On May 17, women leaders will converge on Canberra for the annual She Leads Conference. Women’s Agenda is pleased to once again support this exciting women’s leadership event as Media Partner. We will be sharing articles over the coming weeks from some of the amazing women who will be speaking at the Conference. To find out more, or to register to attend, visit the She Leads website.
In the liberal feminist narrative of today, the focus is often placed on individual action to achieve gender equality. It’s about what you do, to ‘empower yourself’, about how far and in which direction you choose to ‘lean in’, and about ‘backing yourself’ to become a leader.
The emphasis, in this narrative, is on challenges we face as individuals, rather than the known structural barriers that support and embed gender inequality.
Renee Carr, Founding Executive Director of Fair Agenda, thinks that collective action is also a must for those who want to see gender equality.
“It feels like an over-used and tired motivational quote now, but I really think that there’s so much truth in that Margaret Mead quote – that groups of thoughtful, committed people can change the world,’ Carr says. “I think that the more you start paying attention to how decisions get made in our country, the clearer it becomes that often small groups of people are having massive influence on national decisions. Unfortunately right now those groups mostly aren’t focused on tackling things like inequality. But I think the past couple of years have also proven that when groups of committed community members work together strategically, we have the power to change things.’
This outlook is refreshing in a time when activist movements seem to be declining, and the sheer size of the internet makes it daunting to try and make your voice heard.
Fair Agenda has been working to create groundswells of community action on key social issues affecting women since it was founded in 2013 – and the community recently helped stop both the Abbott and Turnbull government from slashing new parents’ paid time at home; by ensuring proposed cuts to parental leave won’t be possible in this parliament.
Fair Agenda’s style of advocacy harks back to the early days of first and second wave feminism, when collective action was what drove change, and demonstrating the importance of women’s contributions to the community was a key tool in calling for action on issues specifically affecting women.
A recent survey of Fair Agenda members found that their three biggest areas of concern for gender equality are embedded in structural gender-based barriers and biases – ‘addressing gendered violence, ending women’s economic inequality, and improving women’s representation.’
‘I think those would be top of my personal list as well, though there are plenty of other important ones,’ Carr says. ‘I also think protecting reproductive rights is also always important for us to keep in mind. The terrifying legislative attacks happening in the US at the moment, and the very concerning agendas of some politicians serving in our own parliaments are a good reminder that we can’t ever assume that fight is over.’
Carr has been a key part of the ongoing movement for gender equality as one of the founders and the leader of Fair Agenda, transforming our community through consistent, meaningful action. And yet, like many women who have been leaders in their sectors for years, she feels uncomfortable with taking on the ‘L word’.
‘I certainly identify as working in leadership positions, but I’m not sure I would identify myself as a leader unprompted,’ Carr admits. ‘And that’s probably because of a whole bunch of baggage we’re socialised to carry with that – both through Australia’s tall poppy syndrome, and through really problematic gender norms. So I guess that’s proof there’s still a whole lot more work to do, for me included.’
Whilst the label might be hard to inhabit, the impact of Carr’s work, and the work of Fair Agenda is clearly visible and an important reminder of the power of women joining together in the fight for gender equality.
To hear more of Renee’s insights, and to learn from a line-up of inspiring women leaders, register to attend the She Leads Conference on 17 May at QT Canberra here.