Name: Ellen O’Brien
Community/State: Heyfield, Victoria
School: Gippsland Grammar School
Age/Grade: 16 Years, Year 10
“Life is a roadtrip with twists and turns. How can we support one another on the road to gender equality?”
Small acts initiate flow on effects for greater things to occur. The effects of our actions can be incredible.
Whilst the journey to gender equality is a long one, small seemingly insignificant acts have the ability to shorten the way. When sexist comments swirl through the air, calling out the source causes the words to evaporate before any more damage is done. The reduction and eventually the loss of sexist comments is a great starting place to begin tackling the larger problems with today’s society; pay inequality, family violence and gender stereotyping. But the path is not straightforward to create equal opportunities for everyone. That is why we need to support one another.
It does not take much to make someone rethink the words they have spoken and halt the detriment those comments have on society. We need to take the small steps before we jump to the finish line, even if the end goal is long overdue. Small acts of defiance are especially important in rural and remote communities. It can take less to initiate the long overdue changes to gender equality due to our close proximity and ‘everyone knows everyone’ lifestyle. Even the largest avalanche is triggered by the smallest movements and so we should be turning to our smaller communities around our nation to begin the detoxification of sexism from society. We can support each other by standing up for ourselves and others when we know injustice is occurring.
Sexual harassment is a violation of a woman’s human right. Therefore, we must raise our voice against it, defying those who think it is okay or a cultural norm, whenever and wherever we see it. Whether it is occurring in the workplace, at home, on the streets or online.
Additionally, promoting our rights and creating awareness can produce positive effects. It encourages women to come forward and speak their mind. By stepping up to address gender inequality, even in the smallest ways, it helps to create a space where everyone can learn what it is going to take for us to navigate the road whilst getting the entirety of the community involved.
For the sake of our and future generations gender equality needs to become real. Resourcing and learning within our rural communities is the logical way to continue navigating the road to gender equality.