Post by Issy Ennever, one of our excellent bloggers.
“Rarely are opportunities presented to you in the perfect way. In a nice little box with a yellow bow on top. ‘Here, open it, it’s perfect. You’ll love it.’ Opportunities – the good ones – are messy, confusing and hard to recognise.”
This quote came from Susan Wojcicki, who quit her job at 4 months pregnant to join a start-up company run by students from her garage. This suburban venture would come to be recognised by almost every person on the planet as Google, and Susan is now the CEO of the social media platform, YouTube. I think that, although Susan has different experiences and challenges to rural women in Australia, these sentences collectively define the chaotic, but beautiful, process of female empowerment. Society has not always presented women with the perfect climate to use their voice, but as we country women know, we can’t control whether it rains or not- we can only make sure that we use whatever water is available in a way that counts.
I was recently asked to be a guest speaker at the local anniversary for my town’s Country Women’s Association. I was beyond honoured by the recognition of my community’s leaders, particularly as this anniversary symbolises many things for many people. For me, it is a reminder of the powerful role women play in regional Australia. Initially, I was told that the CWA would be happy for me to read my original entry for Country to Canberra, but, while contemplating this, realised that even in the last 6 months since I wrote that piece, I have grown. My identity as a rural woman has changed, and I no longer feel like it is a hardship I need to run against. Instead, it is a personal experience I have embodied, as my time as a member of a rural community has enabled me to grow into a leader that I see myself carrying along for the rest of my life. I wrote this blog first, before realising that the celebration of rural women and their unique strength is exactly what I wanted to talk about at the CWA…
Rural women are the backbone of the Australian community.
They are there when unrelenting bushfires devastate livelihoods, homes and families with empathy and strength to inspire hope against the fear.
They are there when the ground is heat-ravaged and the absence of rain is more deafening than any amount of thunder, always problem solving, always finding a way to the other side.
They are there when their communities feel at their most isolated, most alone, to bring joy and life into any situation.
Rural women are the epitome of compassion, grit and tenacity, embodying the adaptability and beauty of the tough, diverse Australian landscape.
The women and girls of remote Australia may not be able to turn invisible, run at the speed of light or shoot lasers from their eyes (as far as I know anyway), but they are the real superheroes within our society.
There is no shortage of challenges in rural Australia, the dramatic climate, low accessibility to resources and the need for self-efficiency all vultures continuously circling in the skies. However, against the hardships and setbacks, incredible communities have been able to not just survive, but thrive. The rest of the Australian, as well as the global, population bear witness to the incredible resilience of rural, remote and regional Australia every time they receive fresh produce, experience the impressive tourism sites and are able to utilise energy resources like coal.
And right at the heart of this miracle is an incredible number of women that inspire, support and encourage the best from their friends and families. For many, they do this without recognition or thanks, working only because of their passion for and commitment to their community. Within my own town, I observe everyday women working as educators and volunteers, fulfilling their days by working on the farm and providing the essential services that form crucial lifelines in times of uncertainty. It is the late nights, early mornings, missed meals, worn shoes and the constant presence of dirt under their fingernails that make rural women our nation’s true leaders.
We have normalised a specific perspective of leadership – tough and vicious, always the loudest in the room, the conductor of the orchestra, the one willing to make the hard decisions. My experience as a young, rural girl has taught me differently…
Successful leaders do not always lead at the front, but include the individuals willing to do the foundational work in the background. Powerful leaders are not worried about the big picture alone, but instead learn to communicate with and accommodate for the everyday person. Great leaders are not scared of difference, but instead see value in the experiences and perspectives of all people, regardless of their background.
My experiences as a rural woman have taught me many things, including the true value of hard work and dedication, the significance of having dreams and the impact of a group of people when they have the courage to work in harmony. I have learnt to be adaptable, to not be afraid of the unknown. I understand the importance of embodying our own power and empowering those around us.
Wendy Kopp once said, “There’s a huge power in inexperience. You just don’t know what’s impossible, and therefore think, ‘Of course this can be done!'” Almost 100 years ago, the original group of CWA members gave rural women a voice, a platform, against the impossible, and have allowed us to keep testing the unknown until anything can become a reality for rural women.
Rural Australia has taught me how to be a true leader.
Rural Women have taught me how to be a real superhero.
Featured image from Australian War Memorial.