Damsel 2019 by UWA Student Guild

2019

THE FINAL FRONTIER OF THE WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RIGHTS MOVEMENT

The Damsel team, the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department and the UWA Student Guild would like to open the 2019 issue by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which our issue was organised, written and published: the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation. We would like to pay our deepest and most sincere respects to Elders past, present emerging and in to the future. This land was stolen, never ceded. This was, is and always will be Aboriginal land.

Credit: J.D. Penangke

Forword: Looking back on the past year as Women’s Officer, it doesn’t feel like we’ve quite reached the final frontier. Frankly, every step of the way through this journey has felt like a bit of a slog. From rallying against rape apologists on our campus, to continuing the push for improved lighting on campus, the plight of the Women’s Officer feels like an uphill battle, met with resistance at every step of the way, whether that’s from an unresponsive university administration, angry MRAs or those people who ask the age old question “Why isn’t there a men’s Department?” In spite of this, I like to see this edition of Damsel as is a celebration of where we are and where we’d like to be; an opportunity to hope for a final frontier. The Women’s Department has come a long way from being a small club in 1912, to where it is now as the peak representative body of women and non-binary students on campus. But there is a long way to go, and we are often met with silence or derision. It takes a measure of strength and courage to put forth your art and words, and I am proud that Damsel provides a space for students to pursue this. Damsel wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of many members of the UWA student community. Thank you to Xander Sinclair from the UWA Student Guild Marketing Team for the amazing graphic design and eye for detail you will notice across this issue. Importantly, a big thank you to Elizabeth Long and Nelle Hayes for their hard work over the past few months on this issue. Yours in solidarity,

Bre Shanahan 2019 Women’s Officer

DAMSEL CO-EDITOR I’ll be honest - when I signed up to be an Editor for Damsel, I had absolutely no idea how to be an Editor. If we’re getting really honest, I have no idea what I’m even meant to be writing right now. I was sent the application post by a friend and submitted an application because I thought there wasn’t a chance I would actually end up an Editor. Turned out I had some quick learning to do. Myself and my amazing co-editor, Elizabeth, have worked really hard in the past few months to get this issue of Damsel into your hands. Without her, the Guild Creative Officer Xander, and the Women’s Department President Bre, Damsel probably would’ve been a massive mess. Instead, I’m so proud to be able to present this issue of Damsel to you. It’s spacey, and quirky and bold all in one. I don’t know about you, but space is one of the places I love to imagine myself going. If you’re one of those people, I hope you can lose yourself a little in the pages of this issue, and have as much of an experience reading it as I did making it.

DAMSEL EDITOR Space, the final frontier… These are the voices of people involved in the women’s department. Our ongoing mission: to seek out new knowledge and call out sexism and misogyny. To boldly go where no women (and nonbinary, agender and gender-non-conforming people) have gone before! 2019 has been a year celebrating space: 50 years since the moon landing compounded by the overbearing propaganda of Space Force and the introduction of Australia’s own space agency… Oh and that adorable R2D2 looking rock object in the Kuiper belt! But truth be told, I just really love space regardless. I come from a family of science fiction nuts. I’ve watched every episode of Star Trek, my favourite author is Ray Bradbury. When I am sick I snuggle up in bed and watch or read more science fiction, adding to my collection of science fiction knowledge and dreams of the world unknown. So, first, thank you to Nelle Hayes, my co-editor, for indulging me in choosing the theme of Damsel 2019. You shine with the light of a thousand suns. This is Damsel’s first “themed” edition. It’s a risk to theme this magazine when it already

has such heavy thematic undertones. But we are so proud to bring this year’s edition to you. We have put so much work into this. I cannot wait to read this all again, holding the paper in my hands and flicking through the poems and articles with pride. Thank you to Xander Sinclair, the person who lays out all of Damsel, for being patient with me, for taking great time and care with Damsel, and for always being so wonderful and kind. We all owe so much to you for making Damsel quite literally what it is: a magazine. We love you to the moon and back! To the 2019 Guild women’s officer, Bre Shanahan. Bre is one of the hardest working and most dedicated people I have ever known. I will always support you and I cannot wait to see what you have in your future, to infinity and beyond. Lastly, to you dear reader, thank you for supporting Damsel magazine. We hope that you enjoy this edition and all there is in it. By definition, without you we wouldn’t exist.

The Damsel 2019 Team 2019 UWA STUDENT GUILD WOMEN’S OFFICER Brehany Shanahan 2019 DAMSEL CO-EDITORS Elizabeth Long Nelle Hayes GUILD CREATIVE OFFICER Xander Sinclair

NAME

WORDS

Pauline Chiwawa

Yes

ARTWORK

Anaiya Dabasia Yes Yes Melanie De Alwis

Yes

Jade Dolman (J.D. Penangke)

Yes

Shannon Grey

Yes

Taliesha Harris

Yes

Elizabeth Long

Yes

Sneha Mishra

Yes

Rebecca Monks

Yes

Sian O’Sullivan

Yes

Rachel Rainey

Yes

Libby Robbins Bevis

Yes

Bre Shanahan

Yes

Hannah Smith

Yes

Sally Thomas Ella Wylynko

Yes

Yiwei (Loving) Zhao Yes 赵一唯

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Sophie Minissale and Susannah Charkey - 2019 Pelican Magazine Editors Katherine Scott - UniSFA President, 2019 Mia Kelly, 2019 Creative Writing and Poetry (CWAP) UWA President

‘FACE’ by Shannon Grey 8

Contents / = text * = artwork

* ‘Untitled’ J.D. Penangke (Jade Dolman) and Acknowledgement of Country

Introduction by the 2019 Guild Women’s Officer

/* ‘Bloom’ Shannon Grey

/ ‘Baby’ Ella Wylynko

* ‘Space Rings’ Sally Thomas

Editor Introductions 4 / ’Not All MenTM’ Bre Shanahan * ‘Artists Responsibility’ Ella Wylynko

6 / ‘Carbon Footprint of Sexism’ Rachel Rainey

‘Untitled’ Ella Wylynko

/ ‘Wild’ Shannon Grey

Contributors 7 * ‘Face’ Shannon Grey 8

/ ‘Introduction’ Pauline Chiwawa

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/ ‘Written in the Stars: Finding Oneself in the Age of the Internet’ Libby Robbins Bevis

/ ‘When Women Save the Day’ Anaiya Dabasia / International Women’s Day 2019 Speech Bre Shanahan

* ‘Friend’ Shannon Grey

/ ‘Freedom’ Taliesha Harris

/ ‘Tinder Date’ Rebecca Monks

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* ‘Kiss’ Ella Wylynko and Image credits

/ ‘The Sexism Behind Choosing Your Degree’ Sian O’Sullivan / ‘Poems’ Sneha Mishra

* ‘Are You Listening?’ Ella Wylynko

* ‘You Can’t Arrest an Idea’ / ‘Dishwasher’ Ella Wylynko

/ ‘The 30 Most Important Fictional Women In Space’ 24 Elizabeth Long Featuring words by Melanie De Alwis, Hannah Smith, Yiwei “Loving” Zhao

Introductions Pauline Chiwawa

My name is Pauline Vimbainashe Chiwawa, and I’m a child of a repressed nation. Truth is I’d identified with the “black struggle” but knew not of my history. At 10 my accent was too heavy, so I dropped it. At 13 my lips were too thick, so I bit them. At 16 my heritage was too archaic, so I shelved it. At 18 I was feeling so empty and like such a hypocrite. At 19 I cut my hair and spent hours searching sites, adding African wear to my virtual carts. Because this was to be my redemption, my purification, an outward sign of an internal revolution.

My name is Pauline Vimbainashe Chiwawa, and I’m here to share with you the crevices of my story. For the first one let me start with a disclaimer, no I’m not a believer that hair is a litmus test of your cultural pride.

But pay close attention because perception is deception.

It’s a form of expression an assertion of your personal preference.

There was still something imperfect about the female in my reflection.

But my straight ends were an outward symbol of a deep rejection.

She’d forgotten she was descendent from a great kingdom, a bloodline of story tellers, stone masters, dancers.

As if these ringlets were meant to be tempered with. And I hope I’m not making anyone uncomfortable…

She’d forgotten that this all mattered. I’d like to reiterate that this is my Truth. So she sought to explore the corners, the negative spaces, the crevices in her story. MY STORY.

Because when those straight ends fell victim to the scissors’ blade what followed next was a silence.

Because the female in her reflection was an actress. Tranquillity, Vulnerability, Fragility. If you may allow me to introduce myself again: This was greater than embracing the natural movement and any historical reference. It was a discovery of the irrelevance of hair in shaping my essence. I was still an empress, a descendent from a Great Kingdom, a bloodline of story tellers, stone masters, dancers. The things which mattered. This is one story. 11

The first photo is of my Grandmother Devuben Dabasia on her trip back to India after migrating to the UK.

When

Women save the day Anaiya Dabasia

On the 8th of December 1971 the Bhuj army airport in Gujarat was hit by a 14 Napalm bomb strikes from the Pakistani military. The impact of this strike left the runway at this airport unusable and Indian combat aircrafts could not take off. It was at this point in the early hours of the morning that 300 labours who were mostly women from the village of Madhapur, in Bhuj Kutch, were called from their homes and taken to the Bhuj airstrip in army vehicles to rebuild the runway and they did so, successfully in 72 hours. For 3 days most of these women didn’t return home despite having young children and families back in the village. For 24 hours on the first day of work recourses were scarce and time was of the essence. They worked hungry until the second day of construction when fruits and snacks were offered from a local temple. They built a runway from cow dung and other materials which could be sourced quickly. Often with family history we don’t take the time to reflect on the context, time and cultural influences which makes this story so unique. The sheer strength, patriotism and comradery displayed in this story aren’t usually charateristics of South Asian grandmothers. Being Indian and surrounded by Indians has made me realise, these stories often go untold or dismissed in South Asian family conversations. However they are just as important as the achievements of our grandads and fathers. These women had no political or military motives and nor does this story, but it does highlight comradery among females and the hardiness of Gujarati women during a desperate time for the community. This challenges the common perceptions and stereotypes of these women from small villages in India, and the Asian subcontinent as a whole. Stories such as these should be told, heard and shared as it inspires women today to be “as strong as a grandma”.

Brehany Shanahan - 2019 Women’s Officer

As part of the 2019 International Women’s Day celebrations, UWA hosted a panel event discussing the topic “Gender equality in your lifetime”. 2019 Women’s Officer Bre Shanahan was invited to give closing remarks. This is her speech.

Content warning: sexual violence The topic for today’s discussion has been “Gender equality in your lifetime”. Gender equality is something that matters for all of us. From contributing to a more peaceful society to boosting economic growth, gender equality brings benefits across all facets of society, and represents one of the world’s largest untapped resources. As the saying goes, the world will never realise 100% of its goals if 50% of the world cannot realise their full potential. So let’s talk about gender equality in my lifetime. The position of Women’s Officer exists to advocate for issues affecting female and non-binary students on campus. Integral to my role is the ability to speak out about issues affecting these students on campus and pushing for real change, both institutionally in the structures and processes at UWA, as well as in addressing harmful behaviours and attitudes that are prevalent in our community. So where has this taken me? In the past month I’ve been called “pathetic”. I’ve been asked “Why isn’t there a men’s officer?” countless times (and no doubt today I’ll be asked, “why isn’t there an International Men’s Day?” For the record, there is, in November). I’ve been told there is no good reason for the Women’s Department to exist. I’ve been told that being a feminist and fighting for equality is promoting totalitarian hatred, and that I should just shut up and get back in my box.

In the past week, I’ve been called a “not good value human”. I’ve been told I am a “silly little girl who doesn’t now what she’s talking about”. I’ve been told I am a “typical narcissistic millennial”; a stupid child. I’ve been told that I need a good root, or a lobotomy. I’ve been told that my “inability to manage my emotions is shockingly indicative of how far Australian university education has fallen at the hands of ideological indoctrination”. This is what happens when young women try to speak out. As a university student, I am three times as likely to experience sexual assault than any other age group. At UWA, I may join the 7% of students who were sexually assaulted in 2016. I am already part of the 51% sexually harassed. I am also part of the 94% of students who did not report their most recent experience. When I graduate from law in three year’s time, I can expect to earn $5000 per year less than my male counterparts. This is a pattern that will persist throughout my career: eventually I will face a gender pay gap of 35.6%. As I continue through a law career, opportunities to progress will be limited. While women make up twothirds of law graduates, they fill less than one-quarter of senior roles and only one in 10 senior counsel and Queen’s Counsel positions. I will also find there are fewer women running top Australian companies than men named John, or Peter, or David. And after my career, I can expect to retire with 47% less superannuation then men. On average, this is the equivalent of $90 000.

causes more illness, disability and death than any other risk factor for women of working age. It is also the leading cause of homelessness. Perhaps I will become another statistic - one of the women that die each week at the hands of their partner. Gender equality in my lifetime is fighting systemic barriers at every stage to survive. Gender equality is about constantly challenging harmful attitudes and behaviours, some subconscious - to be told that I am too emotional or that I don’t know what I’m talking about. Gender equality is knowing when I graduate I will be paid less than my male counterparts; gender equality is knowing I’m three times more likely to be sexually assaulted than men; gender equality is walking through the parts of campus I know have more lighting, holding my keys between my fingers as some form of protection, locking the doors of my car as soon as I enter - but knowing that, even if I take all these measures I might not be safe because I’m most likely to be assaulted by someone I know. Gender equally in my lifetime won’t be achieved - we are 200 years away. There is no one cause or symptom of these challenges and there isn’t one easy fix across the board. It is only by continuously challenging harmful attitudes and beliefs that we can achieve progress for the benefit of all. So as you leave this place today, on International Women’s Day, I ask each of you to elevate the voice of one woman who may otherwise be silenced, and to challenge the voice of others who try to silence us.

But across this time, it’s not a wage gap or retiring without sufficient superannuation that is most concerning. The biggest threat once I turn 25 is domestic violence. This

@lucycowardwhittaker Instagram 16

Rebecca Monks

Tinder date tells me he likes girls who have opinions

His tongue is becoming an answering machine

Women who are ballsy enough to contradict him

Constantly replaying old conversations to new acquaintances

I contradict him He contradicts me back Tinder date talks, without stopping, for 8 minutes and 30 seconds Tinder date’s ears are filled with wax and lead He is not actually being rude He just can very rarely hear you

Tinder date explains that he finds the psychology of rape fascinating He tells me that it isn’t really about sex, it’s about power Tinder date asks me if I’ve ever thought about that before Tinder date is sitting on the couch next to me He is not aware of how his arm is resting against my left leg

Tinder date tells me it’s not actually that cold today

How heavy it is

Tinder date never really feels the cold

Tinder date is made of bricks and mortar

Tinder date is actually made of machinery

He is unmovable and unaware

He breaks down in front of me

Tinder date will sit on this couch long after I have left him,

His eyes roll back in his head

making sure that all who enter this bar are just a little bit uncomfortable

And he just keeps repeating “See, the problem with most girls” Over and over again

Tinder date is surprised when I tell him I’m calling it a night

Tinder date wants to talk to me about his last girlfriend

Tinder date tells me that he hopes I can overcome my last breakup and learn to let people in again

He describes their breakup as ‘complicated’

He drives me home in the rain

Tinder date tells me that he’s pretty sure that she regrets it,

Tinder date kisses me at the doorway,

Even though she’s never ever said it Tinder date has used her name three times in the last 10 minutes

Clumsily And then shakes his head and says, “See what I mean?” Tinder date turns away to leave, And then collapses into a pile of metal parts I close my front door, and leave him there to rust

Sian O’Sullivan

One of the most difficult decisions young people make is what to do after high school. For those who choose the university pathway, this leads to an even more difficult choice of what to study. Women currently represent more than half of the University students across Australia. Yet it would seem that no matter what women choose to study, we face stereotypes and setbacks. Seemingly harmless jokes about the lack of women in difficult STEM degrees, such as engineering, are indicative of a ‘boys club’ culture in Australian universities. There are just as many if not more jokes about women getting ‘pointless’ arts degrees, which leads me to believe that women still face prejudice at university regardless of their faculty. However, women still remain a minority in most STEM fields. Why is this the case when it is clear women are capable of excelling in science? When looking over some of the most significant scientific breakthroughs of history, women have consistently been a driving force for change. Before Edwin Hubble could pursue his work on the expanding universe, one of the most significant discoveries in astronomy, Henrietta Swan Leavitt discovered the variability of stars and provided astronomers with the foundations to explore the vast universe in the early 20th century. At the time of her research, she could not vote and she was paid 30c an hour. She is only one of many women throughout history that has had to face sexism in order to pursue science. While

18 18

today women’s basic rights are more protected, young women still do not pursue STEM fields at the same rate as men. The decision-making process into what you do at university begins way before you receive your year 12 results. When you choose upper school subjects in year 10, you must consider certain prerequisites for courses, such as those requiring higher levels of mathematics comprehension or chemistry understanding. A survey of the 2016 WACE exams revealed the number of students enrolled in specific ATAR subjects by gender. The majority of exam candidates for Human Biology, Biology, Integrated Science and Mathematics Applications were female. These are some of the subjects with the most students overall. The lowest rates of female candidates were in Mathematics Specialist (29%), Physics (28%) and Computer Science (15%). These classroom ratios directly lead to who takes a seat in the lecture theatres. In non-STEM courses, women make up 65% of all bachelor’s degree graduates. In areas such as Information Technology, Engineering, Physics & Astronomy, Mathematics and Earth Sciences women make up an average of 24% of graduates. It is also important to note that the fields in which female graduates are underrepresented are the fields in which

they experience the greatest pay equality with their male counterparts. The engineering industry ranks among the highest for female median graduate starting salaries relative to median male graduate starting salaries in the last decade. So while engineering and computer science are proven to be lucrative industries for women, the majority of graduates continue to be male. However, women comprise 74% of all health undergraduate students in Australia. Why is health science more popular among female students? Careers like nursing have historically been dominated by women. In the past, most nursing jobs did not require a university qualification, but the demand for nursing graduates has grown significantly. The demand for workers in the field of health continues to grow as our population ages and faces new medical problems. However, health science degrees such as nursing are still seen by many as ‘women’s work’. Compare toys marketed at girls to those marketed at boys; parents are convinced to buy baby dolls for their daughters and construction sets for their sons.

less HECS debt than band 3 courses such as Law, Medicine and Veterinary Science. Nearly all students at university are under financial pressure. Most students work parttime to full time while also studying full time. Students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to choose band 1 courses that take less time to complete and can offer a faster return on the investment in tertiary education. So when considering why there are more men than women in STEM degrees, remember the lack of encouragement for female students to push for STEM subjects in high school. Remember the financial pressure that comes with attending university. Remember ancient stereotypes that categorise women into nurses and teachers. Women have always been integral to our scientific discoveries. With our planet facing more problems than ever requiring expert, innovative solutions from the world’s scientists, we must encourage women to pursue STEM. Encourage your younger sisters to choose higher mathematics classes. Buy your daughters a Lego or chemistry set for Christmas. However you can encourage women to explore science, do. Not just for her sake, but for everyone’s.

Another reason for the greater number of female students in health science degrees compared to other STEM fields is the lower cost of the degree. Many health science degrees are band 1 or 2 courses that will leave the student with

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Dear me Dear me,

You laugh a little less loudly now And smile a little less wide Your eyes a little more sunken now Your walk no longer a carefree stride

When did you stop smiling at strangers When they met your starry-eyed gaze? A sea of hope and wonder How did those dreams get lost in haze?

This world may not be as kind as you had imagined But please, give your heart a chance So when life plays its different melodies Dear me, wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you get up and dance?

Sneha Mishra @dearme_poetry

Love and Blame My heart was once content Blissful in its solitude Your path carelessly crossed mine Somehow love gave you the right to intrude

A peaceful sanctuary, my dear heart Became a roaring sea of flames Your hurtful words set my feelings ablaze What once was love is now just a war of blame

A perfect veil Breathe in, breathe outâ&#x20AC;Ś

She whispers to herself once more As every muscle on her face toils away To produce a crease that resembles a smile A perfect veil to keep her anxiety at bay

She nods and laughs, a little too hard For whatever happens, she must not let them see The fragile heart under the brave faĂ§ade She must be disguised as who they expect her to be

Sneha Mishra @dearme_poetry

if i invest all my emotions in one person am i in love or crazy probably both so remain sane save the heartache buy a dishwasher

- Ella Wylynko

Top 30 Fictional Women in Space Oh Captain, My Captain Leaders and Mother Figures

HELENA RUSSELL

Space: 1999 (1975-1977) 24

GUINAN

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)

CHRISJEN AVASARALA

The Expanse (2015-present)

CAPTAIN KATHRYN JANEWAY

Star Trek: Voyager (19952001) and other Star Trek films

SAMANTHA CARTER (1995-Stargate – SG1

RYAN STONE

Gravity (2013)

Melani de Alwis

Dr Ryan Stone is a medical engineer whose first NASA space mission encounters a disaster that leaves her in desolate space. Right from the start, we learn that Stone is unable to move on from her young daughter’s accidental death and has been in emotional turmoil ever since. It was clear that Stone was figuratively and literally trying to run from her past. Hence why she is thousands of miles away from earth, trying to place a physical wedge on emotions she’s desperate to flee from. There was one scene that highlights Stone as a person. After one disaster after another, Stone ends up in The Soyuz and tried to radio for help. She connects with Anigaaq, an Eskimo on earth but he does not understand her. She gives up asking for help and listens as Anigaaq sings a lullaby to his baby. She’s reminded of her late daughter and sees the silver lining in her death. She hopes she gets to see her daughter in an afterlife, despite not being spiritual at all. In a touching moment, she says she has no one back home to pray for her soul if she takes her life and she would pray

for herself if she only knew how. “Nobody ever taught me how”, she repeats in tears. She sees an opportunity to go peacefully and reduces the oxygen levels and concentrates on the lullaby, holding onto her last piece of humanity. However, her oxygen-deprived subconscious took the shape of her Mission Commander (whom she was close to) and gives her a wakeup call, telling her to live her life despite feeling like there’s nothing to live for. Stone realises it was a hallucination and it was her own consciousness who made the last-ditch attempt to save her life. Stone found a will for life she thought she buried with her daughter. She was reborn.

Fighting Women ELLEN RIPLEY

Alien (1979) and sequels

LEELOO

The Fifth Element (1997)

ELLIE ARROWAY

Contact (1997)

LEELA

Futurama (1999-2013) and sequel films

KARA “STARBUCK” THRACE

Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009) and sequels JYN ERSO

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) s Hannah Smith The women of Battlestar Galactica will always remain some of my earliest memories of incredibly different explorations of women on screen, in places and jobs that I wasn’t quite used to in my early teens. Not only did viewers of the show get a multitude of explosive and complex female characters, but women in powerful positions, women who were placed in situations where once only men could be occupants. Of course, there was a female president, but also a multitude of female military figures who were intelligent and nuanced and had more backstories and motives than your typical “tomboy” stereotype solider. Kara Thrace, played by Katee Sackhoff, shines through in this regard. The beloved Starbuck, whose male version in the original 1970’s show was known for his hot-headed and cocky nature, retains these “masculine” traits but becomes so much more in the 2003 series, a woman who can hold the fate of humanity on her shoulders, sacrifice herself to save you in a fight, and still out-drink you during the evening. Starbuck’s particular importance to sci-fi is exemplified by how she carries so much of the weight of the show, while her character received intense criticism for years about being portrayed as female. The 1970’s (male) actor of Starbuck alongside countless fans ridiculed the choice, relentlessly complaining and trying to pull the character apart. Despite this, Starbuck is ultimately the most important character of the story and Sackhoff’s portrayal of her is near faultless. A complex female soldier who did a better job than her male counterpart? You better believe it.

Deep Space Fine NYAH

Devil Girl from Mars (1954) BARBARELLA

Barbarella (1968)

UHURA

Star Trek (1966-1969) and films.

Elizabeth Long After it’s first three seasons, Star Trek: Voyager’s ratings were failing, the Marquis problem had stalled (the central internal conflict on the ship) and characters like Kes and Harry Kim were stagnating without additional narrative stimulation, and The Hollographic Doctor/Emergency Medical Hologram (sometimes referred to by he acronym EMH or as “The Doctor”)’s quest to realise his humanity had reached a lull in its abilty to create character tension. With a loss of what to do, the show runners and production team went back to the drawing board and developed what is arguably the best character of the show, Seven of Nine. “Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One…. but you may call me Seven of Nine”, is what Seven says is her full name at the very point of her introduction. Seven was born Annika Hansen to two Federation antropologists. They were one of the first humans to study the Borg, arguably the scariest alien species in Star Trek, and they were all assimilated when Anika was three. (To explain, the Borg’s process of procreation is turning humanoid species in to mechanical drones with their conciousness and knowledge all connected as one). Anika, when “liberated from the Borg collective”, has almost no understanding of individuality, humanity or basic social graces. Her character was introduced to fulfil three roles. Firstly, to act as a mirror and constant point of tension to mirror Captain Janeway. Secondly, as the

character that would provide the third-person view on the human condition, like Spock, Data, Odo and the EMH before her. Lastly, eye candy. Seven of Nine may be a complex character but her introduction created a boom in Voyagers ratings, firstly attributed to her skin-tight catsuit and supermodel good looks. Like Terry Farrel (actress who protrated Jadzia Dax) before her, Jeri Ryan was a model before transitioning in to acting. Although concerning from a feminist perspective, the viewership of Voyager increased by more than 60%, and the show ran for four more incredible seasons, with Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway) and Jeri Ryan carrying the show almost entirely on their own backs. Although I should give Robert Picardo (The Hollographic Doctor) a bit more credit here…

SEVEN OF NINE

Star Trek: Voyager (19952001) and other Star Trek series LEIA

Star Wars (1977) and sequels KEI AND YURI

Dirty Pair (1985) and sequels

The Next Generation

KAYLEE FRYE

Firefly (2002) and sequel

REY

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and sequels BOBBIE DRAPER

The Expanse (2015-present)

Yiwei (Loving) Zhao The Wandering Earth tells a story that in order to save all the human beings, some people have proposed a bold plan called “Wandering Earth”, which is to build tens of thousands of engines and steering engines on the earth’s surface to push the it away from the solar system and to take 2,500 years to move to another place. In this film, Zhao Jinmai plays the character called Han Duoduo, the sister of the hero, and because she drives her grandfather’s transporter, she is arrested and also results in a global engine stall. She does something impulsively, but she does not have the ability to take the responsibility. However, as a juvenile, she represents the future and continuity of the earth. At the end of the film, her speech summon the rescue teams to continue saving the planet. We can witness her growth from a rebellious junior high

school student to an optimistic person with courage to save the world. As for the actress herself, Zhao Jinmai was only 14 years old at that time. With more than 100 million people watched the film, she became the youngest heroine in the history of Chinese science fiction movies. However, in order to make the film more competitive in the Spring Festival of 2019, many of her key stories was deleted, thus her role had been criticized a lot by the audience. Also there are some background stories behind this movie, at the beginning of filming, it was viewed with suspicion, so Zhao Jinmai only got about $8,000 for four months’ acting, wearing 25 kilograms of clothing every day. And thanks to this film, she has entered the top five of the box office record of all Chinese female stars. She has a very promising future.

SWATHI

Tik Tik Tik (2018) MICHAEL BURNHAM

Star Trek: Discovery (2017-present)

THE 13TH DOCTOR

Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-present)

HAN DUODUO

The Wandering Earth ( 2019)

bloom shannon grey

your presence reflected the potential of my womanhood like the sun on my skin you nourished my nature and oh, how I bloomed watercolour pooling on the canvas of my being my exterior unravelling like ribbon at your feet a consuming hunger in need of relief

but your delicate love left a wavering uncertainty of loose ends and raw edges that questioned what sort of woman would she be

like those who came before him it is not her veins in which he flows or her stitching that he weaves it is hers, a body to love to be nurtured by she

we are women from women and that woman is me.

‘BLOOM’ by Shannon Grey 33

Baby Ella Wylynko

baby you asked me not to hurt you \ but i managed to do it anyway when you’ve got glass splinters in your skin you seem to cut people easily

baby you asked me not to hurt you \ but I managed to do it anyway when you’re made of flames and rope you can’t help but set off fireworks

baby you asked me not to hurt you \ but I managed to do it anyway when you used scissors to cut loose ends you forgot I’m barely holding on

baby you asked me not to hurt you \ but I managed to do it anyway when you pull the covers over your cold feet you forget I’m always scared lying with you

baby I asked you not to hurt me / but you managed to do it anyway

Not All Men : TM

Or maybe some men, just not me Brehany Shanahan NOTE: The word “woman” in this article can be used interchangeably with non-binary people, trans and gender fluid people in their fight against cis-het males. Make sure you listen to their stories too. Content warning: sexual violence Not seven months after we mourned the death of Eurydice Dixon, we find ourselves, again, faced with another young woman’s senseless death at the hands of a man. The rape and murder of Aiia Maasarwe this week again highlights that women are not safe in our own streets. Once again, women are angry, and once again, we are met with the same ridiculous battle cry of “Not All Men.”

The implication of “Not All Men” is that it’s women who must bear the weight of shifting this dynamic, when we already shoulder so much of the burden. As women, we are acutely aware of protective measures to take: we carry keys between our fingers, we lock our car doors, we are aware of our surroundings and we always carry a mobile phone. From a young age it’s drilled into us. We are told that when in doubt, yes, all men are dangerous.

If you’re not a rapist or a murderer, then good on you! Congratulations, you are a moderately okay human. But that is a low standard, and certainly not a standard that warrants praise or even mention. Being a good man is so much more than refraining from violence or living neutrally; it’s about taking positive steps to improve the world around you. Being a good man requires reflection on your privilege, being a good man requires being brave enough to tell your mates that their attitudes against women are problematic, and being a good man requires listening to women in order to stand by their side and not in front of them.

We are caught in a bind in which we’re taught to assume all men are dangerous, for our safety. However, if we dare speak out, we’re generalizing - we’re in the wrong.

You may consider yourself to be a decent block, a nice guy, a good man… but with each news broadcast of the latest act of rape and murder against a woman – what are you actually doing to prevent these atrocities from happening? Every time you laugh at a rape joke, you are part of the problem. Every time you catcall a woman as you drive past her, you are part of the problem. Every time you use the darkness of a crowded dance floor to grind against a woman you don’t know, or a woman you do know for that matter, you are part of the problem. Every time you engage in casual sexism, every time you reduce women to a rating out of ten, every time you stay silent in the face of these kinds of behaviours, you are part of the problem. You may not rape or murder women but you are complicit in the culture that allows this to continue.

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“Not all men are dangerous, so you don’t need to lock your car doors, but for God’s sake lock your car doors because you don’t know who could be out there.” “Not all men are rapists, so wear whatever you want, but if it’s a plunging top or short skirt you’re asking for it.” “Not all men are murderers, so feel free to walk by yourself at night, but if something happens why were you so careless for your safety?” It really doesn’t matter that most men don’t do bad things to women when it only takes one of them to end my life. The moment you say “Not All Men”, you derail an important conversation. You place more value on maintaining your ego than on women’s safety. You decide that feeling like a good person outweighs listening to the stories of women, and what men can do to prevent the violence we experience on a daily basis. So the next time a woman shares her stories, listen. Raise her voice above those who wish to make it about them. Be critical of your own behaviour, and of your friends. Be a voice for women when the rest of the world wants to drown us out with “Not All Men.”

Camilla at The Okie Home @theokiehome 3737

Women in

Sustainable Spaces The Carbon Footprint of Sexism Rachel Rainey

You may be familiar with the concept of a “second shift”. This is the idea that in a lot of male-female relationships, the woman often comes home from a full day of work and is required to a second load of work in the form of household chores. In other words: undervalued, unpaid work. Men do on average 50% less unpaid household work than women. This situation usually coexists with a woman taking on an “emotional load” in the form of making lists and delegating chores to ensure that any work is done by their partner / housemate / brother / father / son. An emotional load can exacerbate the already stressful household life of a woman. The division of chores can often be quite gender oriented too, with men being tasked predominantly with car and home repairs and sweaty garden work in comparison to the cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping and childcare often lumped onto women. We’ve come a long way since expecting women to be the sole caretakers of the household, partially due to the invention of plasticwrapped ready-made TV dinners. As food production became more convenientt for the consumer (plastic wrapped bread loaves, premade cakes, boxes of cereal), it became easier for women to enter the workforce without being neglecting her family. However, this convenience came with a price on our natural environment so more and more people have been moving towards a waste-freelifestyle.

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Do you follow a zero-waster on Instagram? Chances are, they’re a woman. While vocal support for waste reduction has come from every direction, the people implementing it are women. Even when men and women have the same zero-waste goals, the responsibility of making this happen falls on the woman. The household tasks that require the most adaption to zero waste are those that often fall to women. Women are already under an immense amount of pressure to present the perfect life, managing to balance a family, a career, personal health and travel aspirations. The responsibility of keeping their lifestyle low waste adds another element to it. The bar is always higher for women to avoid public criticism. A lot of men see sustainable products and behaviours as more feminine and are less likely to participate in environmental action. Men don’t tend to carry around bags or purses in which you can keep reusable utensils, reusable straws, a mason jar, a keepcup and a cloth handkerchief. Instead, many of them opt just to carry their keys, phone and wallet. Emotional labour is also exacerbated by a zero-waste lifestyle, with the effort of constantly having to explain why you’re refusing straws or declining gifts.

Sometimes you have plans to take public transport. You have your whole day worked out so that you can catch the bus and train from one commitment to the next, minimising your environmental impact and your spending. Then the housemate that was going to catch the bus with you at night says that something came up. What do you do? You could catch the bus yourself but it stops a couple of streets away from your house. That’s a couple of streets too many in the dark, alone. You could catch an uber but the last time you did that your uber driver asked The world you forcan your be last incredibly name and dangerous you toldplace him for because a woman. you This didn’t affectsknow women’s howlives to refuse. in all sorts He added of horrible you onways facebook as but one soon way as you thatgot weout rarely of the discuss car. You is how consider it forces riding us toyour use our bike, carbut way then more youthan remember we should the girl need that to, was just to riding stay her safe. bike As with home most a few issues, weeks theago. danger She is couldn’t exacerbated outride for the men women following with disabilities her in their who car.would There’s struggle no safetooption respond but to in a dangerous drive, and situation even then, oryou women mustofmake colour sure that that areyou get a moreparking likely tospot be exposed in a well-lit, to jeering busy area and threats. that’s close Theto your environmental function. You impact walkofquickly this issue to your isn’t the car,only on the problem phone created to someone by a dependency you truston telling cars. them Manyexactly womenwhere don’t have you access are, to keys theirin own your vehicle hand and ready asto a result be weaponised cannot attend if need events be,atrunning night orscenarios work during through the night your head without so you’re putting as themselves prepared in as a dangerous you can besituation. for a dangerous There has situation. been a wonderful global movement to make public transport safer for women with female only busses and trains. Men are slowly learning that even if you don’t intend to harm a woman, you can terrify by sitting next to them on an empty bus. Men are learning how to be better feminists. But until public transport is a safe place for women, we will continue to be forced to choose between our own safety and a reduced carbon footprint.

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Have you ever considered the environmental impacts of the beauty standards that we impose on women? We know that beauty standards suck already and that they suck even more for women of colour who struggle to find makeup to suit their skin tones and are told that their natural hair is “unprofessional”. Women are expected to be slim, with a bouncy chest, body hair strictly limited to their eyebrows and eyelashes with white teeth, smooth unmarked skin and the latest wardrobe. Sure, things have improved since the 50’s but we have a long way to go. While we wait for men to take women seriously at work without a full face of makeup and a pair of heels, people and the environment are being exploited globally to feed the demand of fast fashion. The waste and greenhouse gasses produced by the consumerism associated with the beauty and fashion industry is insane. Everything from plastic surgery procedures, make-up, hair removal having a diverse wardrobe and wearing jewellery leaves it’s stamp. It’s so difficult as a woman to figure out if you’re adhering to these social expectations because you’re expected to or because you want to. There are elements to a beauty regime that are fun. It can be good for your physical and mental health to exercise, eat well, go shopping, dress up for an event (or for no reason at all) and to go shopping with friends. It’s not fair to expect people to boycott activities that they genuinely love for them to be taken seriously as a feminist. The perfect world for beauty expectations would be one where both men and women feel free to participate in as much or as little of this culture as possible. You can minimise the environmental impacts of a beauty regime by making DIY beauty products, using a stainlesssteel razor, buying second hand clothes and making healthy meals at home instead of participating in a plasticwrapped pyramid scheme. But it’s 2019 and we know that we should be addressing the root of the problem and not putting a band aid on it. Fighting the bullshit beauty expectations that we have for women is more than just taking a feminist stance, it’s being an environmental activist.

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This doesn’t mean that you should boycott the zero-waste movement because it’s sexist. It means that you should call out men that don’t participate – tell them to read this article. If you’re a man, you can help by participating. Wash that reusable nappy, do a waste-free grocery shop – and cook a meal with it! Tell a woman in your life that they look beautiful without makeup on. Compliment a woman on a trait unrelated to her physical appearance. Offer to escort a friend to the bus stop. One theory as to why women dominate the zero-waste movement is because it’s something that they can control. Men have more influence and ready access to leadership positions in the oil and gas industry that largely determines the extraction and production of plastics. So, women do what they can, in the spaces that they have access to. They are more likely to recycle properly and compost their waste. They are more responsive to eco marketing. We already know that making the world a safer and more equitable place for women has a whole heap of positive social and economic impacts. Let’s start celebrating the positive impact of feminism on the environment.

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Shannon Grey tender moments slip away between breaths the choking shame of guilt and anger swallows you like bath water rising burning your chin waiting for the moment to drain out from under you leaving everything cold and raw

for new hope will bring the chance

like the men we thought we needed until they kneaded us into submissive apologetic and compromised desires with a fragile identity set to be glazed

to sing about silver lines on widened hips that birthed lambs and not those that were held down in silence by hands trying to mould us like clay into something we did not want to be

to see our scars unshackled we must be as wild as she for the pain of what is shared is shadowed by the echoes of the stories left unsaid.

Finding Oneself in the Age of the Internet Libby Robbins Bevis We exist in an age of Buzzfeed quizzes, Hogwarts houses, Myers Briggs types, and D&D alignments, allowing for ourselves to pinpoint our exact personality and mould an identity around it. However, no personality test or alignment has taken off in recent years as much as horoscopes have. Humanities connection to the stars and astrology has been around since ancient times, marking the passage of time, signifying beginning of seasons and festivals, as well as being used in many belief systems and spiritual practices. We have an affinity for the stars which has never gone away, it has simply evolved into personality descriptors, tinder bio, and online meme pages.

However, for those interested I’m a Gemini sun, Pisces moon and Taurus rising. Feel free to judge me, my personality, my dog, this article, and my entire life accordingly.

Horoscopes are fun to talk about with your friends, or tag them in a post making fun of their sign on social media. It’s an interesting icebreaker on a first date, or with a new friend. It’s also a quick fix solution to blame all your problems on Mercury being in retrograde. Asking someone what their star sign is, and many a discussion can be had about the validity of star signs and horoscopes in this new age world of science, psychology and the internet. The obsession with astrology and horoscopes isn’t a new thing, with the New Age movement of the 1970s and 80s seeing a resurgence in astrology. Magazine horoscope predictions became a staple shortly after, something you may have read during your visit to the doctor’s office, telling you that “Capricorns are going to have money troubles this week, so be careful where you put your $2 bills”.

So, for the uninitiated like me, who gets slightly overwhelmed and confused when you see memes on Facebook assigning types of bread to the zodiac signs; what does it all mean? Astrology isn’t a proven science, rather it’s a system that ascribes meaning to the placement of the sun, moon and planets within 12 sections of the sky, or the zodiac signs. A person gets

Contemporary obsession with astrology is expressed through online culture, with entire Instagram account such as @notallgeminis (470k), @astrologyroast (136k), dedicated to zodiac memes. Not to mention the hundreds of Facebook pages and twitter accounts too. Online buzzfeed quizzes such as “What should your astrological sign really be?” and “Want to know which Zodiac sign

I should preface this article by confessing my lack of understand of the horoscopes. Listing the twelve zodiac signs is hard enough, so when people start asking me about my moon sign, rising sign and what house I was born under my eyes start to glaze over and I get a headache.

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their zodiac chart depending on the placement of the moon and the planets at the time, and location of their birth. These signs then express ideas and understandings about a person’s personality, relationship and connection with themselves and others. Each sign has strengths and weaknesses and different compatibility with other signs, and it’s more complex than assigning types of bread to a symbol that is determined by the day you were born.

The Hampton Court astronomical clock, a pre-Copernican and pre-Galilean 16th century timepiece commissioned by Henry VIII, designed by the German philosopher and astronomer Nicholas Crazter and built by royal clockmaker Nicholas Oursian. The 4.6m diameter clock was installed in the inner Hampton Court in 1540. As well as displaying the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the time, the clock also displays the month, day, the position of the sun in the ecliptic, the number of days since the beginning of the year, the phases of the moon, the point of the moon in its cycle and when the tide is highest at the exact point of the London Bridge. In the 16th century astrology was a highly respected scholarly profession performed by influential and learned men. Astrology was a crucial aspect of medicine, psychology, politics, the weather and astrologers were always consulted prior to major political decisions.

is perfect for you?” can waste away hours of your life. And because this article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning it; the Co-Star app is the 9th highest ranked lifestyle app, providing daily horoscope readings using NASA data to track planets movements. I downloaded it for this article, and the moment I did I already had a friend add me and start talking to me about our compatibility. Being given daily insight into my personality changes and personal relationship based on daily movements reads almost like getting my prophecy read. Except it’s presented in a slick, modern design, with scientific data from Nasa. Also, you can add your friends, read their chart and find out how compatible you are from day to day. The internet’s obsession with horoscopes and horoscope memes has become a source of analysis and dissection. Articles such as The New York Times “Virgos are Queen of Teen Internet”, highlights Tumblr’s role in the internet’s current zodiac obsession, and The Guardian’s “Star Gazing: Why millennials are turning to astrology” which explores how astrology has become a part of self-discovery in times of crisis. The spiritual aspects of astrology often get overlooked and forgotten in online spaces, where it’s easier to turn something into a sharable meme than have a frank discussion about it. However, the spiritual connection and beliefs of astrology has grown, with Wiccan and Pagan beliefs and practices growing in the United States in the last decade, although numbers are slightly down in Australia since the turn of the century. Singh-Kurt and Kopf in their 2018 Quartzy article examine how Wiccan and Pagan beliefs and focus on natural law, earthly cycles and nature align with interests that many millennial women have. Women are embracing Wicca culture in a sense of political reclamation and self-empowerment from

gathering together to hex Trump, or turning to spirituality in a time of civil unrest and uncertainty. This increase in Wiccan and Pagan beliefs have also seeped into internet culture, with influences such as @thehoodwitch and hashtags of #WitchesofInstagram, highlighting various Wiccan practices and beliefs. Even Sephora tried to get in on the action by selling “Starter Witch Kits”, which were recalled after backlash from Wiccan communities. Hexing the President and performing new moon gatherings is a far cry from reading your friends birth chart and proceeding to tag them in memes about how messy their sign is. Yet the yearning for a spiritual connection outside of traditional institutions isn’t surprising. We exist in an incredibly complex, and at times terrifying and confusing world. A world in which young people are suffering from anxiety due to climate change, economic disparity and the growing rise of nationalism and fascism. Not to mention the constant bombardment from social media influencers telling young people how to live, what to buy and how to look. It’s no wonder that more and more young people, particularly women and gender and sexually diverse individuals, are turning to the stars for answers. And whilst for the majority it’s a bit of fun to be had with friends, for some, it’s an important part of how they connect with the wider world and themselves. Humans have always tried to find meaning and purpose in the stars, from using them to tell them, discovering heroes and myths in them, and looking up at the stars to read the future. I don’t know much about horoscopes or astrology, but humanities millennium obsession and intrigue in the stars leading to young people sharing memes about star signs online sounds quite poetic to me.

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Freedom Taliesha Harris

I rot inside from some confounding lie I think I know what I must do, but chains block me.

Could I let The only man in this world who is worth anything,

The only man who treats me well The only one who loves me go?

There is another, He looks at me and smiles, But I cannot tell what kind it is,

My heart flies And I catch myself in shame As my partner says he loves me, For when he is making love to me, I am making love to the other, Do I want more?

I feel sly, like a snake in the garden, every time I come home to my darling. How can I love you, and be with you, if I constantly think of how life would be with someone else with someone like himâ&#x20AC;Ś

Even these words feel like a crime, if I think them then I must be a beast, An unfaithful beast 46 46

who does not deserve your love,

Oh if I were simple, and ugly and not vain I would be content with what I have, But I am notâ&#x20AC;Ś

My ego drives me forward to wander, Is there more?

A hurt from your hand I am still blessed A man who gives me freedom But is that freedom yours to give Sill I wonder Is there more?

I am reminded of a train, whose controller has passed away His body rots in the seat And as the days go by The train pushes onâ&#x20AC;Ś

Ever faster and unsteady, Until the day it rolls off the tracks. And I am free Not in thank of you But in courage of me.

Who could face the cold black ether of loneliness? when your light leaves my life When I force it to blow out and leave me in darkness, again, alone, for eternity until my time ends?

A woman couldâ&#x20AC;Ś A woman can. 47 47

SCREW Week 2019 - Trans Picnic

Womens Breakfast 2019

// EXTERNAL IMAGE CREDITS // Cover Page / Alexandrina Seager @elysianhaze // Page 4 / artwork by Schmitz @borisschmitz 2015 // Page 10 / artwork by Boris Schmitz @borisschmitz 2018 // Page 12 / artwork by Olga Tropinina @OlgaTropinina // Page 16 / artwork by Lucy Coward Whittaker @lucycowardwhittaker // Page 36 / artwork by Camilla at The Okie Home @theokiehome // Page 44 / artwork by Becca Stadtlander @beccastadtlander// // BACKGROUNDS AND BORDERS // // Cover Page / ESA and Hubble // Page 3 / ESA and Hubble // Page 4 / ESA and Hubble // Page 6 / ESA and Hubble // Page 8 / ESA and Hubble // Page 10 / ESA and Hubble // Page 12 / ESA and Hubble // Page 14-15 / ESA and Hubble // Page 16-17 / ESA and Hubble // Page 19 / ESA and Hubble // Page 20-21 / ESA and Hubble // Page 32 / ESA and Hubble // Page 36-37 / ESA and Hubble // Page 38 / ESA and Hubble // Page 41 / ESA and Hubble // Page 48 / ESA and Hubble // // FINAL THANKS // /The Damsel team want to thank the most dedicated and crucial person behind the scenes of our magazine, Guild Creative Officer Xander Sinclair. Damsel would never be published without his hard work. This is an understatement. We cannot thank you enough, Xander. We love you. /