I was once told that I was ‘too feminist’. My response? ‘Yes, I am. And so are my sons’.
It is important to remember that feminism is a positive word. Simply put, it supports the equal rights and opportunities of everyone so that women, men, and other genders are treated equally and fairly.
This week the UN’s international 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence started on 25 November and runs to 10 December – it is a call to everyone to look at ways to end violence against women and girls. Reducing violence against women and girls is one way we continue to create equality and reduce violence across the board.
There has been an increase of violence against women and girls. We each need to understand why this is happening, and how we can help make a difference. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming and demoralising, but we can all take small actions to create change by engaging positively with family, friends, and work colleagues – and even with random interactions in person and online.
I’m certainly not saying you should let people walk all over you. Rather, let’s look at how we live each day, the choices we make, and the influence we have to make the world around us kinder and more accepting of everyone.
In doing this we need men and boys to take on the challenge as well. That’s why I am proud to have feminist sons, and other feminist men in my life. They are people who I know will challenge me, support me, and call out situations where they can see men or women behaving in ways that undermine equality.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the UN’s Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to achieve equal rights for ALL women and girls. I’m proud to say my mum travelled to Beijing‘s Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, one of the most progressive international agreements on women’s rights to date.
Yet still, violence against women and girls affects one in three women. Over the coming 16 days there are marches against domestic violence in Ballina and Murwillumbah, workshops for women and health workers, upcoming workshops for men and boys (see page 9) and the opportunity for each of us to reflect on how we want to change ourselves in order to change the world.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
