The next generation of feminism

Women of all ages will come together to celebrate and work towards a fairer future. “Regeneration: Shaping our Feminist Future” is the theme of the 101st International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8.

Despite the success of last year’s 100th anniversary celebrations which drew over 3000 people, this year the International Women’s Day Collective decided not to march.

Eva Cox, Charity Danquah, Jane Bullen and Kiana Taylor (pictured) are instead looking forward to the breakfast and morning tea hosted by community groups.

However, after organising an online poll, feminist activist Victoria Brookman will lead a march through the city from 11am on Saturday March 10. It will start at Sydney Town Hall and go to First Fleet Park in The Rocks.

One of the organisers of this year’s event, and Convener of the F Collective, Georgia Potter Butler said she hoped the event would encourage diversity among the next generation of feminists. “I think it’s a fab opportunity for the broader feminist community to come together, celebrate and exchange ideas.

There will be a picnic and a public art installation with audience interaction, where members of the public are encouraged to write messages of feminist hope on fabric and use the material to dress unclothed female mannequins.

“International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reach out and talk about the issues facing all women today,” Ms Potter Butler said.

Speaker coordinator for the event and member of The F Collective, Fran Hayes said the speakers at the event would hopefully be schoolgirls or recent school leaver. “They’ll be speaking about what feminism means to them, and what they see as the future of feminism,” Ms Hayes said.

An international group called White Water Women is using multimedia to help create a global community of women for International Women’s Day.

Using a video message on YouTube, women across the world are to film a brief clip of themselves and send it through via Facebook or email. Women need to provide details of their name and country and a one-word wish for women. This will then be made into a montage.

By Kira Spucys-Tahar