Given its intensely male-dominated hierarchy and extreme anti-woman, anti-sex culture, the sex abuse scandal rocking the American Catholic Church is no surprise. Nor is the church’s record of cover-up, lies, and hypocrisy on the subject, which resembles that of any mega-corporation anxious to avoid prosecution, safeguard its considerable assets, and calm its stockholders. The church’s… Read more »
women & feminism
Irene Xavier: women are playing a key role
Irene Xavier is a labour activist from Friends of Women which has been organising women workers since 1978. She’s played a key role organising around health and safety issues in the electronics industry. In 1987 she was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for 355 days. Alison Thorne spoke to Irene about the campaign… Read more »
Fully paid maternity leave now! Women must not fund motherhood
Australia and the United States are the only two wealthy countries which do not provide a national paid maternity leave scheme. Compare this to Haiti and Jamaica, where women not only have this right, but employers pay for it! The lack of paid leave means that for two-thirds of working women, the “choice” is simple:… Read more »
Refugee Women: Desperate but Defiant!
Five hundred and eighty-two refugee children, some of them alone, some of them orphaned, are incarcerated in concentration camps. Their only offence is to seek a new life, free from war, or State persecution, or poverty. Some have been tortured by their guards, others sexually abused. All are desperately traumatised by their disgraceful treatment. And… Read more »
“The solution is to stop wars that make people refugees.”
A 2002 interview with Carmen Guzman, who fled El Salvador for Australia, brings home the life experiences that still drive displacement today.
Angela Acosta, El Salvador: “Working class Australians will not tolerate injustice in their name.”
“I was born on September 19, 1972 into a politically active family in El Salvador. I grew up with my mother and part of my mother’s family. Because our lives were in danger, we were forced to escape to Costa Rica. There were thousands of women and children from El Salvador with little formal education… Read more »
Assisted Reproductive Technology: The new pro-choice battleground
It seems the Liberals’ desire for Australian women to have more babies only applies to some women! During the last Federal election campaign, Prime Minister John Howard announced plans to introduce a baby bonus tax incentive to reward women who have a baby and then give up work in order to stay home and look… Read more »
Dissidents with disabilities: Overcoming capitalism’s obstacles
Sharaz Kayani’s self-immolation outside Parliament House in Canberra last year was a wake-up call — not only about the plight of refugees in this country but also the treatment of people with disabilities. An asylum seeker from Pakistan, Kayani had tried since 1996 to bring his family to Australia. His applications were rejected, because his… Read more »
Fight to overturn sexist laws: Free Heather Osland!
On 7 September 2001, Heather Osland’s five-year battle against a 14-year sentence for killing her violent husband came to an abrupt halt. After the High Court upheld her conviction in 1998, Osland tried her last legal channel: a Petition of Mercy to the Victorian government. The panel of Queens Councils decided to stick to the… Read more »
Ingrid Hindell: “I live in the community, but I am not of the community.”
“I was born with a disability. I couldn’t sit up until I was five years old. I was shy as an adolescent. For most of my adult life, I have acted out of sheer bravado. I had a breakdown which I admit nearly ended my life. But I am now a new woman, more secure… Read more »
