Womyns Collective
Your Womyn's Representative for 2008 is Peta Miller
Current Campaigns
Why do we need a Womyn's Representative and Collective?
Womyn have not yet achieved real equality - womyn and men are not treated equally in a variety of ways. For example, despite more womyn graduates, the number of womyn in top positions has not changed.
Womyn often have to make the choice between a career and a family (a choice that very few men ever have to make), and the majority of unpaid domestic labour is carried out by womyn, even if they have a fulltime job.
Womyn’s bodies are used in the media and advertising as unrealistic ideals, and at the age of 65 one in four womyn will still have a HECS debt, compared with 1 in 25 men.
Womyn also have to worry about their safety in a way that men do not: sexual harassment, assault, rape, drink spiking, and walking alone at night. Most of this is not the fault of individual men; this inequality is a result of institutions and structures that affect the way people interact in society – we live in a capitalist, patriarchal society.
So there is still a need for a womyn’s only group and a space for that group. I have outlined just a few facts that point to the inequality of womyn and men, but there are also many more issues womyn face, particularly on campus.
The womyn’s collective is a group of womyn students that meets to discuss issues that affect them, feminism, sexual harassment, racism and sexuality issues, and also involves itself in activism and fighting for womyn’s liberation.
The Murdoch Guild of Students has a Womyn’s Officer to look after the interests of womyn students on campus, as they are a disadvantaged group.
This is because, despite huge gains made by our sisters in the past, womyn and men do not have equality. There are many barriers to womyn accessing higher education, and many issues that they face once they are here. Your elected Womyn’s Officer for 2008 is me, Katie Bawden, and it is my job to provide a voice for the female students of Murdoch, and also to encourage you to get active in fighting for your rights.
My office is in the Guild Amenities building, around the corner from the Womyn’s Room, so feel free to drop in if you are facing an issue relating to your rights on campus as a womyn, if you would like to get involved in activism, or if you just want to chat - my door is always open.
The Womyn's Room
The Womyn’s Room, located at the Guild Amenities building, is a space for womyn on campus to take time out and relax and recharge in a comfortable environment free from sexism. It also acts as a resource centre for meetings and education on womyn’s issues and feminist activism, and is also a place to get to know other womyn on campus and to get involved with and help organize feminist campaigns.
The Womyn’s Room is also a place for mothers and their children to spend time together in peace. Feel free to drop in whenever – it’s your space.
Contact Methods for Katie:
Email: women@guild.murdoch.edu.au