The fight for culture and gender equality in Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382693)
Rockingham, Australia
March 9, 2022 5:29pm CST
The fight for equality between cultures and genders has been hotting up in Australia, although females here are in a much better position than some of their counterparts in other countries. More and more Australian women are opening up about harassment, intimidation and being passed over for promotion within corporations and even within Parliament itself. Indigenous people are exposing huge discrepancies in the way they are treated. Other cultures also face prejudice in many areas.
Snow Medical Research Foundation is one of Australia’s largest philanthropic donors giving $90 million dollars away in grants and fellowship programmes.
They have just suspended funding to Melbourne University after six Caucasian males were awarded honorary doctorates this year. No doctorates were awarded last year and only white males received doctorates in 2020.
The chairman of Snow Medical said the awards should not only reward past achievements but also be an inspiration to people. Since the announcement, Melbourne University has announced that three women and an indigenous man will be awarded honorary doctorates in the future but hasn’t named the recipients of acknowledged their achievements.
The photo was taken by Vince of school children in Nepal
12 people like this
11 responses
You're quite right. We are so much better off than some countries but we all need to be fighting for equality. It will filter down to other cultures eventually. At least, we can hope it does.
@kaylachan (84928)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
9 Mar 22
It's a step in the right direction at least.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (84928)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Mar 22
@JudyEv We all start somewhere.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86939)
• United States
10 Mar 22
“Oh, sorry we introduced white man’s diseases to your land and took everything away from you. Here, have a piece of paper.”
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40852)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Mar 22
@JudyEv - I think that equality has been a challenge all over the world. Despite America talking about equality for decades, many other less "progressive" countries have had women presidents and prime ministers. Not the United States. We still have a long way to go.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40852)
• Laguna Woods, California
11 Mar 22
@JudyEv - Yes, I agree. We had a woman mayor of Dallas, TX for a few years while we lived there. We were at dinner with another couple, and the other woman said that our mayor was terrible. I asked her why. She responded, "Well, every time she is on TV, her hair is a mess." I didn't say anything, but I thought that was a stupid reason to dislike the mayor of a major city. As you say, they never comment about that with men. Look at Boris Johnson in Great Britain! 
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40852)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Mar 22
@JudyEv - Sadly, I think it really is mostly lip service. Even when I disagree with a woman politically or in other ways, I always try to give credit to a woman who has made it to the top of any field or industry. They had to work twice as hard as the men, in many cases, to reach that success.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382693)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 22
@DeborahDiane Much of the press about our poor female prime minister was devoted to her supposed lack of dress sense. No-one ever talks about the men's clothes or choice of tie. Sometimes the press really are despicable.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (41108)
• Philippines
10 Mar 22
Am glad that your country is slowly transforming into that and is treating everyone equally. I know that it is not yet perfect as of this time as discrimination is very much present in many places. But it is a start that everyone starts practicing gender and cultural equality so everyone will be given the same opportunity to grow and develop themselves.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
10 Mar 22
Hmm hope they sort this out then.
Seems a long battle.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
10 Mar 22
@JudyEv Yes to change people's thinking, well that is monumental. It is ingrained.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382693)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 22
@RebeccasFarm All it means is that people stop talking 'badly' about women or whatever but the basic behaviour doesn't change much.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222987)
• United States
10 Mar 22
I'm so glad that indigenous people will benefit from this program.
1 person likes this
