Grey’s Anatomy. Not a green flag.

It’ll leave you breathless Or with a nasty scar For months I’ve felt like there’s a fire is burning down my throat whenever I try to speak. I cry after nights out drinking. I sit alone in my room reading endless poetry about loss and grief. I grieve for those who have left me years ago, and I am terrified of losing the ones right here, standing in front of me, because I feel like I’m doing something wrong and I need to please them. I have been wasting away, trying to make myself smaller for the people who don’t treat me with the respect or honesty I deserve. I am trying to be enough for those who make me feel like I don’t even exist. I step on eggshells. One step out of line and I’m back to square one. But what about me? What about the girl I was before all of this? Why am I so scared to lose others and not myself? I know I deserve better than this. I deserve more, period. I am worth so much more. I’m exhausted. I’m so tired of changing, of being someone for others. I want to be so unapologetically me, rather than a reflection of who everyone wants me to be. The girl I was… she had so much hope for the future, so much light, and was worth so much more than any of the men who would eventually take advantage of her/me. I want to protect her from all this pain. I want to live for me, for her. No more seeking approval from others. So… I don’t know who I am right now, but at least I know who I don’t want to be.

Keep [me] second guessing like “Oh, my God, who is she?” I get drunk on jealousy Doing soul searching is not fun. I breathe. I get up. I listen to Boygenius’ “Letter to An Old Poet” on repeat until I stop crying (so much so that it went into my top 25 most played in less than a month after release). I talk to my friends. I like what that one friend said that night. It was the last thing before we went our separate ways. “You think about the mistakes you made and let them go. Let it go. The person you were [x-number of] years ago is not the person you are today, and the mistakes you made are not a reflection of yourself now. You aren’t the same person. You shouldn’t hold yourself to that.”

Screaming, crying, perfect storms I can make all the tables turn I listen to Taylor Swift; her latest album; the song “Would’ve Could’ve, Should’ve,” which is about Taylor regretting a past lover, her struggle with her faith and loss of innocence. “Give me back my 44 girlhood, it was mine first.”

I cried when I first heard that line. It shook me to my core. Listening to Taylor, I yearn for a sense of self-hood; the girl that I was and never was. I want to embrace my own energy and the person I’m meant to be. I want to find it through niche dinner parties and creative pursuits once lost. Embracing the fear of the unknown. Watching the Barbie movie, cheering, crying and loving every moment. Playing with dolls and running around in the mud. Run through tall grass and climb trees and dream of bigger things. Buy crystals because I think they look cool.

So it’s gonna be forever Or it’s gonna go down in flames [I’ll tell you] when it’s over, If the high was worth the pain I’ve been thinking about myself a lot over the past year. That I need to take a journey to find out who I am, and unfortunately, that journey is a lonely one. But I take comfort in knowing I’m changing into exactly who I need to be, for me. Like in “Look What You Made Me Do” - the old Katherine can’t come to the phone right now, why? Oh, ‘cause she’s dead. The girl “he” knows is not coming back, and I do wish “he” could come with me because I do love “him”. But “he” can’t, because I need to take this path alone. But hey, at least we will have the memories right? All the photographs and moments will forever be frozen in time and will never be left behind. I’ll find myself in the end. I know it will be okay. ‘Cause, darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream A lot of self-reflection has since led to a bit of an identity crisis. I did reach one main conclusion, however, that there is nothing wrong with being me and not actually knowing who I am, that finding out who I am is a messy process. That being Katherine Queen (or anyone really) is messy as hell, but it’ll make one hell of a painting, won’t it? I’m a blank canvas babe. I have all the space to figure it out.

But I’ve got a blank space, baby And I’ll write [my] name

Periods ≠ I remember getting my first period like it was yesterday. It was something all the women in my life had celebrated as this exciting, defining moment where a girl becomes a woman and everything changes. I was 11 and woke up bleeding and horrified. My mum and aunties on the other hand were delighted, as if I’d told them I had won the lottery. They kept telling me that I was a woman now, which I couldn’t comprehend. In my mind, I was the same ‘girl’ as the day before; I struggled to wrap my head around the fact that I was now a “woman” when I was still in primary school.

In high school, I started dating and began thinking about birth control, so naturally, I turned to the internet to save myself the embarrassment of talking about sex with my parents. My research led me to SHINE SA’s website where I discovered IUDs. For those unfamiliar, IUD stands for ‘intrauterine device’, which is a small T-shaped device placed inside the uterus to prevent pregnancy. I use the Mirena, a hormonal IUD that is highly effective, lasting up to five years and helps reduce period flows. I will save the details for another article, but it’s been three years since I got my IUD, and it’s been great at preventing pregnancy and improving the flow of my periods. In fact, it didn’t just improve them, it stopped them altogether - which is common

I eventually adjusted to having a period and made it through puberty relatively unscarred. My periods were always uncomfortable, irritating and painful but as far as periods go that’s industry standard. The one thing I appreciated about my period was its punctuality, arriving on the second Sunday of each month . As I got older, I’d track my period as it felt good to have my mind and body in tune with one another and be able to plan ahead. This anticipation of the beginning of my cycle also explained why my skin would break out and TV commercials about toilet paper would make me cry.

I was over the moon. Not only did I not have to worry about a heavy flow, I also didn’t have to buy pads and tampons anymore - which should be FREE. It was a win-win situation for me. However, to my surprise, I began to miss my period. I missed that reassurance of a consistent cycle each month; that when it arrived, everything was “normal.” I also began to question my womanhood entirely. I have always embraced my femininity and felt comfortable in my identity as a woman. But that changed when I lost my period, as I struggled to process the loss of what I was taught to believe made me a woman.

It goes without saying that periods really, really, reeeeally suck.

Part of me was happy that my period was gone, after years of painful cramps, nausea and mood swings. The other part was in a state of grief, mourning my identity as a woman. It wasn’t until I began thinking more on this, that I realised how exclusionary it is to confine womanhood to whether or not someone has a period.

Womanhood “Amenorrhoea” refers to the absence of a menstrual period. There’s two types of amenorrhea; primary and secondary. Primary amenorrhea, caused by hormone levels and anatomical problems, is the absence of menstruation in people who haven’t had a period by age 15. Secondary amenorrhea is the absence of over three consecutive menstrual periods in a row by someone who has had a period in the past. This condition affects cis women like myself and is caused by hormonal changes influenced by birth control, stress and menopause amongst other things. These women are unable to menstruate, but are still women. I may not currently menstruate, but I’m still a woman. Trans men, non-binary, gender-fluid and intersex people may also experience periods, but don’t identify as women. Not all women menstruate and not all people who menstruate are women. By only associating periods with cis girls and women, we reinforce the idea that menstruation equals womanhood. This not only excludes cis women experiencing amenorrhoea, but also trans men, non-binary, gender-fluid and intersex people that menstruate. Periods go beyond gender identity and womanhood goes beyond anatomy. Womanhood is beautiful, weird and wonderful and should not be defined by whether or not you have a uterus, ovaries or even a period. If I gained anything from losing my period, it’s the realisation that greater inclusivity is needed in conversations surrounding periods to reflect the diverse experiences of menstruation among cis women, trans men, non-binary, gender-fluid and intersex people alike.

Talara McHugh 47

Political Gender more than just

Ellie Venning We all know the saying, “you can’t be what you can’t see”, and we all know that the lack of role models to inspire us often leads us to not consider certain career pathways. The most predominant case of this is in politics, where even though there are a record number of women in state and federal parliaments, they still make up the minority in every parliament (except in the ACT). While the gender divide is most evident when divided on party-lines, political gender inequality stretches beyond partisanship. Over the last hundred years, the belief that women should “be seen and not heard” has only just started to shatter, as women climb through leadership ranks and shatter glass ceilings. Throughout history, men have been encouraged into leadership roles and other levels of power thanks to entrenched societal beliefs that one’s sex determines their worthiness of such leadership. This patriarchy makes it seem commonplace for men to hold predominant leadership roles of authority, with women being the ones this power is exercised over.

The idea that women don’t belong in politics unfortunately isn’t a rarity, and therefore is a major barrier to young women pursuing a career in politics, or even aspiring to leadership levels in any industry. A 2021 survey of 1,742 young women in Australia, conducted by Plan International Australia, found that 40% of girls identified gender as their largest barrier to leadership, above socio-economic status, and ethnicity. Furthermore, a third of girls stated that they believe their gender is an obstacle to becoming a politician; compared to just one in twenty young men. If you’re reading this, you’re most likely pursuing a university qualification, with the belief that completing your degree will help you secure work. It is a fact that the higher your educational attainment, the more likely you are to be employed. In fact, back in 2020, 86.1% of people with a Bachelor’s Degree or higher were in the labour workforce, compared to 70.6% of people with Year 12 as their highest educational achievement. But although a university education will help you in life, if you’re a female, it still won’t be enough for you to have the experience necessary or be adequately ‘qualified’ in the eyes of some.

Equality, it’s Representation.

Not only are women held to a different standard to men in politics, but this standard is higher and expects more of women (we can all relate to the experience of a mediocre man getting promoted over a hard-working female…). Speaking from her own experience, former federal MP Julia Banks wrote in her 2021 book Power Play: Breaking Through Bias, Barriers, and Boys Clubs that while female MPs may have “extensive experience in the governance and corporate sectors”, they still have “to validate [their] entitlement” to be in parliament. Further to this, conservative men often argue that adopting affirmative action will lead to people without merit getting elected – when in truth, it is they who are typically less qualified or educated! In the previous Federal Parliament, 81% of female MPs had a university degree, compared to 73% of male MPs. When this is broken down on party lines, this discrepancy is highest amongst the Nationals (67% to 53%), followed by the Liberal Party (88% to 77%), with the Labor Party being the most equal in educational attainment on gender lines (82% to 80%). In line with the words of Sam Mostyn AO; “we [women] don’t seek to be the same as men. We just want the same opportunities and outcomes across our lives”, reaching a certain standard should level the playing field, not push that standard further out of reach.

Section 44 (iv) of Australia’s Constitution disqualifies anyone “who holds an office of profit under the Crown” to be allowed in Parliament, therefore precluding currently-employed teachers and nurses from running for office. This predominantly excludes women, as 72% of full-time teachers and 84% of nurses are women. If such a large demographic is shut out of participating in the governance of this country, can we honestly expect the best policies to be implemented in the education and healthcare sectors? Being forced out of their careers to run for election is a huge risk many women are not willing to take, as they are already more likely to be under financial stress and have less savings to rely on than men due to the gender pay gap. In the 2019 federal election, women made up just less than a quarter of all candidates, and women currently make up just less than 40% of all Federal Parliamentarians. It seems we have a long way to go to achieve gender equality in the political sphere, given the long list of barriers women face – let alone the outright discrimination women face once they are elected. But, albeit gradually, the tides are changing, and women are rising up. At the very least, they are raising their voices and becoming the role models they lacked growing up.

11 49

Sad Girl Novel: Interview with Pip Finkemeyer In 2011, we witnessed the rise of the internet Sad Girl when Lana Del Rey sang ‘Video Games’ forlornly to her webcam. Further popularised by the likes of Lorde and Billie Eilish, the Sad Girl has long been criticised for her glamorisation of mental health issues and, decidedly anti-feminist, emotional dependence on men.

I was fortunate to chat with Pip about her writing process, the struggles facing female writers, and the staying power of the Sad Girl.

Yeah, I would say Sylvia Plath is the OG Sad Girl. The Bell Jar is a book I was…drawn to really because I’ve always been so interested in contemporary voices...I was in a book club in Berlin, and we did The Bell Jar and I couldn’t believe how much I loved it and how much it didn’t seem like it had aged at all…But [it’s]…a book where it’s kind of flippant to call something a ‘Sad Girl Novel’…I think the thing that makes it ‘Sad Girl’ is because of the tone and the humour that she has, and…these one-liners. You can sort of pick them out throughout, but her voice is, yeah, I would say peak Sad Girl.

Congratulations on your debut! How does it feel to have your novel out in the world and what has the response been like so far?

What particularly struck me about Kim’s interior narration was its relatability. How vital was this to her characterisation?

It’s very surreal. The response has been great. I’ve had a lot of people message me to tell me… how much they enjoyed it and what it meant to them. So it’s been really nice.

I’m actually really surprised by how much people relate to Kim, but pleasantly surprised…I was just trying to write from this…brutally honest perspective where the things that Kim says are not flattering. They’re not things you would say out loud. And sometimes…she can be quite pathetic. But I think the whole…genre is like a really good way to explore…things that young women are not really allowed to be, particularly sad…You’re allowed to be sad for a little bit, but then you’re supposed to…pull yourself up by your bootstraps and become active and Kim’s kind of a passive person, and I think that can be quite frustrating, but it’s intentionally frustrating. But I think it’s the fact that…the behaviour of young women is still very heavily policed…and as soon as you see some ugly…acting out of those boundaries… it…makes you a little joyful, to read someone who’s just transgressing some of those boundaries.

Adelaide-born author Pip Finkemeyer deftly subverts this trope in her debut novel, based on her time in Berlin, employing a witty, sexy, and metafictional approach to posit platonic partnerships as a mode of resistance for women.

When Kim attends Leo’s book party, he warns her to ‘be ready for nothing to happen’ when her novel is published, so I have to ask, has your life changed in any way?

Early on, you reference The Bell Jar. Would you say Sylvia Plath was the OG Sad Girl? How has she influenced your craft?

[Laughs] I think my life probably changed the most around the time that I got the book deal, because I got a two-book deal...So that was the biggest way [for it] to change and that was about a year ago. And…that’s when I…readjusted my plans to…see myself as a full-time novelist… But in terms of publication…nothing much has changed. Maybe the thing that’s changed is more for people around me. They are able to finally read what I’ve been working on all this time. So it’s been really nice for my friends and family to…see that other side of me.

experience…that’s not really allowed. You have to write to your own experiences. So it’s…a no-win situation. And the only way through it is just to do whatever you want, basically.

What feminist messages do you hope readers take away? …I really wanted to play with this trope of… this interaction with a man or a love interest… that’s what drives everything and there’s a lot of value attached to that. And I really wanted to use like romantic elements, because it’s not like I am unaware that romance can be really fun to read about, but…turn it on its head and highlight that, for a lot of people with kids demographic, the most important love in their life might actually be a platonic one…usually, friendships...So I guess I wanted to highlight that, even though stories are constantly telling us to care about… romantic love, it’s important to keep your eyes open to all of your…female friendships that are really…the bread and butter of your happiness.

What advice would you give to aspiring female and non-binary writers? You touch on pertinent issues affecting emerging female writers like the ‘confidence trick’ and the pressure to make a novel ‘commercial, but literary’, not only to be successful, but to be taken seriously. Were these obstacles you faced while writing Sad Girl Novel? How did you navigate them? …[N]o matter what you write as a young woman, your first novel, everyone’s gonna think it’s essentially like your diary. And so I was really aware as I was writing it, that everybody was gonna think it was me no matter what, so I might as well lean into that and play with it. And so that’s one thing that I…find a…bit insulting…And I think that happens to…so many young female debut authors…when we do write something based on our own story, … there’s a silent criticism that it’s…navel-gazing, or it’s…like Lena Dunham from Girls, or it’s the personal over the political, and it’s not dealing with big issues of the world order, etc. And then when you do write something outside your own

Writing can be very overwhelming if you’re thinking about the end point…and…one way to get started is just to focus on the daily practice, and make sure that you’re enjoying it….And then I would say that…we’re actually in a very lucky time right now, where I think female and non-binary and queer writers sort of dominate fiction…I’m living in a bubble where I’m ignoring all these…huge male writers that are selling big numbers like John Grisham, etc. But in like the…literary fiction space, I think, female queer, non-binary writers are just going from strengthto-strength and there’s so many amazing things to be inspired by. You can keep up-to-date with Pip on Insta @pipfink

Charlotte Whincup

Of Spices

and Growing Up The warmest place I have ever known is my grandmother’s kitchen. The air filled with the smell of exotic spices, the clang of her bangles as she whipped up comfort in the form of a dish. Growing up, I started resenting the idea of being confined to the kitchen. I resented it when my relatives told me that, as a girl, I was expected to know how to cook. I violently resisted. I told myself that I was born to overthrow these labels.I ripped away the roots y that I feared would become chains. But now that I live miles away from the idea of home, I find myself holding onto the dishes that my grandmother cooked to anchor my mind to the idea of comfort and safety. Cooking has become a way to express myself, de-stress my mind, and keep my anxiety demons at bay. It has become a way for me to reconnect with my inner child. Now I’m in a home that is not my own. My kitchen is filled with spices I cannot name in English. Scouring the city markets for ingredients brings me joy. As I travel to places my mother has never been to, through these dishes, I carry my roots with me. What I once thought would chain me down, has evolved into what feels like the rhythm of my favorite song. I pray that someday I will be able to create the same warmth that my grandmother did, and make the sun shine a little brighter with a plate of rice and ‘kinema’ and a serving of ‘lephetou’.

Niharika Gyawali

Radically Prude Ngoc Lan Tran

Part of this article was originally published in On Dit issue 90.9 - Queer Dit. It has been edited for this issue.

In the hypersexualised, heteronormative, racist, classist, ableist capitalist-patriarchal structure, our bodies are repeatedly marginalised in very different ways. And almost always, a shared consciousness to fight back this conglomerate in all its form is never freely available or accessible. This was my struggle when I tried to find a space that legitimises the existence of the asexual feminist/ feminist asexual as an Asian woman. Indeed, in thinking about asexuality, I rarely think about feminism; when thinking about feminism, I rarely think about asexuality. Perhaps, this has something to do with the fact, for most, that the asexual agenda and the feminist agenda do not always intuitively align. Feminism is frequently misunderstood and easily conflated into its sex-positive movement. Indeed, sex-positivityis one of the more dominant feminist projects with a strong critical stance in public consciousness. However, the result of this conflation and misconception of feminism has created dissonance within the asexual community. Some proclaim that the ace community is taking the initiative to distance themselves from feminism altogether because they find that the sex positive feminist movement does not provide a safe space for asexuals and there is a risk of being immediately pigeonholed as “anti-sex”. Some do not fall for this trap, but instead, they turn a blind eye on feminism altogether. It’s oddly convenient doing this, because the two “rarely intersect.” In their view, asexuality strives towards greater awareness and understanding of the ace spectrum, not gender equality. Gender equality is the feminist’s job. Questions like “why should I care?” and “how does that bother me?” arise as a result. Some even go as far as to imply that there is nothing inherently related about the two that can be manifested without the presence of the person who identifies as being asexual and being feminist.

If there is any chance of reconciling between the two, there needs to be active effort of theorisation and discussion to make this connection. I contend that this active effort is exactly what needs to happen. It is indeed important to remember that asexuality is not a primary mode of feminist resistance, and feminism has not directed/invested in asexual projects. But if we insist on veering on this path, we risk ignoring and dismissing the bodies that are not just asexual but also of different genders, of diverse cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds, or disabled bodies who often have been assumed or dismissed as asexual. If we choose to ignore the intersectionality of asexuality, we miss out on battling the toxic stereotypes and assumptions that make bodies repeatedly and categorically left out.

This is the antithesis of solidarity. If we can take that one extra step to actively take effort to think, research, discuss, and theorise on the intersectionality of our bodies, I reckon there is so much to be revealed and to be learnt about each movement as a first step to find commonality, find support, and strengthen solidarity. The link between asexuality and feminism is not as scarce as one might assume. The more one researches, the more one discovers from just one fascinating glimpse of asexuality in the 60s and 70s in the midst of the radical feminist movement. One of the most prominent pieces of asexual feminist writing was The Asexual Manifesto by Lisa Orlando. Writing for the Asexual Caucus of the Council of New York Radical Feminists in 1972, Orlando affirmed that a modern understanding of asexuality was the necessary philosophical and political basis for feminist liberation. Orlando urged feminists to “be honest with ourselves [when] we tried to determine what our real needs are” while critically “examining the basic conditioning which had shaped our sexuality.” Orlando contended: 53

Orlando is only one amongst a movement of “radical refusals” who consciously chose asexuality as a method of resistance. According to Professor Breanne Fahs: Asexuality is shown to disrupt key intersections between sexuality and the state, particularly institutions that control reproduction, pleasure, and women’s bodies. […] By removing themselves from sexuality, women can take a more anarchic stance against the entire institution of sex, thereby working toward more nihilistic, anti-reproduction, anti-family goals that severely disrupt commonly held assumptions about sex, gender, and power.

One of such radical refusals was Valerie Solanas. As Andrea Long Chu describes, Solanas was known for two things: writing The SCUM Manifesto and shooting Andy Warhol (in believing that he destroyed her manuscript). The SCUM Manifesto is a 1967 satirical essay of “unabashed misandry” in which a dedicated fictional organisation called SCUM plots to overthrow society and get rid of all men. In SCUM, Solanas famously: (1) did not and would not give a fuck about what anybody thinks, and (2) explicitly determined that asexuality was “cool” and “cerebral” but also distinctively a principle against “male culture”: Feminist asexuality is also noted in the publication of Dana Densmore in 1973 for a journal by the feminist separatism group Cell 16. Titled Independence from the Sexual Revolution, Densmore unravelled the institution of sexual ‘culture’ in which fucking is often conflated and confused with freedom. “People seem to believe that sexual freedom […] is freedom,” she complains, even though “sexual freedom [includes] no freedom to decline sex, to decline to be defined at every turn by sex.” Densmore explained:

Orlando, Solanas, and Densmore did the painstaking work to show us that being asexual and being feminist actually do have everything to do with each other. They intertwine and complement because they have acommon oppressor: the global capitalist-patriarchal-heteronormative complex. The very same system commoditises sexuality, dictates sex and desire, engineers the unrealistic, unachievable, utterly insane standard of female appearance and femininity; the very same system that sexualises female bodies, fetishises bodies of POC folks, invalidates and punishes asexual bodies for not being sexual enough; all on a systemic and societal level.

On that note, I propose that there is much about the likes of “radical refusals” that our current ace community could learn from, particularly on the politicisation of asexual matters. Those who found out about asexuality may have encountered online ace communities formed in the 90s and the early 2000s instead, where AVEN, Yahoo!, Tumblr, and livejournals were the places where awareness of asexuality blossoms and thrives. During this time, theace community’s biggest purpose was to advocate for asexuality to be recognised as an orientation, avoiding misconceptions of asexuality as sexual repression, mental disorder, abstinence, or celibacy. Therefore, it made sense that the online ace community naturally wanted to distance themselves from politicising their asexuality, including aforementioned radical feminist interpretations. But in 2022, the asexuality definition is established, thriving, and accommodating towards different types of attraction (sexual, romantic, aesthetic, secondary), non/ relationship dynamics. Our biggest challenge now is to fight to be visible, and to fend off exclusionists who deny that asexuals cannot take part in the queer or feminist movements.

But at the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that the online space can be an incredibly individualised and anonymous space and holds little effect when making the invisible visible. If online visibility is the only visibility the ace community is settling for, then friends, we still have a lot of work to do. Asexuality needs to be a tangible, recognisable, publicly visibly organised movement that deliberately takes up space in everyday life if this community truly wants to be included and represented. What we haven’t done so well is to make asexuality a relevant and important political issue, to flaunt ourselves in parades, organise protests, collectives, book clubs, and petition for recognition and welfare from our government leaders. Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from the queer movement and the feminist movement instead of distancing ourselves from them for not “getting” the asexual agenda. This photo, Lesbian Dynamics (1973), which was dug up in 2018 thanks to prolific ace Tumblr folks. This would likely have not been well received by had it resurfaced 10 or 15 years ago.But no, ace folks love it – and that says something about how much our understanding of asexuality is undergoing a radicalising shift towards a political movement.

Favlia Dzodan writes, “my feminism will be intersectional, or it will be bullshit.” Along her lines, I write: my asexuality will be radical, or it will be nothing. For most of us, being ourselves is never easy, especially when we have to work to carve up a space that allows for existence. It requires the hard work of reflecting, thinking, healing, researching, discussing, theorising, hurting, bonding, fighting, loving. This article is an active and deliberate struggle, so that I can find for myself and others what an asexual feminist/feminist asexual space would look like, knowing that all struggles will be worth it in the end. Because without struggle, there is no solidarity. Image: Pollner 1973, Lesbian dynamics, Off Our Backs, 3(6), 7.

Sitting Down with Comic Artist Georgina Chadderton Hey Gina! Thanks once again for agreeing to this interview. To begin with, would you mind writing a small introduction? Hello! I’m Georgina Chadderton (but most folks call me Gina or George or Rex). I’m a queer, neurodivergent comics writer/illustrator born and based here on Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide). Most of my work is autobiographical but I do also love writing fiction (particularly teens solving mysteries). When I’m not making my own comics, I teach art workshops and am the co-director of Papercuts Comics Festival. I’m still kinda figuring out how I identify! I currently use the pronouns she/they because they seem the closest fit right now.

You’ve been working on comics for as long as I have known you - when did this passion begin, and when did it really kick off as a profession? I’ve made comics since early primary school, although I didn’t know they were called comics back then: I just always wrote my stories with pictures. Drawing is something I use to calm my brain and untangle my thoughts. I kept making comics through high school and uni. While working at my first office job, I began to realise that I wanted to make comics more than be in the office, so I started looking into grants and residencies to help me create projects.

It took me ages to figure out ways to support myself through my art (including many years where I was juggling multiple part-time jobs) but I’ve been full-time freelance since 2021.

Comics and comic books have been traditionally viewed as a predominantly male industry. What is the industry environment like now? What has your experience been like as a neurodivergent person? The comics industry is becoming more inclusive for creators that are given publishing opportunities, not just when it comes to gender but also race, disability, sexuality. I think the rise of the ‘graphic novel’, particularly for middle grade audiences (8-12 year olds), has provided more opportunities for diverse writers. That said, I’m still new to ‘the industry’, and my experience is also with traditional book publishers, as opposed to traditional comics publishers (like Marvel, DC, Image). But most people I have had contact with (editors, agents) have been women or non-binary. Freelancing offers a lot more flexibility than retail or office work, which is both the best and hardest thing about being a neurodivergent freelancer. I crave routine and can get stressed if my work plans change suddenly. But I much prefer drawing at home to working retail and spending all my energy talking to people.

You’ve had comics published in previous editions of On Dit during your years studying at the University of Adelaide, as well as in other magazines. Do you have any projects coming up for publication? I’ve always got a few little comics projects on the back burner but my current big project is a graphic novel memoir about being an awkward teen trying to navigate making friends in the first year of high school, as well as some of my experiences growing up with my brother (who is autistic and has an intellectual disability). I’ve been working on the book on and off for about 7 years with the help of grants and residencies, and it looked quite different when I started writing it. In 2021 the book was picked up by Penguin Random House and since then I’ve been working with them to rewrite the book for a middle grade (8-12 year old) audience. As it will have Australian and US editions, everything takes twice as long to write, edit and draw, so the book is currently scheduled for publication in early 2025.

Do you have any favourite female/non-binary comic artists you’d like to recommend to our readers? Too many! So I’ll keep it to three Australian-based creators: Briar Rolfe (incredibly funny. If you can get hold of any of their minicomics, I promise you will not regret it) Sarah Winifred Searle (I absolutely loved the greatest thing by Sarah. Narrative memoir at its finest for nervous, queer, zine lovers) Dangerlam a.k.a Kim Lam (beautifully crafted diagrammatic comics. Dangerlam’s work is like visual poetry). I also have a ‘recommended reading’ list of general comics & graphic novels in the ‘Behind the Scenes’ section of my website.

You’ve been a huge mover in the Adelaide comic scene, being a co-organiser of the Adelaide-based zine festival Zina Warrior Prest Fest, as well as being a co-organiser of Comics With Friends and Strangers, a monthly comics sketch group for adults that ran from 2013-2021. I’ve now heard that you’ve co-founded the Papercuts Comic Festival, which is back for its third year in September. Can you tell me more about the upcoming festival? Owen Heitmann and I started Papercuts Comics Festival back in 2019 out of a love of the comics medium and frustration at comics creators not being represented in writers festivals, as well as the price of a table often being a barrier to entry at larger comic conventions. Papercuts is a mix of the best bits (in our opinions!) of a zine fair and a writers festival. We have creator discussion panels, live comics readings, workshops and a market day. The aim of the festival is to showcase the diverse range of comic creators both in South Australia and throughout the rest of the country. The entire festival is free to attend (we’re mostly funded by grants, which helps us pay artists and venues). This year we’ve got our first international guest, Kay O’Neill (Tea Dragon Society), attending the festival, which I’m super excited about. I’ve loved their work for a really long time! But if you can only attend one event, I highly recommend Talking Pictures (the live comics reading).

How can our readers find out more about you and the Papercuts Comic Festival? You can find me at my website: www.georgerexcomics.com or my instagram @georgerexcomics. Signing up to my mailing list on my website is the best way to keep up to date with everything I do. To find out more about Papercuts, check out www.papercutscomicsfestival.com, where you can follow our socials or sign up to our mailing list. Thanks so much for having me! Gx

Interview by Kathers Anderson

Image: Oz Comic-Con

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Printmaking Feminism: Carving Into Readings of Barbara Hanrahan Words by Reading Feminism. In January we read The Scent of Eucalyptus. We stole chairs and sat in a circle under the sun on the Barr Smith lawns and we slowly, carefully talked over and through stories from Barbara’s Adelaide coming-ofage. We talked about her messy intimacies with her mother and grandmother and aunt, about childhood and the precarious becomings of a Great artist. We reflected on the sensorially rich descriptions of Adelaide, of stolen Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri lands, its smells, its tastes, its sounds, and its sun – a specific kind of sun, we agreed. Barbara Hanrahan was an Adelaide printmaker, artist, and writer. She was born here and died here. Her prints are her most enduring legacy, they enfold themes of gender and white womanhood with violence and blood, plants and animals, nature and culture. Her artworks are intimate and sensual, they reflect (and are reflected by) her own life, her own autobiography. We are, foundationally, a reading group. We are also a feminist collective, that is to say, we are interested in more than reading. We are interested in following reading and seeing where it takes us. So we decided to make our own feminist carvings, to play with the form that Hanrahan herself had played with, to think about the forms of embodiment that this artistic practice involves, demands. We made bookplates, small prints to sit in books and remind us of the words we have met and the feminist worlds we have known. As we carved our linoleum squares we carved different worlds. We wielded our printmaking tools and envisioned a world reshaped by ink-laden feminist revolutions.

Craft corner

Sienna Sulicich

Need to de-stress? Colour-in with us! We would love to see your creations, so send us a pic on insta: @onditmag

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