Women Beyond Forty - Third Edition - Theme: Mother Earth by wb40

Issue 3

Cover Art - Sacred Womans Business - Cheree Stokes - Page 54

WB40 Magazine acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation upon whose lands we live, work and play. We pay our respects to Aboriginal elders past, present and emerging.

Magazine Issue No. 3 Mother Earth

Contents

Welcome

Your place of work - does it work for you?

Fashion - What on earth are you wearing?

Food - Thyme Roasted Pears

Heartland - Is home really where the heart is?

She Endeavours

Everyday tips to help the planet

21 45 67

Features

Mother Earth is feeling the change

Who is there to help families in crisis?

COVID and the Arts

Unpacking Menopause and weight gain

Cheree Stokes - Coming back to country

Empire state of mind

Girls can do anything

WELCOME Hi everyone! As April heralds Earth Day and May is symbolic of Mother’s Day (in Australia), it seems natural that we gravitated to our theme of Mother Earth. The word mother invokes a nurturing and sustaining sensibility, and this planet continues to nurture billions of inhabitants even when we forget to protect her. It’s no wonder that many cultures think of the planet as a feminine energy. The Earth, like a woman, is complex. She is known by many names - Terra, Gaia and the original custodians of Australia, also the oldest known culture of story tellers, refer to her as Yarta. There is so much reported about our changing weather patterns, and the huge impact the footprint of the human race will leave behind. In this issue we wanted to explore various themes about Mother Earth, from climate change and the impact Covid has had on artists and creatives, to exploring what home and country mean to women who have moved from their homelands. Sacred Women’s Business is the name of the glorious artwork wrapped around our latest cover and was painted by contemporary artist Cheree Stokes. We share Cheree’s story in this issue, and how in embracing traditional art, she came back to country and healed her soul. We continue to explore Inclusive Fashion, and we also look at the impact of menopause on weight. Also, we get a sneak peek into being an extra on a film set. We were blown away by the letters received about Issue 2, so thank you so much for reading and sharing the magazine and for your feedback. As Mother’s Day approaches, why not treat yourself, your mum or a friend to a subscription of Wb40 magazine, or checking out gift ideas from the small businesses in our She Endeavours section. Women supporting women is a beautiful thing! Once again, thank you for your support. Happy reading!

x y d n Sa

acknowledgments

The Team Founder | Creative Director | Editor Sandy Lowres Design & Layout Michael Smedley | Sandy Lowres Food Editor Sandra Reynolds Fashion Editor Nikki Hind Career Columnist Amalia Chillianis Advertising Michael Smedley | Sandy Lowres Social Media Debbie Larsen Junior editor | Assistant Paris Lowres

Pay it forward Are you a charity or a not-for-profit supporting women and girls, and need more exposure, donations or volunteers? Wb40 Magazine is committed to giving away free ad space to such organisations.

This is

completely free. We believe that your invaluable work for women should be supported. This is our way of paying it forward. For this edition we proudly support: PartnerSpeak https://www.partnerspeak.org.au/ Motherless Daughters Australia https://www.motherlessdaughters.com.au/

info@wb40.com.au

Thankyou

Recycled Paper

Tamsin McLeish - Karmaura Creations

Digital Printing:

Am.pm communications

https://www.instagram.com/karmauracreations Sue Brabender - Me Time. Just for Me. https://metimejustforme.com/

COPYRIGHT © 2020 All rights reserved. This publication or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise — without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by Australian copyright law. WB40 is an independent magazine published bi monthly by: WB40 PO Box 8 Altona Vic 3018 ABN: 658 766 98304

ISSN: 2652-9556 (Print) ISSN: 2652-9564 (Online)

We thank the writers who have shared their talent for both the Wb40 Magazine & for our website - wb40.com

Catherine Moran

Sandy Lowres

Catherine McKenna

Sandra Reynolds

Amalia Chilianis

Sandy Davies

Carly Findlay

Nikki Hind

Kathy Blanter

Want to write or contribute for wb40? Head to the website for more details - https://wb40.com

f @womenbeyondforty l @womenbeyondforty 9

Dear Women Beyond Forty

Karmaura Creations! 10

Dear Women Beyond Forty Drop us a letter about Women Beyond Forty for your chance to win a beautiful candle from Karmaura Creations! Instagram: @karmauracreations_

Editors Choice Letter Congratulations Mary Ann! You’ve won a copy of Growing Up Disabled in Australia published by Black Inc Books. Thanks for sharing your views!

ear WB40,

I have just finished reading your second issue. Wow! Thank you for covering the issue of heart health. I had a scare myself in November 2019 and am now one of the women over 50 taking medication to control heart disease. One piece of advice I have for your readers is, when having a heart check-up, request to know what your calcium score is, if possible. It is a bit like a mammogram for your heart, where you can directly find out what the damage is to your heart and can monitor it. The article on Self- Love and the tips were also very informative. Thanks for another great issue for us women beyond 40. Mary Ann, Singapore

ear Wb40, A gorgeous read! Packed full of love, diversity and inclusion. It is hard to pick a favourite article, because they all share something unique in their story. A beautifully packaged, wonderfully artistic delivery. x Bek, Queensland

ear Wb40, I’m just writing to say that I really enjoyed the second edition. Even more than the first! Great, solid follow up with good content. Keep it up! I’m sharing my copy around my over 40 friends and spreading the word. Tracey, Yarraville

ear Wb40, It is so refreshing to find a magazine that is about real women. I love that it is inclusive and offers great advice. I really enjoyed all of the articles but as someone who used to foster pets, I fell in love with The Owl and the Pussycat Animal Sanctuary. What a heart warming story. Thank you also for supporting small businesses. Kate, Tasmania

ear Wb40, I really enjoyed reading this magazine from cover to cover. I learnt quite a bit and I like the diversity. I was so impressed by Gayle Kennedy starting her writing career at 51! Thank you for sharing her story. It has inspired me to take up art again after many years, and that it’s never too late. I also loved the heart-warming story of Leceta and Alex. What a brave young man. I’m looking forward to the next edition. Sarah, Western Australia

ear Wb40, This is a magazine I didn’t even know I needed until it arrived. I am so impressed by all the different stories. As a woman who is just starting to date in my late forties, thanks for sharing the article by Kerri Sackville. I found that really helpful. I really enjoyed all of it and I’ve now subscribed. Liz, Melbourne

ear Wb40, Wow! So much love in this magazine. Self-love, love of food, animal love and even an article about the heart! The article about Inclusive fashion was really interesting. I had heard the term but I didn’t know what it meant. I have since looked up Nikki Hind and she is really impressive! Thanks to the Wb40 team for this magazine. It’s refreshing! Janine K., Victoria

Thanks so much for everyone who sent us your thoughts! We love and appreciate your feedback! Email us at: info@wb40.com.au | Add ‘Letter to the Editor’ in the Subject line 11

Mother Earth is Feeling the Change BY CATHERINE MORAN The next time you lament the private summers brought about by changing hormones, spare a thought for Mother Earth. Instead of hormones, greenhouse gases (or GHGs)are changing the way the global climate system works and causing higher temperatures and heatwaves across the planet, as well as other changes When we were kids, my brother draped a blanket over some chairs to make a cubby, inadvertently (or so I believed) trapping our body heat - and other gases - inside. In a similar way, the high concentrations of GHGs in our atmosphere today act like my brother’s blanket, holding heat and energy around our planet and changing global patterns of temperature, rainfall and extreme weather.

Mother Earth will endure through climate change,

finding protection f rom extreme weather events

but life on earth will be dramatically changed,

and colonising areas with more comfortable climate

including for humans. No matter where we live or

conditions, many organisms will be around for some

what we do for work, humans depend on a healthy

time yet.

natural environment, obviously to supply food, clean air and freshwater, as well as for processes

But there is no aircon in nature and all living

like pollination and for the mental and emotional

species can only tolerate so much change in the

benefits of being in nature.

climate. Because change is happening so fast, some organisms can’t adapt their behaviour, physiology

But we can’t expect Mother Earth to continue

or where they live quickly enough. Even in cases

to nurture and protect life on our planet while

where suitable climate conditions exist in another

heatwaves send the mercury soaring, uncontrollable

location, organisms might not be able to get to it

bushfires blacken vast areas of land and changing

because of barriers like dams or land clearing.

rain patterns mean that some regions are drying out, while others are flooded time and again. How

We’re shocked by images of mass die-offs during

can the mother of all life shield us as polar ice

heat waves, or the charred bodies of small animals

melts and sea levels rise, flooding coastal areas and

after the passage of bushfires. Old people talk about

contaminating freshwater with salt? Can we really

that strange and beautiful bird they no longer see

bemoan the moody, unpredictable behaviour of

in the yard. Tropical tourists are disappointed by the

nature in these changing conditions?

dull white of bleached coral reefs.

It’s not only humans feeling the heat. First Nations

We will see more of these losses. Numbers of

Peoples notice plants fruiting and flowering out of

many species are plummeting. Some species have

season while animals are spotted eating new things.

already gone extinct and many more are on the

In the oceans, fishers now catch fish their fathers

brink. Humans can have little direct control over

rarely saw. Farmers notice changes in the numbers

climate adaptation in natural systems, but how

of insects that pollinate their crops. Doctors report

we use the planet can make it easier for nature

more tropical diseases. Rangers only find certain

to take its course. Nature needs enough space

mammals sheltering deeper in the forest, and

to adapt and humans can create options for the

coastal dwellers see mangroves growing further

adaptation of natural systems by halting the further

upstream.

destruction or degradation of habitats, by restoring as much habitat as possible, by removing barriers

These changes are examples of nature adapting

to movement and controlling other threats such

as introduced predators and chemical and plastic

increasing

temperatures,

changing

rainfall,

rising sea levels, more fire weather and greater

pollution.

disturbance from more intense storms. They bear the hope that many species will be able to persist

Most importantly, humans have the key role in

in a different climate. By adjusting their behaviour,

mitigating climate change. This means drastically

reducing the amount of GHGs we pump into

it normal to talk about climate change. Climate

the atmosphere. This is the only way to limit the

change affects everyone, everywhere one way or

amount of climate change that we experience.

another. This provides a great opportunity for local

Without serious mitigation action soon, the scale of

communities to have informed conversations about

change will be so great that natural systems will be

how to support Mother Earth to support us.

unrecognisable, and Mother Earth simply will not be able to sustain humans where and how we currently live.

What can I do about climate change?

Practical and realistic solutions exist for producing

✔ Buy local food and other goods

energy without generating enormous amounts of

✔ Limit air travel and buy carbon offsets when

GHGs. We can play a role in making these a reality by encouraging genuine, large-scale investment by government and business in the ongoing

you fly ✔ Walk, cycle or take public transport as much is possible

development of these technologies. As individuals,

✔ Eat a plant-dominated diet

we can also change our own habits to reduce the

✔ Install

GHGs generated by our lifestyle. For some, this includes limiting air travel, for others, it involves

domestic

solar

panels

select

renewable energy options ✔ Put your money into institutions that invest

sourcing food and other goods locally or eating a

renewable

plant-dominated diet.

restoration

energy

and

environmental

✔ Repair and reuse instead of buying new In addition to putting less GHGs into the atmosphere,

✔ Join

a tree

planting

group

and

support

the climate change solution includes absorbing

environmental conservation and restoration

more of the GHGs already there. Planting trees on

organisations

land and restoring coastal and marine environments are two important ways of doing this. These win-win actions also increase the options for nature to adapt

✔ Have respectful conversations about reducing and absorbing GHG’s ✔ Get involved in community discussions about the future of where you live

to climate change.

✔ Support decision makers who recognise the Finally, we can all play a crucial role in making

importance of acting to limit climate change.

About the Writer Catherine Moran has a PhD in conservation ecology and has a passion for facilitating the development and use of knowledge to manage resilient landscapes and communities. With extensive applied research and planning experience in biodiversity conservation, climate change impacts and adaptation and ecological restoration and is skilled in the strategic analysis and interpretation of data and action options. https://au.linkedin.com/in/catherine-moran-35b3bb59

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Your Place of Work Does it work for you BY AMALIA CHILIANIS “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”

—Walt Disney

ou might not appreciate the impact the built environment or a particular place has on you, until you no longer work there. You might not be aware of what type of physical work environment works best for you. Or assume that your place of work is not really significant, and you can perform at your best anywhere. But context and environment matters. All work happens in a physical environment, a place. Understanding both the physical impact of your place of work and your attitude toward it can improve your wellbeing, opportunities for flow, and increase your productivity and satisfaction. As humans, we have fundamental needs for comfort; first, for physical comfort and then functional and psychological com-

Photo by: @domenicoloia Unsplash | Domenico Loia

fort. From years of experience delivering training programs, it doesn’t matter how great the training was if the room was too hot, too cold or the catering inedible, complaints were plentiful and the experience suboptimal. Additionally, as humans we attach meaning to a place, based on our own interpretation, and therefore a person’s attitude toward the physical environment in which they work has an impact on their thoughts, emotions and intentions. A colleague of mine, spent over 4 years working at the Sydney Opera House. When she joined, her manager told her that in most organisations the people were the most valuable asset; but at the Sydney Opera House, it was the building. Everyone who works there is impacted by the history of the place, its “iconic” nature, world heritage status and the company mission, which is to “Be as bold and innovative as the building itself.” In this case, it is the physical environment that sets the standards and expectations for how people work. Every employee holds a very empowering role of being “temporary custodians” of the building and all that it stands for. When her role was made redundant, she describes being devastated as her identity was very tightly entwined with her role at the Opera House. It was very difficult to lose her connection to the place and the people who worked there. You can see from her example that her sense of identity was connected

to both her job and the place that she worked. While her experience at such an iconic workplace may be rare, it does demonstrate the impact a workplace can have from the physical environment and your attitude toward it, both of which have been studied in environmental psychology. In a study on a sense of place as an attitude, psychologists defined “sense of place” as a multidimensional construct of place identity, place attachment and place dependence. Place identity involving a person’s ideas, beliefs and values about their own identity in relation to a place. This is cognitive, that is, your thoughts about your identity. Place attachment can be described as a positive bond that develops between groups or individuals and their environment; therefore, it is emotional. Place dependence is how well it serves a goal, impacting your intentions to stay at that place or go. In the earlier example, her identity was certainly attached to the place; she was attached to the place and the relationships formed there and she had intentions to stay there until she retired in possibly another 3 to 5 years. On an anecdotal level, you might have witnessed or experienced something similar, that your identity has been entwined with a place of work. When people leave a place of work after a significant investment

of time, this can have an impact on their identity and confidence. While this is due to more than just the built environment, it is intertwined with relationships, a sense of belonging, pride and many other factors. Your physical place of work Jacqueline Vischer is a professor and leading expert on the physical environment and explains that first people need physical comfort, then functional comfort and psychological comfort. In the Western world, it’s estimated we spend up to 90% of our time indoors, and the experience of the global pandemic confirmed, if not likely increased that figure at least during lockdown periods. Most places of work meet the fundamental needs for physical safety; however, if this is a concern for you where you currently work please seek assistance. For those in office-bound work, whether that be at home or elsewhere, ensure the functional set-up is best for your wellbeing. Many workplaces provide ergonomic assessments or have information available. If not, you can do an internet search for advice on setting up your workstation. For functional comfort, a workspace is designed to support people’s tasks. According to Vischer, extensive research has shown that a range of elements can directly affect task performance, including heating and cooling, ventilation, air quality, lighting, windows, noise, workstation size and layout, access to collaborative shared spaces, cleaning and maintenance and safety and security. Her insight to provide optimal physical comfort is ideally to have a workspace that is adaptable, where lighting is adjustable and where environments support constructive and flowing collaboration as well as focused concentration and privacy. Additional research has proven that natural light in the workspace makes people happier and motivated, and that natural elements; such as views of nature and indoor plants, have a positive influence on mental fatigue and a restorative value. Working from home Given the significant shifts to the number of people working from home, I recommend taking some of the

above insights and applying them to the place in your home where you work (if applicable). Consider the following: ▶ Is it a separate or zoned area within your home? ▶ Is it comfortable as far as heating and cooling? ▶ Is your workspace functional? ▶ Do you have good natural light and lighting? ▶ Can you see any nature or do you have any indoor plants? If, like many, you are working on your kitchen table or in your lounge room, try to have some way of separating your work life from your home life. Can you pack it away at the end of the day? Is there some way you can signify when you are working and when it is your personal time? A colleague of mine who found herself working in a space where she also has her own “play and personal time” used fun party lighting that surrounds her workspace that sits in her lounge area. When she is doing things for herself for fun, she turns the lights on. Others have invested in a stand-up desk that is easy to move around. I purchased one during COVID that fits together like Lego, without any bolts and is light enough to move from room to room. When I get sick of working in my office, I move into the lounge room, where the natural light and views of nature are better. Other former colleagues had challenges with home-schooling young children while working full time. They created a makeshift workstation in their bedroom, and also found that they had to split their day: work very early in the morning, take time during the day to home-school and then work again later into the evening. Being able to close the door and hope that her sons stayed asleep so she could continue working, while not ideal, certainly helped get through that time. Think through what is practical and works best for you. Physical, functional and psychological comfort is necessary for your ability to perform at your best. Use the tips above to help you set up your workspace for greater productivity and wellbeing, ensure you have good lighting, natural light, and a view of nature either, inside or out. The good news is, much of this is simple and easy to implement, so that your place of work has a positive impact on your attitude, commitment and satisfaction.

About the Writer Amalia Chilianis is a coach with over 25 years of corporate experience, shortly due to publish her first book outlining a holistic and science-based approach to changing careers and jobs. She is a courageous leader and an encourager of others who is determined that the next 20 years of work and life will be different to the last. www.amaliachilianis.com

Fashion

What on Earth are you Wearing? BY NIKKI HIND

Image of Rylie Baye by Levi VanderAa | Rylie is wearing Upcycled Vintage Linen Goddess Dress by Cee VanderAa - AUD $160.00 24

he UN recently declared that the fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world; hot on the heels of the oil industry. It currently consumes more energy than both the aviation and shipping industries combined. By 2030 fashion industry emissions are forecast to grow by 63%. With its beautiful and disarming face, the fashion industry seems to be quietly getting away with environmental-murder, via its expediential growth and deceptively complex environmental impacts. According to a 2020 report by the World Economic Forum, clothing production has roughly doubled since 2000. In the decade from 2000 to 2010 the average number of collections released by European fashion labels more than doubled – from 2 per year to 5 per year. H&M currently release between 12 and 16 collections per year; whilst Zara blitzes the competition by releasing a ridiculous 24 collections per year. Consumers have obediently kept pace with the increasing speed of the industry, purchasing 60% more garments in 2014 than in 2000, whilst keeping the garments for half as long, and wearing them an average of 36% less, before disposing of them. Worldwide, 85% of all textiles end up in landfill each year. We tend to think of Fast Fashion as the ‘$5 t-shirt’, but it’s far more pervasive and complex, spanning the entire spectrum of price-points. Whilst researching this issue, I found the majority of responsibility was being squarely placed at the fashionable feet of consumers. Apparently, if we all bought less, bought better quality, wore our clothes more often, washed them less often, kept them longer, disposed of them more responsibly and understood dying and production processes better, everything would be fine ! The more I read this, the more frustrated I got with such an over simplified industry wide copout. Surely it’s not entirely fair for a $1.78 trillion fashion retail industry, to spend obscene amounts of money on sophisticated marketing strategies, aimed at getting consumers to want more, buy more, spend more, to then turn the blame back onto their apparent ‘weakwilled’ over consumers ! So who should be held accountable: government, retailers, manufacturers, brands, industry bodies, industry shows, consumers, media … ? Certainly, as an Australian fashion designer myself, by far the most difficult thing I’ve encountered, is the lack of innovation and support for emerging designers who refuse to ‘buy into’ this culture of fast fashion excess. I know we have the technology to provide consumers with wonderful retail experiences, that have the combined benefits of bespoke and off-the-rack purchasing. We have the technology to allow consumers to upload a virtual version of themselves, that can try on clothing remotely, capture the correct measurements that best

fit the consumer, and then electronically alter a particular design’s pattern to match. Yet the way we create, sell and buy clothing has not changed since the industrial revolution. Clothing is still created in a standardised size 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 …, in huge quantities for economy of scale, pushed out to consumers, who rarely fit such standardised sizing, backed by expensive marketing, because otherwise we would never buy all this clothing we’re told we need; and of course while we’re deciding which shirt to buy, the industry is already working on how to ensure we buy the next lot of mass produced, ill fitting clothes they need to shift, in order to keep the industry growing. There’s currently no money to be made in consuming less. Economies are geared for growth via consumption. Such an unimaginative and archaic vision of growth. Consumption by its very nature, needs to be empty; that’s a cruel cycle to sell ourselves and our children into. We need to shift to an industry whose profits and growth can align with the health of our planet, and its occupants. From a personal perspective, I would love to see our government financially support emerging fashion labels to work in conjunction with Tafe, to develop and grow new sustainability technologies in the fashion industry. Australia certainly can’t compete on cheap manufacturing options; however, we can be world leaders in sustainable technology and policy within the fashion industry – and that’s what the future of the industry needs globally. It seems to me that investing in combining Australia’s all but dead manufacturing industry, with our world leading tertiary education, is an absolute win/win situation ! The cost of keeping up with the speed of new technologies within manufacturing, at the scale required for mass global markets, is understandably beyond Australian industry capacity. However, government investment in high turnover, cutting edge, small scale, sustainable manufacturing innovation, through our tertiary institutions, seems like a marvellous idea to me. While I’m waiting for Christian Porter to give me a call, I’ld like to leave you with the impressive wisdom of a young lady called Aditi Mayer, from her article ‘Sustainable Fashion Has a Diversity Problem’, for Teenvogue.

“If sustainable fashion exists to challenge the way the fashion industry has operated, then it must go beyond just the considerations of human labour and the environment and interrogate who has been able to exercise true agency. It’s a conversation tied to class, gender, and race.” To help shed some solution-seeking-light on the situation, I asked five women, who have placed themselves at the cutting edge of the problem, to share their collectively comprehensive expertise.

Lauren Neilson Sustainability Strategy, UK laurenneilson.com | +61 455 215 375 1.

What’s the key ? Where should we be focusing in order to successfully balance the health of the Earth, with the needs of the fashion industry?

The classic line in the sustainable fashion sector comes from the original punk Vivienne Westwood – Buy less, Choose Well, Make it Last. The volume of clothes produced is the key problem facing the fashion industry and buying less as a consumer is a great place to start. Volume is often discussed in relation to the environmental impacts of production and the waste produced, but it would not be possible to produce the volume of clothing without the widespread exploitation of workers making the garments. 2. Can Renting Fashion be a viable business model for the renting outlets, the retail industry, & designers? Renting is a relatively new business model for womenswear, but it a starting to become a more prominent feature of the fashion ecosystem. Glam Corner in Australia, Rent the Runway in the US and On Loan in the UK have shown that rental is very much on the agenda. Rental is a different way of experiencing clothing, and takes a shift in perspective for the consumer – away from the feeling of ‘ownership; to one of ‘experience’. Brands themselves are beginning to experiment with the model, such as Ganni

and Mud Jeans in Europe and more recently, Ralph Lauren in the US offering rental direct to customers. As brands explore this new offering there will certainly be interesting to see how this model develops as brands look to capture the value of the rental market directly away from the multiband offerings. 3. Can an innovative, engaging Fashion-Renting industry be like rehab for a society addicted to Fast Fashion? Rental is not a ‘silver bullet’, the clothing must still be disposed of at the end of its life. There is still the question of whether rental replaces fast fashion purchases or it becomes simply an additional form of consumption. Sizing and inclusivity in the rental market is also still an issue as many designs are limited in their range, particularly luxury labels that rental companies prominently feature. Time will tell how rental fits into our wardrobes and just what impact this has on our fast fashion purchases. I would absolutely encourage consumers to try renting. If combined into a thoughtful wardrobe, renting is an exciting way to experience fashion without purchasing cheap fast fashion which is so often thrown away or sits at the back of our wardrobes never to be worn.

Personal Style Specialists: Donna Cameron and Briar Jasper-Batson Fashionbyfoot.com

The secret to creating a sustainable wardrobe?

Colour.

It’s time to confront our addiction to excessive fashion consumption and restore some love. Style specialist, Donna Cameron, both loves fashion and hates that Australians discard 6000 kg of clothing every TEN MINUTES, so she’s written a book outlining a better way to consume fashion while not forgoing the fun. The book launches as part of NGV Melbourne Design Week (26 Mar - 5 Apr) and encapsulates this year’s theme: Design the World that You Want. From the NGV team; “Normal is over. The tumult of 2020 continues to demonstrate how the issues of ourtime – climate, public health and social justice – are intertwined. Let’s look towardsthe world we might make together.” Many think if you can’t afford to dress head to toe in sustainable fashion then you may as well give up; but not Donna. She outlines a creative and colourful process anyone can use to create a loved AND sustainable wardrobe. No stranger to sustainability (she won a UN Award in 2000 for co-producing the best environmental TV program and has hosted ethical fashion tours since 2017), Donna says, “the most sustainable garment is the one you love and wear a LOT”. The book is as stylish as it is valuable with the addition of beautiful illustrations by Alfia Galimova and photography by William Chute. https://www.donna-cameron.com.au/order-my-book hello@donna-cameron.com.au | +61 418 101 235

COLOUR the secret to creating a

sustainable wardrobe DONNA CAMERON

Donna Cameron Personal Style Specialist

donna-cameron.com.au | +61 418 101 235 | hello@donna-cameron.com.au 1.

Are stylists currently overlooked in their potential to curb the fashion industry’s increasingly devastating environmental damage?

Well, here’s the catch; a ‘stylist’ traditionally works for a brand and dresses people to look good in the brand’s clothing to bring about sales, or they work with celebrities. My work is diferent to that: my clients can be anyone and they are the focus, and take priority over the clothes. I find clothes to suit them, not the other way around. My training was as an ‘image consultant’ but I coined the term ‘personal style specialist’ as people seem to understand that better. Because I guide people to identify their sartorial goals and to buy more strategically based on their goals, waste is minimised. Their goal might be work related, or nailing a post-work style, or it could be exploring what styles they like the look of themselves wearing. Knowing what shapes, textures, colours, proportions etc work for a person is not only empowering; it substantially reduces poorly considered fashion choices becoming landfill (and of course saves lots of money). This is essentially what my book, COLOUR: the secret to creating a Sustainable Wardrobe, is about. People are beginning to realise how our work helps reduce environmental damage, and this is crucial because fashion is one of the most polluting industries globally. 2. Can an innovative, engaging stylist industry be like rehab for a society addicted to fast fashion? I believe so! The anticipation of owning new clothes activates a few brain systems, including the release of dopamine. As people continue to seek ‘reward’, buying new things can become as addictive as any other addictive behaviour. If they buy without knowing if the clothes will serve a purpose / look good / fill a gap simply because

they are cheap, they can quickly accumulate excessive quantities. Interestingly, dopamine is associated with wanting more rather than feeling good so the satisfaction gained from new purchases doesn’t last long. People can be weaned off this addictive behaviour through learning to appreciate new aspects of fashion; perhaps its production story or how it helps them look a certain way or how they feel wearing the piece. It’s all about education and learning to see fashion through a new lens. I love opening people’s eyes to viewing fashion diferently, whether it be how to see colour or identify styles that work for their body shape or understanding the language of clothing and the messages their outfits send to the world. It’s a lot of fun! I believe people working in my industry can do a lot to help people purchase clothing more strategically. And that in turn will help reduce the reliance on quick fast fashion fixes. The goal is to feel good rather than want more because you’re feeling dissatisfied. 3. Do you feel hopeful about the fashion industry, as a whole, working together to combat its devastating environmental impact? I am hopeful about the fashion industry turning things around and part of that is because younger customers demand brands show more consideration for the environment and want their clothes to be made ethically. Thank goodness! The fashion colleges at the forefront of things include ethics and sustainable practice in their curriculum now, but it will take time to filter through to the wider industry. Sadly, there will always be those who buy clothes with no thought as to whether they are sustainably or ethically made. However as resources continue to become scarce and climate change becomes more apparent, I believe this behaviour will fall out of favour. Like all cultural shifts, things take time, but I’ve been impressed by the positive initiatives I’ve seen over the past few years. So yes, I am beginning to feel hopeful.

Julie Appo

Why would you like to see people embrace ‘Slow Fashion’ ?

To understand ‘slow fashion’, we must first look at ‘fast fashion’. It can be defined as cheaper, up-to-the-minute clothing which quickly descends from the fashion runways to the streets at lightening speed. Often driven by imitation of celebrity and hollywood culture, ‘fast fashion’ demands mass-production and rapidly changing buying patterns. No sooner has one fashion trend been introduced when another is quickly ushed in. Over the last 20 years or so, in an effort to clothe the masses, ‘fast fashion’ with unethical production methods and unsafe working conditions held sway in the fashion industry. In 2013 the world was shocked when a clothing manufacturing complex in Bangladesh collapsed, killing over 1,000 workers. Consumers started questioning ‘fast fashion’ and the true cost of $5 t-shirts, and cheap clothing stores. More importantly, informed consumers hated the idea of contributing to a rapidly growing ‘slave trade’ especially where women and children work long hours with little recompense. As a result, significant changes in the fashion industry worldwide saw the introduction of ‘slow fashion’ allowing local and small production fashion and textile designers to be creative and sustainable in a world demanding ethical and zero waste practices, and environmental awareness. On the other hand, the philosohy of ‘slow fashion’ demands the customer think more deeply about what and why they are buying. What effect does the production of my clothes have on the planet and, more importantly, what cost to human life. Clothes must have a purpose

beyond those of ‘fast fashion’. Clothing has no value or pleasure for the wearer if unethical activity contributes to the continued practice of ‘slave labour’ in impoverished countries. I believe the buying public needs to have more access to information to allow informed buying patterns to be made. I wonder if those buying cheap $5 t-shirts would allow their children and wives to be caught up in a slave trade here in Australia. What cost cheap mass-produced clothing. What cost to your dignity and humanity to support ‘slave labour’. 2. Is Aboriginal insight & wisdom currently overlooked in their potential to help curb the fashion industry’s increasingly devastating environmental damage? There is an uneasy relationship between the fashion industry and it’s damaging impact on the environment. In fact, the fashion industry is one of the largest pollutors in the world second only to the oil industry. Factors responsible for fashion’s impact on the environment can be attributed to production methods and the use of synthetic fibres primarily made from fossil fuels. Other damaging factors include chemicals used in textiles and copious amounts of water used in the growing, production and dyeing processes of textiles. In recent years, ‘slow fashion’ has been introduced but I am not aware to what degree this has lessened the impact on the environment, especially in a world demanding ethical and zero waste practices, and environmental awareness. The cheap $5 t-shirt is still so popular and readily available.

The Indigenous Issue: Recent years have seen the emergence of many fashion designers and creative artesans within the Indigenous Fashion Industry. At this time, it is categorised as a fledgling industry. Indigenous groups are custodians of some of the most biologically diverse eco-systems throughout Australia. Their traditional knowledge and practices are seen as resourceful and beneficial. While this has not always been the case and Indigenous peoples were not consulted in the past, there has been a huge push to have Indigenous Rangers working to implement ‘good practice’ to sustain their lands. Past traditional practices of ‘caring for country’ has now been acknowledged and utelized throughout Australia.

I am today. At 71 years, I opened a boutique where I design and sew original garments. Much of the fabric I design myself and get printed elsewhere. I use the imagery of the Burnett River Rock Engravings which are located on Gooreng Gooreng traditional lands. I am a descendent of this group through my mother, Phyllis. The greatest joy I have found is paving a way for generations to follow. I have achieved my goals and am living my dream.

With this mindset, Indigenous people are always mindful of ‘caring for country’ and damaging practices to the environment by the fashion industry will not go unnoticed. It will be challenged. At this juncture, I am not aware of any concerted effort to curtail the devastating environmental damage by the fashion industry - mainstream or Indigenous within Australia or overseas. But it is interesting to note that Indigenous people do not mass produce their products and could be said to already follow the practices of ‘slow fashion’.

‘It is deeply embedded within the psyche of Indigenous people to preserve and protect the environment.’ Julie Appo

3. What are the most wonderful things fashion has brought to your life ? The fashion industry is a very difficult area to break into for anyone but more so for an Indigenous person. I studied fashion design at a time when creative industry for the Aboriginal person was almost non-existent and Aboriginal art did not receive the accolades and wide-spread recognition it enjoys today. In those days after completing studies in fashion design, my time was mainly taken up with earning a living and this was done by dressmaking. I probably saw myself as a ‘glorified dressmaker’ sewing for clients and a fashion retail outlet in regional Queensland. The glamorous fashion design life I had imagined was somehow very elusive and I found myself undertaking administration jobs until I gained my Visual Arts Degree and Honours Degree. My studies in art and fashion were very instrumental in forwarding my career with an emphasis on wearable art. Fashion has brought many wonderful moments to my life and looking back over my career, I see that each step, however small, was important in bringing me to the place

Image: Phunky Designs

Alexis Todorovski

1. What’s the key? Where should we be focusing in order to successfully balance the health of the Earth, with the needs of the fashion industry? Let’s be honest, we will always need fashion and it plays a very important role in many cultures and professions. There is plenty of advice that informs consumers to ‘consume less’ or ‘buy quality items’ that will last a longer time than garments from fast fashion chains. However, the reality is that we need to be offering sustainable fashion at every price point, so we don’t cancel out demographics that don’t have the disposable income to spend more on better made pieces. The key is to challenge manufacturers and retailers to be more accountable for what they are putting in our stores. Fashion should be ethical and sustainable from the point of creation so by the time it gets to its end of life, there are reuse and recycling avenues it can go through that will support a circular economy and avoid landfill. 2. Why do we not think of the Fashion Industry as the major environmental hazard that it is? Because there’s simply not enough education or awareness around it, especially in Australia. Our textile recycling rate is a mere 12%, meaning a majority of the clothes we buy end up directly in landfill. How many readers know this statistic? SCRgroup has built Australia’s first school fundraising and education program that educates our

future generations about the impacts of fast fashion and the importance of clothing reuse and recycling. We believe by influencing every school aged student with sustainable decision-making tools and creating awareness at this level, we have the power to turn this around. We are also creating other innovative programs designed to boost awareness and motivate people to think twice about what they do with their fashion pieces after they’ve finished wearing (and re-wearing!) them. 3. Is sustainability in fashion just lip service currently? There are some retailers playing an active role in ensuring their brands are more sustainable from start to finish, such as Adidas and HnM. More and more retailers and shopping centres are working with us to customise solutions designed to reduce their textile waste and keep materials moving in a post consumer global circular economy. However, there are so many more brands and shopping centres that need to jump on the sustainability band wagon to make an even bigger impact at an even faster rate. With the help of Local, State and Federal Government, all of with whom we are working closely to build policies and legislative reform, our aim is to increase Australia’s textile recycle rate to 85% by the year 2030.

Cee VanderAa

Image: Levi VanderAa 1.

Why would you like to see people embrace ‘Slow Fashion’ ?

Embracing slow fashion vs fast fashion is a crucial environmental decision we all should consider as we move towards sustainable living. As consumers we can make a difference through the choices we make when it comes to buying clothes. When we look at our weakness of over consumption we can turn this into a strength with the decisions we make. Creating a culture and movement through understanding our influence as a consumer. By choosing conscious ethical slow fashion options we can create a positive impact on our planet. Up cycled textiles or re designing second hand clothing - ‘slow fashion’ is a lot of fun 2. What do you get out of creating ‘Slow Fashion’ ? Creating slow fashion gets me excited!. I love wearing linen, it breathes easy and is a great textile for warmer weather. I live on the Sunshine Coast of Australia therefore my go to pieces when designing my slow fashion collections are op shop embroidered vintage linen tablecloths.

Hunting for the right pieces is fun and a real challenge! Design is more than a conscious decision, it is the feeling it creates inside when a piece comes together. As a creator, a woman, a mother, a wife, from nothing, something always comes as I breathe life back into pre-loved fabrics. Design with intention can have a powerful impact. 3. Can ‘Slow fashion’ be a viable business model for yourself and other designers ? Yes of course slow fashion can be a viable business model. Slow fashion is a selling advantage with more and more consumers supporting ethical brands. Keep it slow, keep it local, stay authentic and build awareness through transparent ethical policies. Story telling is a great way to connect your slow fashion products to the consumer when the business model and intentions of your brand have a greater purpose.

About the Writer Nikki Hind, WB40’s Fashion Editor is the founder of fashion label Blind Grit, and is an Inclusion and Diversity Media Adviser, with a passion for inclusion in fashion. Nikki is Australia’s first blind fashion designer, and has a background in PR, communications and event management. www.blindgrit.com 33

Who is there to help the families

of men who use and make child exploitation material? Natalie Walker

Natalie Walker

Natalie Walker is the CEO of PartnerSPEAK, which provides advocacy and peer support for partners and families of perpetrators of child abuse material.

NATALIE WALKER *Trigger Warning* - Child online sexual abuse, trauma It was just after dinner about a year ago and the family was starting their night-time routine. Dinner, bath, bed for the kids. And perhaps a glass of wine for the adults, once the little ones were asleep. Seemingly, there was nothing out of the ordinary about this household - a nuclear family in a suburb of Melbourne. Mum, Dad, and three young kids, including a preschooler. Law enforcement turned up when the family would be home. Bam! Bam! Bam! on the front door. Two plain clothes police standing there. They ask to speak to Andrew, the father. Amanda’s husband.* She looks at them like they’ve landed from outer space. “What’s this about?” Amanda asks the officers, ashen in the face. The police don’t answer her question. “We need

to speak to your husband,” one policeman repeats. This is the first time she’s ever had an inkling her hard-working and beloved husband might be a person who used and distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In that split second, everything Amanda knew about her life and her marriage was pulled out from underneath her. The children were so distressed that after the police raid, they refused to go back into the home office for months. This is where law enforcement seized phones, computers and hard drives. The smallest child, just four, started wetting the bed again despite being toilet trained for a couple of years. For the next 14 months Amanda focused on making sure

HELP SEEKING INFO Visit the PartnerSPEAK website and peer support forum here. partnerspeak.org.au Contact the PartnerSPEAK Peerline: 1300 590 589 (Please check website for hours)

All peer support is offered by fully trained individuals with the lived experience of having an intimate partner or close family member involved in child sexual abuse material. If you are concerned about the welfare of a child you can get advice from the Child Abuse Protection Hotline by calling 1800 688 009, or visiting their website. You can also call the 24-hour Child Abuse Report Line (131 478).

Image Credit: Pexels | Kat Jayne

the children never found out what their father had done and therefore didn’t tell anyone at all, carrying the burden alone...until she found PartnerSPEAK. What’s PartnerSPEAK, you ask? We are a non-profit that supports the non-offending family members of perpetrators of child abuse material. Our vision is a world free of child exploitation. I started PartnerSPEAK because eighteen years ago, I was the innocent partner of a man who viewed child abuse material. I was just as shocked as Amanda. (The only saving grace - if you can even call it that - is that, I didn’t have children with that man. ) From my own experience and from hearing many stories over nearly two decades, I can tell you that instead of finding support in the community, non-offending partners are frequently shamed, stigmatised and shunned. Frequently, these women lose everything - their jobs, their houses and even their kids. Take Amanda. When the case finally made it to court for sentencing, she asked the judge for a suppression order to protect her children but this was denied as Amanda wasn’t seen as a victim. Subsequently the media named the perpetrator, his employer and his suburb. Amanda was part of a tightknit community and everyone knew who she was. Other parents refused to let her kids play with their children. She was no longer welcome at church and she lost her job.

abuse.” Then came the pandemic. And now it’s every four minutes that a child sexual abuse is viewed online. Why? Well, think about where we were and what we were doing. Most of us were working in isolation at home, and therefore using our home computers more. Our bosses aren’t breathing down our necks – so dark impulses, or even just curiosity, played out in terrible ways. How do I know that? As news.com.au reported, statistics from the Australian Federal Police showed that from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received 21,688 fresh reports of child exploitation. This compares to 14,165 reports received from the previous financial year. In this same period, CSAM charges are up 226 per cent, from 372 last financial year to 1214 in this financial year . PartnerSPEAK runs a Peerline, which is staffed by trained workers who have lived experience of being an affected family member of CSAM perpetrator. What our peer workers are hearing is that things have been so much harder for family members in the pandemic. Seventy five percent of those people we support report feeling “more isolated” and that their “existing anxiety or PTSD is harder to manage.”

Amanda told me that the impact of the aftermath and how people responded was even worse than the discovery of the offence.

One woman said to us recently: “If there were no partnerSPEAK , I would have had a breakdown by now, thanks for saving me and holding me strong.”

This state of affairs is depressingly common. Wives and partners are often named in the media, as if guilty of his crimes. People ask about their sex lives – were they normal? – and they wonder how it’s possible she didn’t know what he was up to (the implication is that’s she’s complicit).

Now here’s the thing. I started this charity on my own, from my bedroom. I used to pay for flights to Canberra to lobby politicians for funding out of my own pocket. I used to sleep on my friend’s lounge room floor. These days PartnerSPEAK does get some State Government support - but only to help Victorians. But CSAM doesn’t stop at State borders. We help people all over Australia, although we aren’t funded for it. PartnerSPEAK needs urgent national recurring funding proportionate to the huge social issue that it is NOW.

In response, let me ask YOU a question: Do you know what your partner is doing on his or her phone 24/7? I didn’t. And so many other partners and children of CSAM perpetrators don’t either. This might surprise you, but Australian Institute of Criminology research indicates the likelihood of the perpetrator having an intimate partner is as high as 65 per cent and that up to 47 per cent have children.

*Please note: Amanda’s case study is an amalgamation of two stories of families PartnerSPEAK has supported. This has been done for privacy and security reasons. The facts remain true.

Shocking, right? Another shocking fact is that you probably know a perpetrator like Amanda’s husband. Or like my ex-partner. Research shows that 2-4% of all men have deliberately accessed CSAM. (This statistic was gathered before the pandemic and we now know this would be higher.) Before the virus COVID-19 started its rapid spread around the globe, Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton gave a speech on March 5 stating: “ … every five minutes a web page shows a child being sexually abused. Australia, I’m sorry to say, contributes to the epidemic of child sexual

Photo by Yaroslav Danylchenko from Pexels 38

COVID and the

Arts BY CARLY FINDLAY

rtists are often called on to provide support for fundraisers and to build community spirit. But in 2020, the impacts of COVID-19 put the arts sector in crisis. Venues closed, shows were cancelled and artists and arts workers lost income. Who would be there to support the artists? The Australian Council reported on survey results from April 2020, stating that: “Hundreds of thousands of arts workers have had significant negative impacts to their immediate and future livelihoods. The original ‘gig’ workers, the vast majority of artists work as freelance or self-employed in their art form (81%), relying most commonly on contracts for fixed amounts (43%) followed by royalties and advances (35%).” And “A national cross-industry survey conducted by the ABS between 16 and 23 March showed that more than half of all arts and recreation businesses had ceased trading, the highest proportion of the 17 industries analysed. In addition, 73% of arts and recreation businesses reported that their business had been adversely affected by COVID-19 in the previous two weeks – second only to accommodation and food services businesses (78%). The most common adverse effect was reduced local demand (93% of those affected) followed by staff shortages2 (49%) and reduced international demand3 (32%).” (https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/workspace/uploads/ files/8042020-summary-of-covid-19-ar-5e8d010193a6c. pdf)

To support artists, arts workers and the arts sectors, federal and state governments mobilised to provide financial relief, as did local councils, philanthropists and arts organisations. In early 2021, the Australia Council reported “In 2020–21, the Government has announced around $800 million of additional support to strengthen Australia’s cultural and creative sector. This includes around $700 million of additional support to the sector in response to the pandemic, plus new support measures through the 2020–21 Federal Budget.” https://www.arts.gov.au/covid-19-update But even with financial support, impacts of COVID-19 on the arts sector will be long lasting - especially the emotional roller coaster that was 2020. It feels bitter sweet to remember my last big event on 8 March 2020. It was All About Women at the Sydney Opera House. Women writers came from around the world to discuss topics of technology, fashion, beauty, the climate crisis and more - all through a feminist lens. I had the best time - speaking at the event, watching events, talking to the other participants and eating and drinking with my mum and friends. At the end of that week, on Friday 13th, everything changed. COVID-19 got real. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival was cancelled. The Grand Prix didn’t go ahead. My speaking events had been postponed. And early the following week, we were advised to work

from home if we were non essential workers. As an artist, my life and work changed during 2020. Travel was cut, events were cancelled. The release of my second book, Growing Up Disabled in Australia, was postponed from June 2020 to February 2021. I worked from home both in my part time arts Festival job and in my freelance work for for 50 weeks, bar a few days here and there. Speaking events were done from home, often for a largely reduced fee. I found it very hard to do everything - write content, present, interview or speak to camera, troubleshoot the tech, and get the lighting right. And as an arts worker, I spoke to countless artists who experienced similar. However, I was never short of work, and the online environment meant I was afforded lots of opportunities to work with people around Australia and the world. At times I felt I was working most days of the week, never saying no to opportunities, in case work dried up. I had to create some boundaries between working from home and leisure at home, so I’d get proper downtime. I was also fortunate to get JobKeeper for my part time job, which supplemented my lost freelancer income; and I came to enjoy cooking, new recipes, daily walks and flower spotting, and reading (I read 100 books last year). I even started rollerskating! Art shifted online almost immediately - with galleries, panels and performances being done through an array of streaming and recording platforms. Captioning and Auslan was provided for many events. For many disabled people, especially, this meant the first time in years - if ever - that they’d been able to participate in the arts, both as audience and performers. Physical and financial had been lifted, and they discovered new artists. Art was finally in their homes. In the first Melbourne lockdown, artists from all genres were doing Facebook and Instagram lives, pepping up their audiences at home. In the second Melbourne lockdown, I felt things were much grimmer. It was the depths of winter. Hadn’t we sacrificed enough? Fast forward to the first quarter of 2021. It feels hopeful. Accessibility in the form of online arts still continues, with hybrid events being run (live streaming or recording of physical events). Book launches are happening. Galleries and theatres are reopening. Everything is being done with caution. But with financial supports now being scaled back, and the option to draw on superannuation, the long term impact on women will be huge. I spoke to two Melbourne based artists whose work has been impacted by COVID-19 - Visual artist and jewellery maker Kathleen Bentham; and writer Ailsa Wild.

Kathleen Benham You took a redundancy in 2019 and then went to work as a teacher after many years. Did COVID-19 change your teaching plans? Oh yes it did! I was working for about 6 weeks as a new teacher doing relief teaching in Primary and Secondary school. When Covid hit, that meant no work for me at all as I wasn’t required to work at schools because they were closed. Covid also made me realise that teaching was not my first choice for my career, and that I wanted to start focusing more on my creative business, as that’s my passion. What creative products do you make? I make colourful hand painted wood jewellery - mostly earrings How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect you and your creative work? Most of my creative income came from doing markets, and then all of a sudden they were cancelled. I had to shift my business to 100% online, which wasn’t too much of a problem as I already had a good functioning website. It just needed a little more attention and love. The positive part was that covid made me pivot my business and look at different ways of making income. I released a range of digital prints, leggings and face masks with my artwork on them. Did you receive any government support or grants to help you during COVID-19 lockdowns? No unfortunately not. I wasn’t eligible for JobKeeper. I ended up cashing in some super.

What was the hardest thing about being a creative during the COVID-19 lockdown? Not being able to access stores for supplies during the hard lockdown was painful as postage was taking forever. Missing my other creative buddies that I regularly catch up with was hard too as I love a good brunch/coffee catch up and time to have a creative chat. What was the best thing to happen? The best thing to happen was that I learned to slow down and prioritise how I want to spend my time. I’m really shocking with personal boundaries, so this forced me to make time for stuff that mattered. I used to work 5 days full time, do markets every weekend and work every single night until late on my business. I can’t do that now, and I don’t want to. It was exhausting. I’ve also been able to increase my online business, gain lots of lovely new stockists and focus on where I want to take my business this year. What will you be taking from the COVID-19 lockdowns into the post COVID-19 world? An appreciation of the things we took for granted pre Covid - like travel, social outings, catching up with family. Zoom and facebook are great... but just not the same as in person catch ups. What support/information would you like to see for creatives who are impacted by unexpected crises like COVID-19? Help with creating more income in a crisis would be really helpful. If there was a grant available for creatives who have been impacted by a crisis would also help a lot. Kathleen’s website and social media https://www.kathleenbenham.com.au https://www.facebook.com/kathleenbenhamjewellery https://www.instagram.com/kathleenbenham/

and she was a cancer nurse. What she did was huge, and at least once a week, often more, she called me to tell me all about it. Did you anticipate writing a book during the COVID-19 lockdown? Yes but not this book!! I’m a writer - that’s my main job, but I usually write children’s fiction and a good part of being a children’s author is running workshops and visiting schools. Early in the lockdowns I didn’t know I how I could work at all. I was so frazzled and afraid and we kept our four-year-old at home early on because that was possible for us and it felt responsible. So, I was constantly distracted and interrupted. I didn’t write the other books I was supposed to be working on, but somehow writing The Care Factor was something I could focus on. Probably because it was so close to what I was afraid of. The urgent deadline also helped. How hard was it to finish the book in such a short time frame to ensure timeliness?

Ailsa Wild - writer Why did you write your book, The Care Factor? I was so anxious and afraid in March last year, We were starting to hear about hospitals being overwhelmed in Italy and then the first cases were arriving here in Australia. I couldn’t write the children’s fiction I was supposed to be working on. I couldn’t read books the way I usually do. I was addicted to my newsfeeds. My friend, Simone, who’s a nurse, told me she was putting her hand up to be retrained to work in ICU and I was afraid for her too, imagining the worst outcomes here in Australia. But I also really wanted to know everything that was happening for her. We’re good friends and she likes to talk, so I offered to listen to her, to be her debrief person, and asked if I could record our conversations. That was the start of The Care Factor. What is The Care Factor about? The Care Factor is about my friend Simone who is a nurse, and worked in Melbourne during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a snapshot memoir/biography of her life March – September last year, told from the point of view of our friendship. I narrate the story and parts of my life are there. It’s a personal story about our relationship, but it’s very much focussed on what was happening for her. In those months she worked a huge number of different roles across three different hospitals. She worked in ICU; in family violence education; as a sexual health nurse; monitoring hospital staff who were Covid-positive or close Covid contacts

The deadlines were tight! I wrote eight chapters in seven weeks and then edited the manuscript for submission over the next four weeks. I was running on adrenaline, I think, but there were things that made it possible. A lot of the manuscript came from transcripts of my conversations with Sim, and she is such a great storyteller. So I really writing much of it from scratch – more collating and intensively editing. Sim and I know each other really well, so I came to the transcripts with a really clear sense of who she is as a person and what she meant when she said certain things. We share particular use of language and framework for how we see the world and I think that made it easier. I imagine writing about someone I knew less well might have been really difficult. What do you hope readers take from your book? I hope readers find the story compelling and illuminating and hopeful, that it’s something people want to read and at the same time they learn from, and are possibly challenged by, the content. I hope the book’s underlying message is that there are many types of ‘care’, far beyond the physical care we might imagine from a bedside nurse - and that caring is expert work full of nuance and specific skills. Carers and those who are cared for (at some point this is all of us) are deserving of great respect and value. I hope readers walk away with a bigger picture of this than when they began reading. What was the hardest thing about being a creative during the COVID-19 lockdown? For me, the hardest thing was being both a parent and a creative in lockdown – which meant I had so

envious! What was the best thing to happen? It has to have been writing The Care Factor. It was incredible to see the book come into shape so quickly. I also loved having such a close collaborative relationship with Simone and her girlfriend Emily, as we went through the lockdowns and then the book editing process together (while socially distanced!) What will you be taking from the COVID-19 lockdowns into the post COVID-19 world? The sharp, painful pleasure when I notice what we have been given back. I’m still so grateful for the tiny things we didn’t have while we were in lockdown. Playgrounds. Dinner at my friends’ houses. Watching groups of highschool kids pile off the tram together. Being able to go to the beach. Hugging my parents. Post lockdown, I’m carrying my gratitude for these things with me. What support/information would you like to see for creatives who are impacted by unexpected crises like COVID-19? I’d like to see artists properly paid for their labour – and not just in times of crisis. We live in a society that deeply undervalues the work of artists, so, we are often paid very little. At the same time, some of us are put on a pedestal given lot of cultural currency. In times of crisis, inequality and oppression are so often dialed up, so whatever was hard before, is suddenly ten times harder now. We really saw that in terms of sexism, racism, ableism, ageism and classism in this country during lockdown. I know I’m answering a bigger question than the one you asked, but I’d like to live in a much fairer society, so that when crises hit, we take the weight more evenly. So that creatives who are oppressed in other ways are still able to make the work we all benefit from. little time. The amount of time I wanted to give my child and the amount of time I wanted to give my creative work added up to at least twenty hours a day and I’m not someone who can write on very little sleep. In lots of ways I was really lucky, I still had some income. I was safe in my home with people I loved. I often told myself how lucky I was. But I was also exhausted and overworked, and watching the people who suddenly had more time made me soooo

www.ailsawild.com

About the Writer Carly Findlay OAM is an award-winning writer, speaker and appearance activist. She also works part time as Access and Inclusion Coordinator at Melbourne Fringe. Her first book, a memoir called Say Hello, was released in Australia in January 2019. She is also the editor of Growing Up Disabled in Australia, released by Black Inc Books in 2021.

carlyfindlay.com.au

Sandra Reynolds

o L er

d o o f f o ve

If any one mantra rules my eating life, it is surely this: Eat what is in season. The reasons are simple. If it’s in season, it’s bountiful. When there’s plenty of it, it’s cheaper. When it’s in season, it is practically guaranteed to be locally-grown and easier on the planet’s resources. And, by eating only when food is in season, we are most likely to have a greater variety of food than by sticking to the same old favourites week after week. Which brings me to another food-related mantra - I love Autumn more than any other time of year. With late summer harvests, the frenzy of bottling and preserving, the amazing range of fruit and vegetables available in this short window, now is the perfect time to celebrate Mother Earth. I love pears at this time of year and perhaps more than any other fruit in their extended family, they offer much more in the way of subtlety and nuanced notes in whatever dish they are in. When we think of dessert we know pears go with honey, with butter, with red wine, with dark chocolate. But thyme?

Oh yes indeed. Th earthiness of thyme adds a perfect end-note to a rich caramel syrup. With added Vincotto in place of vanilla and a few almond biscotti on the side rather than a sweet cream or ice cream, the thyme shines through without overwhelming the dish or reminding you of a pork roast. With most varieties of pears at their seasonal best throughout the country right now, do try this dessert when you get the chance for a grown up version of an old favourite. I used Buerre Bosc for this recipe but Bartlett or smaller Corella pears work just as well. I left the skins on so look for unblemished specimens where possible. It’s the perfect taste of Autumn.

THYME ROASTED PEARS 45

INGREDIENTS

◆ 4 pears, such as Buerre Bosc, Bartlett or Corella, ripe and with unblemished skins ◆ 75g butter ◆ ½ cup honey ◆ 2 tbsp caster sugar ◆ 2 tsp Vincotto OR vanilla extract ◆ about 10 -15 fresh thyme sprigs, about 6-7cm long ◆ biscotti biscuits to serve.

METHOD Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut pears in half lengthways and use a teaspoon or melon baller to scoop out the seeds. Remove the stalk at each end with a small sharp knife but leave the skins on. Heat an oven-proof frypan that is large enough to hold all the pears in a single layer over medium heat. Add butter, honey, caster sugar and Vincotto or vanilla and stir until the sugar has dissolved. When the sauce comes to a simmer, lower the heat and add the thyme sprigs and the pears, cut side down, in a single layer. Simmer for 7-10 minutes until the pears start to colour. Remove the pan from the heat. Gently turn the pears over. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 10-12 minutes or until the pears are golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with a little Vincotto and thyme sauce spooned over and some biscotti on the side.

About the Writer Sandra Reynolds is a Melbourne based Cookbook Author, award-winning blogger, columnist and recipe queen who is the Founder of the $120 Food Challenge. Sandra has published over 1300 nutritious, low-cost and family-friendly recipes for her platform The $120 Food Challenge. Sandra’s passion is sharing her love of food with others. delishforless.com

Unpacking Menopause And Weight gain BY CATHERINE MCKENNA

enopause should be a reason to bust out the bubbly and celebrate the end of periods, period pain, leaking, mood swings and for any women living with daughters or other women, shark week. However, most women will report that menopause has been the cause of unwanted fat that has besieged their bodies. It’s not fair that menopause can deliver a coup de grace of kilos after all we’ve been through. But is menopause really to blame for our middle-aged expansion? What do we know? We know women tend to gain weight around menopause. Also, we know most Australians don’t meet the exercise recommendations. Plus, we lose muscle as we age, and we don’t make a compensatory reduction in our diets. These four factors are the perfect storm for weight gain. Let’s examine these points in detail. Firstly, between 45 and 55, women gain an average of half a kilo a year and a total of 2.3 kg during perimenopause. Unfortunately, the decline in oestrogen tends to shift fat from our hips, butts and thighs to our waistlines. The hormonal changes that accompany menopause are associated with increases in total body fat and abdominal fat, even in lean women but not necessarily weight gain.

Dr Mia Schaumberg

Dr Mia Schaumberg is a Senior Lecturer in Physiology at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She says that without the protective effect of oestrogen after menopause, more fat, that is, adipose tissue, is deposited around the waist. The problem with adipose tissue is that it produces adipokines, molecules that are associated with chronic inflammation.

“The adipose tissue also produces oestrogen throughout menopause, but the pathway is changed because it is not the ovaries producing the oestrogen,” says Dr Schaumberg. “After menopause, the adipokines and chronic inflammation can lead to cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and dementia in later life.” Can we simply lose our bellies? Unfortunately, not, says Dr Schaumberg. “There just isn’t the evidence that we can spot reduce weight. You need to target healthy habits with a combination of diet and exercise.” So, menopause might leave us with a bigger belly but why do so many women believe menopause causes weight gain? Now to our second point, that we are a sedentary population. In 2017-18, over half of Australian adults did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity. Data shows we become less active as we age. And if you think things can’t get worse, women are less physically active than men overall. Also, in 2017-18, 75% of men were overweight or obese compared to 60% of women. If menopause were to blame for our weight gain, this would show in the over 45 age group. Finally, and this is the hardest bit of information to digest, ageing and lifestyle are the likely culprits behind those extra kilos, for both men and women. Dr Schaumberg says, “We are ageing chronologically, but during the process of menopause, those changes are faster.” The problem for women is that it is hard to separate the influence of ageing and lifestyle on weight and menopause because the ageing and menopause occur around the same time. As a child, Karen Horvath used to tease her mid-forties mother about her growing mid-section. But Karen wasn’t laughing when she experienced menopause at 42 and her flat stomach turned into a bulge by her mid-forties. “By the time my mid-section had blown out, I was at a computer for most of the working day.” Karen says at the time she started menopause, she was working at a bank and moving throughout the day. “I was on my feet all day. At lunch time I’d take a walk to get lunch and fresh air. When I got home, I’d walk the dog.” She then relocated cities with a promotion, but this new role meant she was sitting at a com-

puter for more than eight hours a day. Karen began a gym program and targeted her abs. “All the activity just maintained the status quo,” she says. “There was no issue with my legs getting bigger, but it was the area between my hips and solar plexus.” Relocating again two years later for another promotion meant Karen was spending even longer hours at a computer. Karen says, “By this time, my backside started widening. I was about 48, 49.” Karen’s experience follows the trend of increasing waistline following menopause along with age-related weight gain. So, let’s unpack why we tend to gain weight as we age. There are physiological and lifestyle reasons. Physiologically, we can blame sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss that is also associated with an increase in fat mass. From our 30s, we lose approximately 5% of our muscle mass per decade and then more after 60. Lean muscles burn more energy so with less lean muscle as we age, we burn less energy. Dr Schaumberg explains we can mitigate muscle loss through resistance training, exercises designed to build muscle and muscular strength using weights or body weight. With more muscle, we can burn more energy. “Never underestimate the value of resistance training. It maintains our muscle mass and can delay or prevent sarcopenia to a point,” she says. “There will be age-related losses of muscle but then we can see people gain muscle even in later life. We cannot reverse all age processes, but we can slow them down.” There is even some good news. “When we build muscle through resistance training and high intensity interKaren Horvath val training or HIIT, we also improve our basal metabolic rate, and this can assist with weight management.” Your basal metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns energy at rest for basic functions like breathing, keeping warm, digesting food and posture. Dr Schaumberg says that resistance training and HIIT improves the metabolic activity of muscle, so the muscle then uses more energy, that is, calories, even if you are not exercising. Aerobic exercise like running, cycling and swimming doesn’t confer such noticeable benefits. The physical activity guidelines recommend two days of resistance training also known as muscle strengthening activities. Latest figures report that after age 35, less than 40% of adults met the guidelines and the figures dropped with age. Worse, women were less likely to do muscle strengthening activities than men.

Dr Mia Schaumberg

Feel a bit pressured into joining a gym? Don’t. There is a caveat here. You need to enjoy the activity you do. If you love aerobic exercise, keep doing it. Just add some hills or some sprints to get your heart rate up intermittently and work your muscles. Maybe throw in some planks and push up variations you can manage. However, Dr Schaumberg has the best advice. She recommends exercising with friends. “Social connectedness is important. Exercising in groups is a great way to share experiences and motivate each other,” she says. Physiology done, what about our lifestyle? Kate Di Prima is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Spokesperson for Dietitians Australia. She explains how lifestyle changes underpin our apparent menopausal weight gain using the analogy of declining engine size as we age. “We go from a V8 engine in our 20s, down to a V6 and get to 4 cylinders and less in our 60s. Since smaller engines need less fuel, so we need less food as we age. “

Dr Kate DiPrima

She says, “In our 50s and 60s we’ve done the childbearing, mothering, we are at the end of our careers and enjoy a few glasses of nice wine, some crackers and cheese with friends but we keep eating the same as we did in our 40s. The deficit between input and output gets bigger and the weight gain increases.” Once you start to gain weight, Kate says, it’s harder to lose it because there is less muscle mass. Kate’s message when it comes to diets is “Down, not out.” She says cut down on carbs but don’t cut them out. This message is neatly illustrated by the Eat for Health Adult Brochure, an easy-to-follow evidence-based dietary guide. She says, “Between the ages of 19 and 50, adults are advised to eat six serves of carbohydrates per day as wholegrains or high fibre. From 51 years, that drops to 4

serves.” “That is a very clear-cut message,” says Kate, “that we need to cut down on carbohydrates, not cut them out.” Interestingly, the last national nutrition survey found only 5.5% of Australian adults had an adequate usual daily intake of fruit and vegetables. It’s not surprising we are gaining weight if we aren’t meeting our fruit and vegetable recommendations and are substituting these food groups with additional carbohydrates and discretionary foods. Kate advises her clients, “Without change, there will be no change.” Part of changing your diet is eating less and that can involve experiencing the sensation of hunger. Kate says many people have concerns around being hungry. “There is no fear of hunger. There are lots of fears, but not a fear of hunger and there needs to be.” “I say, ‘You have got to live with feeling hungry.’ It’s hunger. Hunger is not a national emergency. You need to retrain your body and your stomach and mind to say, ‘That’s all I need.’ We’ve lost the concept of what we need versus what we want.” “When we are at work and feel tired at two in the afternoon, we don’t fall under our desks. We know we must stay till five, so we just push through. It’s the same with hunger.” Kate’s advice for women in the mid-age group is to visit a dietitian and get reliable advice around correct portion size and the correct proportions of the food groups to ensure you are meeting your nutritional requirements. If you’ve hit the menopausal milestone, it’s definitely worth celebrating, even if you’ve gained weight. Get together with friends and get active, regularly. Celebrate the next phase of your long and healthy life but maybe stick to one small glass of bubbly.

About the Writer Catherine McKenna is the author of Ina’s Story: The Memoir of a Torres Strait Islander Woman, and My Island Homicide. She is an Accredited Exercise Scientist with a passion for empowering busy women over 40 to lead their healthiest lives. Believing life makes more sense upside down, Catherine is committed to nailing the perfect handstand.

Cover Artist Cheree Stokes Sacred Women’s Business

originalartbycheree.com

Cheree Stokes Coming back to country 54

BY SANDY LOWRES

heree Stokes is by her own admission spiritual with a belief that the universe will guide you to where you should be. Hearing her story, it is easy to understand why. The self-taught award winning contemporary Aboriginal Artist, poet and storyteller depicts the moving story of her journey to find her way back home through her original works. The Founder of the Healing Dots® movement, Cheree was born at a time when “Stolen Generation” policies were still in place in Australia. Under such policies at least 100,000 Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed or taken under duress from their families by police or welfare officers between 1910 and 1970, as stated in in the Bringing Them Home Report.(1) Cheree is the child and grandchild of a “Stolen One”, born to a father who was removed from his family and who himself was born to a mother removed from her ancestral land. When he married her mother, a white woman, and had children, he didn’t want to raise them in the traditional ways of his people. Due to fear of losing his own children, Cheree’s father made the heart-wrenching decision to keep her separated from her Aboriginal roots and bring her up in the ways of white society in order to give her the best chance at life. This left Cheree, and many others like her, with a deep sense of loss, because they no longer knew where they came from, or more importantly, where they belonged. “My brother and I worked out as children that we were Aboriginal,” she smiles, “We saw the photos of our relatives on Dad’s side. I always considered myself Aboriginal.” While attending university where she graduated with a teaching degree, Cheree started to read about policies such as the Aborigines Protections Act, and understood for the first time the extent of what her father, who was only seven when he was taken, had survived and the intergenerational trauma caused to so many. Although she has painted her whole life, in 2016 she felt inexplicably drawn to her deep ancestral heritage and started painting in the traditional Aboriginal style. She soon realised that her works were becoming part of a cathartic healing process, with each painting reconnecting her with her long-forgotten past. “I believe in my ancestors and now I know that they are guiding me in my life and through my art. I always had a connection to land and there are places I’ve been that I am drawn to without explanation.” While Cheree enjoyed being a teacher, and felt teaching in Aboriginal communities was important, she struggled with the politics and red tape often involved. Leaving behind her teaching career to focus on her art full time opened up many opportunities. Holding art workshops to

make a living allowed her own skills to soar. She had prints made of her art work and attempted to sell them at local markets but discovered people were more interested in her original paintings. Today Cheree’s original artworks are called Healing Works which incorporate her unique style of bold bright colours and gold crosshatching on black with 3-dimensional Healing Dots® created singularly and with painstaking detail. Unlike most original artworks, Cheree’s works are meant to be touched and she explains that her works create a calming and healing effect. It was a long journey for Cheree to feel confident enough to sell her art, which was a big learning curve. Initially she was happy to give her art away to people who wanted them and generously created artwork to be auctioned for fundraisers. Eventually opportunities saw galleries displaying her art and while she was grateful for the more exposure, she realised that the commissions paid to galleries were extremely high. In time Cheree’s self-esteem grew as more people commissioned her to create works and she realised she could market her own work and sell her paintings for what they were actually worth. Cheree’s works have been awarded First Place for the Orana Indigenous Prize at the prestigious Arts Unlimited Exhibition 2019: First Place in the Australian Agricultural Shows: Parkes Show 2016, 2017; the Trundle Show 2017, 2018; the Molong Show 2018; and the Wellington Show 2018. She has taken out Champion Painting in several of these as well. Her original artworks hang in the private collections of homes around the world including the USA, the United Kingdom and Australia and have been exhibited at the Wintjiri Gallery at Ayers Rock Resort, Uluru and in the Australian Art Galleries of Kew Y Ahn and Studio 31A. Travelling over 6000kms in 2019, she was Resident artist in the Wintjiri Gallery at Uluru, an experience she says was one of the highlights of her life to date. “Now I see that my artwork is my land, my home,” she smiles, “I’ve opened myself up to my ancestors and they guide me with my art but also the written story of my art. My vision is to teach children in the Aboriginal community how healing art can be and how connected it can make us.” 2020 brought with it the opportunity for Cheree to open her own studio/gallery and you will find her most days at Trundle NSW creating her unique works of arts and running her workshops.

(1) The 700-page report of the ‘Stolen Generation’ National Enquiry, Bringing them Home, was tabled in Australia’s Federal Parliament on 26 May 1997.

Heartland Is home really where the heart is? Is home really where the heart is? Thanks to technology, the freedom to work from anywhere and the ability to fly around the world, more and more people are becoming ex-pats. There are many reasons why people move from their homelands, from career and life experiences to searching for a safer life. Wb40 chatted with women who have, for various reasons, left their homelands to plant roots in another country about the lessons they have learnt, and what they miss the most. 57

Julia Blanter

Homeland: Sydney, Australia Home Now: Brooklyn, NYC, USA. Why the move? I moved to NYC in 2011 to marry my love, a Brooklyn boy, and before you know it, it’s been 10 years! We just bought a second home in gorgeous Martha’s Vineyard so plan to spend as much time as possible here as we continue to work from home. It’s the complete opposite of New York and providing much-needed balance in our lives. What have you learnt? Living in NYC has definitely shown me who I am and who I can be. The cliché is true and the hustle is real - you work hard and play hard here. You’ve got to give it your all or go home. The city has made me a stronger, more confident person. It’s a very different life from sunny Sydney, from the good (museums! Chicken wings delivered at 1am! Endless streets to flaneur around!) to the horrendous (police brutality; racism; U.S. politics; little work/life balance). Because of that I’ve learned so much about myself and the world around me and am forever grateful for this experience. What’s your favourite thing about New York? New York is unlike any other place. It’s exhilarating, exhausting, intense, hilarious, infuriating, inspiring, delicious. I am never bored. Every day is like the first day, full of wonder. I’m honestly not sure how to live anywhere else after New York. And hey, as a foodie, it doesn’t get much better than New York. Our life is a constant culinary adventure and I’m here to devour it all. Although I really miss chicken shops, real Middle Eastern food, and proper fish and chips! What do you miss most about Sydney? Family above all else. Distance is definitely the hardest part of being an expat. I miss Sydney incredibly - I’m not one of those expats who appreciates Australia after being away, I always loved my island home. I miss the beaches. I miss the Art Deco pubs. I miss the casual way people walk around. I miss the oily smell of frangipanis. I even miss Coles! And while I’m used to the winters here I will always miss our perfect weather.

Jeanette Findlay

Homeland: Cape Town, South Africa Home Now: Gerogery, NSW, Australia Why the move? I’ve been living in Australia for 40 years now. We, my husband and I, arrived in Sydney in 1981 after leaving South Africa. We travelled to Sri Lanka, Thailand and Singapore before arriving in Sydney. I met my husband on a blind date through a mutual friend and our mutual friend is still so proud that she was the one who brought us together. She is still living in Cape Town and one day I hope to catch up with her in person. We left South Africa because of the racial laws (Apartheid, segregation between black, white and coloured. Black and white intermarriage was not allowed. I am what is known as a Cape Coloured (coming from Cape Town, but regarded black in South Africa) and my husband is an Englishman and white. We could not marry or be together as a couple. There was an act called the Immorality Act and we would be contravening the Immorality Act. If we were caught together, I could’ve been jailed, but my husband would not be. Our courting days were very clandestine to say the least. What have you learnt? Living abroad taught me a lot. I could move freely, be seen as a person and not be defined by my colour. I am very, very proud to be a person of colour. At school we were taught that we are a person, not a black or white or coloured person but a person/human being. When we first arrived in Australia, we were told that mix marriages were frowned on, but fortunately we did not experience that. I was accepted by my work colleagues, and made friends easily and very quickly. Living abroad taught me that I could go anywhere, dine anywhere and live anywhere, without being inhibited by my skin colour. I felt free. In South Africa there was an act called the Group Areas Act, where Whites lived in one area, coloured lived in another area and blacks lived in another area. The blacks needed a pass to enter a White area etc. This has however changed now and anyone can live anywhere. I do however find that racism exists here in Australia, but not in the same way.

What’s your favourite thing about Gerogery?

My favourite part of living here is the freedom, the wide-open spaces, the weather (not when it gets too hot!).I live in a small town called Gerogery with a population of about 500 people. I live on seven acres and have chickens, sheep and a great vegetable garden. I was a city girl though and now living in a country town. I am not far from Albury which is our big town where I worked for most of my time in Australia, and about 4 hours from Melbourne. We are very happy living here. What do you miss about Cape Town? I miss seeing my family a lot. Thank goodness for Facebook/face time and WhatsApp. I know a lot has changed since I left Cape Town, but I do miss the family get together which happened regularly and friends popping in for a cuppa or staying for dinner unannounced. I did go back to Cape Town in 2008 for the first time since 1981, and it as great catching up with family and friends. I miss seeing friends and family’s kids growing up and my big regret is that of my family not having met my daughter yet and her not meeting them. I am hoping to remedy that as soon as possible.

Fiona Rosenthal

Homeland: Sydney, Australia Home now: Chicago, USA Why the move? I moved to Chicago for my (now ex-husband’s) business which was based in Australia but is now based here. I am now married to an American and happy to be living here. What have you learnt? Living abroad has taught me that I can adapt to new surroundings, to make a new life out of nothing. I’ve learnt that true friends will always be there for you no matter the distance. What is your favourite thing about Chicago? I love that the US is full of so many different places to see; all within a relatively short flight away. Also the access to Europe and South America (when things get back to normal that is!) Specifically I love that Chicago feels like a big small town. There’s so much to do and the summer is fantastic. Lots of street festivals and free concerts! What do you miss about Sydney? The things I miss about home are the great seafood, the ocean (see the connection?!) and being able to see friends and family. Thank goodness for social media and Skype !

I-Hua Lim

Homeland: Kuala Lumper, Malaysia Home now: Melbourne, Australia Why the move? Initially I came across in 2003 to start my university journey. At the young age of 20, a city girl, I came over with my boyfriend at the time (now husband), to a sleepy country town called Churchill in Gippsland. There was so much to understand and discover. I still remember the smell of the countryside distinctly and how quiet everything was (except for the cows at 4 in the morning!). What have you learnt? I have been here nearly as long as I have lived in my motherland, and I’ve literally grown up here. Living away from home for so long, I’ve learnt to become a strong independent woman, and if I set my mind to achieve something, I definitely can. Living abroad here in Melbourne, I’m so grateful to have found a tribe of friends and supporters that thoroughly back me and what I do. We have so much freedom here. We can do what we like (to an extent), say what we like, and never have the fear that I’d be caught or sent to jail for speaking my mind. What’s your favourite thing about Melbourne? The safety and freedom. What do you miss the most about KL? My mother and the food! Malaysian food is awesome and I will fight anyone that says otherwise!

Marissa Ween

Homeland: Aotearoa (The Long White Cloud); New Zealand Home now: Melbourne, Australia

Why the move? Due to my husband’s internal work transfer we re-located our family of 5 from Auckland and moved to Melbourne Australia in 2008. We have lived here now for almost 13 years. What have you learnt? Living abroad has helped me to step out of my comfort zone. It has taught me to be more open minded and enjoy what life has to offer. It’s taught me that I am a strong, independent women and that I can overcome barriers that I thought I could never do. Moving to Melbourne was one of the best family decisions we have made and for that I will always be thankful for this fantastic opportunity. What is your favourite thing about Melbourne? To be honest I love Melbourne, it’s so multi-cultural and it is the sporting Capital of Australia. My favourite part, however, would be meeting the people here. I have met some amazing lifelong friends from all walks of life and they have very much become my extended family. Nothing can beat that. What do you miss the most about Aotearoa? Living in a different country from your own is definitely an eye opener. I missed everything about NZ initially. My family (whanau) and close friends, my culture and not really being able to introduce Kapa Haka to my children, where they would have learnt our native tongue. I did get homesick a lot but as years passed and the kids adapted to the Australian way of living, I became more drawn to stay in this beautiful Country. NZ will always be in my heart that will never change, but Australia is my home now.

MaryAnn Hunter

Homeland: Melbourne, Australia Home now: Singapore Why the move? After having lived, worked and raised two children there, I am now currently living and teaching in Singapore. My move to Singapore was a result of an unexpected job opportunity for my husband. At the age of 51, I had not envisaged uprooting and leaving my family, my job or Australia. What have you learnt? Making the move has made me learn so much more about myself. I am now a much more independent person having to navigate this new country, learning about the differing cultures that make up Singapore, finding work and making new friends. I feel much more confident in my own abilities to make decisions and see them through. Having moved with my husband, I have also realised how important we are to each other and have built on the strength of commitment I have for our relationship and our love for one another. What is your favourite thing about Singapore? My favourite part about living here is the fact that there are many cultures intertwined in Singapore including Malaysian, Chinese, Indian and other races who respect and coexist without any problems. It was a conscious decision to live amongst the locals and not in the high expat area. Living amongst the local community has opened my eyes to the beautiful respect that these citizens have, not only for one another but for their country as a whole. Apart from that, the many tourist destinations and food options are amazing here in Singapore and we are spoilt for choice. Singapore is the travel hub to the rest of the world and is a wonderful base for us to travel. Although, Covid -19 has made travel almost non-existent over the last 12 months or so. What do you miss the most about Melbourne? When thinking about what I miss back home in the motherland, I could only come up with one word: FAMILY! If I were able to pick up all of my family and bring them here to Singapore, I would do so without hesitation. The lifestyle, the people, the culture is just so beautiful. I am surely going to miss Singapore when it is time to come home.

Hope Mathumbu

Homeland: Nelspruit, Mozambique, Africa Home now: Geelong, Australia

Where is your homeland? I was born and grew up in South Africa for the first 15 years of my life. I am from a small town called Nelspruit, in the North East of the country, near the border of Mozambique. Where is home now? Home now is on Wadawurrung Country in Geelong. My husband and I bought a house during lockdown without ever having seen it – some friends who lived within the area, video called us in, and the rest is honestly all luck from there. We moved here from Wurundjeri/Woi Wurrung/Boon Wurrung Country in West Footscray in January 2021. I really love being in a ‘permanent place’ that I can call home. What has living abroad taught you? Living abroad has taught me to be more curious about history, as well as have more respect for what it means for the present and the future. The privilege I have as an economic migrant is because of histories coming together in a certain way to make my life possible. I have to acknowledge the impact that my life at present will have for people in the future. We are all connected. Some people may want to think about that from a capitalist lens called globalisation, but it is more complex than that, and also includes things that people are scared to talk about, things like colonisation, slave trade and the like. Human movement is a very fascinating subject, and whether I am travelling abroad or even interstate, I am tracing my own fingerprint across so many intersecting lines of history: the good, the bad and the ugly. I only hope that the lines that I trace can contribute to mostly good. What is your favourite thing about your new home? My favourite thing about my new home is sharing it with nature and other people. Now we have three chickens as pets and a random flock of beautiful birds, including fruit bats at night, that are attracted to the fruit trees. Home is about sharing, respecting, and protecting life. I used to be afraid of birds and stereotyped them as brainless and aggressive, but I am so happy to have had my attitude changed. I love my chickens more than I can describe! What do you miss the most about your homeland? I miss not being ‘othered’ and the comfort of looking like most people – even though Black South Africans are ethnically and linguistically diverse. Australia is a very multicultural place, but representation of people who are not white is lacking in mainstream media, advertising, and wider leadership. I have been in Australia longer than I have been in South Africa now, but I never receive the same acknowledgment of being a citizen where people listen to and take seriously my opinions about how this country is going. Majority of time, conversations will revert to where I come from, how long I’ve been here etc. And if I do have an opinion that people disagree with, being shut down. I miss the sense of assumed belonging that I once had.

Motherless Daughters Australia Comforting you. Honouring her.

motherlessdaughters.com.au

We get it.

motherlessdaughtersaustralia @motherlessdaughtsau

Founded by two women who lost their mothers at a young age, MDA understands the intense heartache and pain associated with losing a mum. We believe that connecting with women in the same shoes is both comforting and therapeutic as it provides a real sense of understanding from a first-hand perspective.

info@motherlessdaughters.com.au

ABN: 59 624 899 743

C O M M U N I T Y I N I T I AT I V E S

National Online Peer Support Group MDA provides a private online community where women and girls can connect with those who truly understand mother loss. Our support group has over 4000 members and is a caring, supportive and non-judgemental environment.

Events

Visit A Mum

Our annual pre Mother’s Day High Tea is held on the Sunday before Mother’s Day each year. It is an opportunity to connect with likeminded women to form new friendships and support networks. Currently, these events are held in VIC, QLD and NSW with a view to expand to remaining states and territories in the very near future.

MDA recognises that it may be difficult for daughters to visit their mum’s resting place due to geographical restrictions and/or mobility challenges. This voluntary service enables daughters to request that someone visits the graveside on their behalf.

MDA also host Catch Up Dinners and Zoom Connect Sessions.

C H I L D R E N ’ S I N I T I AT I V E S

RESEARCH

Memories of Mum

Build a Memory Box

Understanding Motherloss

Our Memories of Mum journals are a free resource for boys and girls aged 4-12 years who have experienced mother loss. With a view to assist children in processing their grief and loss, and to encourage conversations with their main caregiver, our journals come complete with writing prompts, spaces to draw/paste pictures and mindfulness colouring activities.

Children are able to build a small wooden Memory Box from our dismantled kits to store precious keepsakes of their mum. Memory Boxes are plain wood so that children can decorate and personalise in memory of their mum.

MDA will conduct, facilitate and champion research to better understand the impact of mother loss and to help the wider community understand how to best support motherless daughters. We gather information and remain curious about motherless daughters’ experiences to inform our future activities, ensuring our services, support and information remain current and relevant.

Motherless Daughters Australia (MDA) is the leading charity specialising in representing, informing, supporting and connecting women and girls who have experienced mother loss, to help navigate the everyday and life’s key 65 milestones without the support of their mothers.

Empire State

of mind

BY KATHY BLANTER I’m a city girl. It’s in the city, most any city, where I’m me. Some people love to be in nature and crave time at the beach or bushwalking, the country life or being anyway but the city. I often hear people talking about retiring to the country, leaving the city. I’ve always imagined retirement in a tiny apartment as close to the city as I can afford. Like Patti Smith I imagine a busy retirement in my inner city hidey hole, a daily coffee or two at my local café, surrounded by art and music and theatre... but I digress.

the High Line. It was early morning and there was almost no one walking along it. I watched my breath puff out in front of me as I walked and felt the city. The High Line takes you along the side of the city, through buildings and offers views up streets, out towards the Hudson and of ever changing art installations. I ended my walk at Chelsea Market but got lost walking back to the hotel.

Did I fall in love with New York instantly? Was it the moment, on my first visit for my sister’s wedding, when I walked into the refurbished warehouse apartment in Brooklyn where we were to stay for the week? A giant red pegasus, a re-purposed vintage Mobil sign, decorated the living room wall. Dappled light filled the room from the huge industrial windows. I was instantly both at home and invigorated, agitated, eager, alive.

At first anxiety set in but then I relaxed into my understanding of how the city worked and I just walked in the direction I knew was right. It was then I realised being lost in NYC was the best thing. I walked and let the city lead me. In those moments my love for the city was almost overwhelming. It was cool, just slightly drizzly, and as I walked the ghosts of the old buildings whispered to me; I could feel the city hold me. I’m the least spiritual person you’ll ever meet, in every way, so this feeling was as close to a religious experience as I’m likely to experience.

That trip provided my first taste and got me hooked. Though I had small children in tow, children who did not appreciate the wonder of NYC and preferred to bicker about the smallest thing, I fell in love as we walked the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan, as we caught the subway to the Bronx Zoo. Everything was magical, dirty yet filled with infinite possibility, dangerous yet welcoming.

Apart from the mystical feeling of love I have for NYC and the reciprocal love I feel from the city in practical terms it’s the city that has the most of all the things I need and crave. Art? All the best is here. From the Met and MoMA to the tiny bits of street art and graffiti on every corner. Theatre? Music? Comedy? Broadway, off Broadway, the comedy clubs and small venues peppered everywhere.

My next visit a few years later was a girls trip. Middle Aged Women Gone Mild, I tagged it. A gaggle of my besties staying in mid town at the fab Art Deco New Yorker Hotel. My marriage had crumbled months earlier and while I was a zombie, dead inside and reeling, the city and my closest friends kept me going. There were Broadway musicals, amazing dinners and late night drinks... the things most needed when one’s life is being redefined.

What I live for is the food and bar scene in NYC. Not the fancy stuff. It’s the meals and the daytime drinking that I think of most fondly. My NYC based sister is a foodie and has all the best gems to share. The Spam fries at Maharlika (now sadly closed) in the East Village. The pork at Momofuku Ssam Bar. The doughnuts and coffee at the Doughnut Plant near the Chelsea Hotel (where I make a pilgrimage with each visit, just to stand outside and say a warm hello to the shadows of Leonard Cohen and Janis Joplin). The endless dive bars where daytime drinking is mandatory. I could go on for hours but it’s no fun unless you’re there.

Over the years I’ve had trips with boyfriends, girlfriends and a memorable trip with my teenage daughter who preferred to stay in bed until midday every day. That week is indelible in that I spent each morning alone, wondering the streets, breathing in NYC, listening to NYC. Those mornings, walking alone through the cool Autumn mornings, watching, thinking, intensified my relationship with the city.

I’ll end with the hazy feeling of stepping out of a dive bar somewhere on the Lower East Side; it’s late afternoon and a New York evening stretches out invitingly before me. I miss you NYC.

One morning I walked to my favourite place in all of NYC,

About the Author Kathy Blanter is a Sydney based writer, and though her blog Deep Kick Girl she writes about her love of cooking and her passion for travel and eating great food. https://deepkickgirl.com/

She Endeavours

Wb40 is shining some love on female owned micro & small businesses that make our heart sing because as we all know, when one woman rises, we all rise. Please support these women in business.

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Nikki Taylor Nikki is a trusted Professional and Personal Coach; Career Transition Specialist; and the author of Be Inspired, a compilation of stories shared by 50 women from around the globe. Her extensive recruitment industry experience began at a top-tier firm in New Zealand and evolved as she moved first to the corporate sector, then established her own agency in 2005. Drawing on a wealth of coaching and mentoring skills, Nikki fosters confidence by working with clients one-on-one to reignite the passions that accelerate success in both life and career . lmecoaching.com

Alicia is the Founder of That Budget Stuff and a wealth coach who empowers couples to transform their money. Alicia has always been passionate about saving, budgeting and conscious spending after learning these skills from her Mum at an early age. She now uses her money management skills and knowledge to teach and empower others to use their money to achieve their financial goals and to live the life they want to live. Alicia is also the developer of The Wealthy Life System, a step by step money management blueprint. thatbudgetstuff.com.au

Brooke Orchard Photography Brooke. is a multi award winning portrait photographer located in Geelong, Victoria.

Petite Blooms At Petite Blooms we make gifting easy and affordable with our online store you can order from our fresh bloom range, our preserved bloom pots, plants, gift boxes, soy candles and platter boxes (from our collab with @thatplatterbox). Order by 8am for same day delivery. petiteblooms.com.au

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I am an avid Old Hollywood movie buff and fell deeply in love with the feminine charm of vintage fashion. Photo sessions include full styling including hair and makeup. I also have many outfits and accessories available as part of my studio wardrobe collection. In every portrait I create I am looking to capture the soul connection through the eyes, I know it when I see it and it is always BEAUTIFUL! Brooke took the vintage inspired photo for The Good Girl Confessional Podcast.

She Endeavours South East Natural Health (Melb, Aust) South East Natural Health is run by registered acupuncturist and herbalist, Dr. Sarah Hennessey (TCM). Her primary area of practice is in the transitional phases of women’s lives which often involve complex hormonal changes – fertility, pregnancy, postnatal, and peri-menopausal. “Stress levels are a huge influencing factor in many women’s health conditions, so a primary focus of my practice is to negotiate the body’s response to stress. This helps to support balanced hormones, restorative sleep, healthy sex drives, and abundant joy!” Services available include, but are not limited to: acupuncture, herbal medicine, clinical supplementation, cupping, acupressure, gua sha, diet, and lifestyle guidance. Located in the heart of Carnegie, Victoria. Virtual consultations also available!

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She Endeavours

Me Time. Just for Me Sue Brabender is the Founder and Head Me Timer at Me Time. Just For Me. Her passion is to encourage and educate you to stop, take a breathe and have some Me Time. She does this through a luxe range of products including apparel, candles, journals, gift boxes and much more.. Metimejustforme.com

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Adventure Reels

Mary is the founding woman behind Happy Places & Co where she tailors events that bring women together over good food and great conversations in beautiful places for wellbeing and social connection. It can be hard to find connections, more so as we age, so through Happy Places & Co, Mary makes that easier, organised and structured without feeling as though it is (see website for Testimonials). It’s a recipe that works! Mary is an avid cook, grower of food, preserver, baker, cake maker as well as a bunch of other wonderful things, including group skills and she brings all of that into her HP&Co events. Great food makes her heart flutter, but what she loves even more is the connections.

Adventure Reels brings uniquely curated film festival programs to audiences around Australia, New Zealand and beyond. With a strong history in adventure film festivals, Adventure Reels has been touring the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Australia for over 10 years. In 2014 Adventure Reels launched the Ocean Film Festival World Tour which now screens in more than 10 countries around the globe. In 2017 Adventure Reels launched the Gutsy Girls Adventure Film Tour which presents a collection of adventure films that shine the spotlight of female adventurers. The Top Dog Film Festival was also launched in 2017 and now tours Australia and New Zealand presenting a heart-warming collection of canine-themed films. If you are looking for big screen inspiration look no further. As CEO and Founder of Adventure Reels, Jemima Robinson is a lover of film but when she’s not at work, Jemima can be found outdoors – travelling, hiking with her sisters, swimming with humpback whales in Tonga or sharing adventures with her husband and two kids.

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Happy Places & Co

She Endeavours

Duende Studio Duende Studio is a boutique design studio offering Brand Design and Website Design. Based in Melbourne, I founded the studio as Duende Design in 2015 and specialise in creating dynamic brands and websites. At the core of the studio is the belief that every woman in business should be authentically themselves and I encourage all of my clients to align their own values and ethics with their business so that they can carry themselves with confidence and clarity. With a background in design and marketing, I offer a range of curated packages for businesses from startups to seasoned entrepreneurs with the ability to add on other creative services such as copywriting and photography. When you work with me I will encourage you to fully explore how your brand translates with your audience to help grow your business.

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Miss G & Me For too long the tall Australian community have had little choice in clothing - a revolution is coming! Miss G & Me is an Australian clothing brand for those over 6’ in height. When you find a beautiful garment that fits your taller silhouette, what emerges is the opportunity for equality in every area of your life – to sit comfortably, wrists and ankles covered, to stand in your shoes without restriction. To have a bust dart do its thing and display your waist, at your waist. To feel beautiful, comfortable and focused. As women beyond 40, Penni, the Me in MIss G & Me is ready for such feelings! Launching in April 2012, Miss G & Me will also contribute design and manufacturing careers in Australia – our pattern makers and machinists are all Australian Ethical Clothing accredited, with Penni personally selecting every fabric for each design, testing for quality at every stage of creating beautiful clothing for the tall. From the ground up, Miss G & Me will radically change the landscape of Australian tall fashion! missgandme.com.au

GIRLS CAN DO

Anything

What being an extra on the set of teen drama Dive Club reminded 2 menopausal besties! BY SANDY DAVIES

Growing up in the 1970s the messages on the posters on the walls of Greensburg Elementary School boasted ‘Girls Can Do Anything’. As a small town Kansas girl in the Midwest of the United States, I internalised that message and took it to heart. But what we girls weren’t told was it would be an uphill battle. We could and did do anything, but among our wb40 readership I doubt there are many of us who don’t have a story of a major career battle that was fought because of our gender. Learning to navigate the issues of gender bias, handsy bosses, and male colleagues who still believed a woman’s place was in the home were essential skills in the unwritten playbook of making it to the top in the 1980s. I’ll never forget heading to the podium at age twenty-four for one of the proudest moments of my academic life only to feel a sharp pinch on my bottom as I made my way past the vice chancellor. The colleague beside him confirmed in a not so hushed tone that indeed they both felt I was a ‘bit of all right’. I can confirm the bloke who received the identical research fellowship the year prior didn’t cop a pinch.

Sandy Davies and Eileen Burchill as extras on the set of dive club

A recent foray into the world of being a film set Extra brought home how much the world has changed. The message is no longer ‘Girls Can Do Anything’; today the message is ‘Women Are Doing Everything’ and it is not a big deal. And that discovery is how my feminist brain came to explode with resounding joy. Side comments and unwarranted physical advances like so many of us experienced in previous decades today result in the offenders being walked off set and struggling to find industry work ever again. Those Hollywood changes have occurred across the industry both overseas and here in Australia. And wider scoping change is happening in Canberra as you read these words. Brisbane based production house The Steve Jaggi Company made Port Douglas in Far North Queensland their COVID-safe home for the filming of series one of teen/family drama Dive Club. This ray of hope during an otherwise rather dreary year injected nearly $8 million into the local Queensland economy. The region was abuzz with excitement having a major film company in a regional area instead of the usual big city studio locales.

Image: Sandy Davies - filming in progress, Port Douglass Queensland

A social media post calling for local Extras to play Cape Mercy townsfolk provided the perfect excuse for me and a friend to reprioritize spending time together, even if it meant the uncomfortable COVID nose jab to be allowed on set. Best intentions of quality time in recent years had been repeatedly superseded by losses of immediate family members, arrivals of little ones and harried schedules. Committing to a filming schedule provided the perfect solution to guarantee a proper catch up. Most Extras bemoan the long periods of waiting to be called, but for my bestie & me those were the bits for which we’d been yearning. We giggled and laughed our way through the idle hours. Reconnecting and renewing our f riendship provided the perfect remedy for those menopausal roller coaster blues. The best bit for both of us was observing the crew on set move together as a well-oiled machine, completely oblivious to how magical the crew’s gender imbalance was. A gender imbalance in the favour of women, that is. Yes, Dive Club was a predominantly female led crew right the way through. No one thought it unusual that director Hayley MacFarlane would need maternity leave mid-shoot. Remember in the ‘80s when even mentioning that you might want to start a family heralded the death knell for any opportunity or promotion? This talented director could be honest about her pregnancy and still be selected on her merit. For real. Did I mention my feminist brain exploding with joy? Heaven knows

we all need a bit of joy on that f ront at the moment. Award-winning screenwriter Claire J Harris was among the talented pool of female writers guaranteeing a strong determined female led narrative. And for any fellow Brazen Hussies fans, you’ll be pleased to know Kylie Pascoe co-produced Dive Club alongside Kelly Son Hing who will assuredly be a household name in the coming decade. Male crew members didn’t feel threatened by female leadership. Times. Have. Changed. Watching this tight knit crew work their magic from a female base made our Extras hearts soar. Gender did not matter to any of the crew. Female representation in the film industry is increasing. Screen Australia research reports that 56% of all Australian produced media have at least 50% female representation on their creative teams, compared with a mere 14% of directors being women in the 1970s. A f riend who was a successful camerawoman in Europe turned her hand to a different career when she emigrated to Australia in the 2000s because she didn’t want to face the battle of working her way up through a predominantly male dominated segment of the industry all over again. Those woes are fading as American cinematographer Rachel Morrison proved three years ago. Rachel became the first woman nominated for Best Cinematography at the Oscars. Morrison is committed to paving the way for other women to be recognized for their talent and their work in the

film industry.

series one of Dive Club on Network Ten soon.

My daughters pursued hitherto male-dominated careers. In their generation they are still seen as female firsts. With this next upcoming generation, the phrase ‘girls can do anything’ is no longer relevant. Girls ARE doing anything. Regardless of profession, gender is irrelevant. The same week as my f riend and I began as Extras on the Dive Club set I attended the Radiance 2020 Illuminating the Strength Within conference in Cairns. Keynote speaker James Mousa, founder of Life Sumo, provided us with Piper’s Guide- a 6 point reference guide to life for his newborn daughter. Nowhere in his message was there any mention of barriers his daughter would face growing up because of her gender.

For wb40 readers beyond our Aussie shores, don’t despair: Dive Club is going global with an international release on Netflix eminent by the end of 2021.

It was the most wonderful ‘A-ha!’ moment. The Dive Club crew, a new father, no one seeing gender as an issue… I am thrilled beyond belief at how much our world has changed. For the better. The message is clear for the next generation: kids, you’ve got this! You’re going to grow up doing what you want to do, being who you want to be, and totally rockin’ whatever makes your soul sing. There will still be bullies, there will still be occasional barriers, success will still require tireless effort and dedication, but fighting to be accepted because of your gender identity is one less fight you’ll have to fight. To all my fellow feminist activists and the fearless bra burners who preceded us--- this is a victory. I know we’re still battling for equal CEO representation at the top, emotional labour equity and full transparent equal pay across all sectors, but in Dive Club we have had a major win. And we shouldn’t negate championing the victories along the way. Let’s celebrate this le triomphe and shout it f rom the rooftop, or, in this case, f rom the reef. Time to pop the champagne and the popcorn for this win. I know that’s what I’ll be doing when binge watching

Have you gotten trapped in that cycle of busy and put catching up with a bestie of years past on the backburner? Use watching Dive Club as an excuse to have a night in reconnecting with a f riend. Who knows, you might even spot my f riend Eileen and me in our Extras cameos in an episode or two. Port Douglas played the backdrop for Dive Club’s fictional hometown Cape Mercy. If you’re seduced by the scenery and want to reconnect to the rainforest and the reef, rest assured that the chefs, the tour guides, the dive masters and our housekeeping teams are all looking forward to sharing a warm g’day with you, our southern friends; come on up! The next time you see a casting all for extras in your community, put your hand up. You never know what kind of unexpected adventure awaits. Dive Club is a 12 episode Australian made tv series produced by Brisbane based The Steve Jaggi Company. The full production was undertaken during COVID in Far North Queensland and is scheduled for worldwide release on Netflix to more than 190 countries after its exclusive launch on Network Ten for Australian viewers in the coming months. Tune in to join skilled divers Izzie, Anna, Maddie & Stevie as they race to figure out the mysterious disappearance of their best f riend Lauren after a cyclone hits the township of Cape Mercy. The deeper they dive, the more questions arise. Dive Club was filmed upon Eastern Kuku Yalanji and Yirrganydji Country whose Elders past, present and emerging this extra honours and acknowledges with deep abiding respect.

About the Writer Sandy Davies is the founder of HappyPause™ and is dedicated to helping women get their groove back during peri/menopause. Sandy loves her age and celebrated turning 50 by popping the cork of a different champagne each week in the fifty weeks leading up to the big 5-0 with women who had made a difference in her life. It doesn’t have to be champagne, but Sandy encourages wb40 readers to celebrate the milestones of 40, 50, 60, 70 and beyond with wild abandon. happypause.com.au | l @happypause_menopause

The Good Girl Confessional

Podcast

@thegoodgirlconfessional facebook.com/GoodGirlConfessional The Good Girl Confessional Podcast 77

5 Everyday tips to help the planet

We only have one planet, and currently we share it with 7.8 billion people! So it seems logical that we all want to take care of the planet on which we live. Sometimes the problems of climate change, environmental issues and a booming population might seem overwhelming but there are some simple things we can all do at a local level that can help the world we live in. 78

Tip 1

e h t y u B

d e e n u o food y

As technology evolves, and wages have risen, we have more choices than ever before. It’s true that buying things we like can cause a dopamine rush, but what we also know is it doesn’t last! Humans consume (and waste) more food than ever before but the processing of these things can be detrimental for the environment. Buying only the food that you need to cut down on wastage can make a huge difference to your health and also the environment! If you can, try growing your own herbs and vegetables. It’s healthier for you and gardening is helpful in reducing stress. 79

Tip 2

y t i n u m m al Co

Supp

c o L r u ort Yo

Supporting local businesses has a two-fold effect. Firstly you’ll be helping small businesses to thrive which is even more important after the Pandemic! You might even get to know the owners of those businesses which strengthens community spirit. By supporting local, it also means that you are not travelling as far in your car, if you drive, or on public transport. This reducing the amounts of dangerous emissions into the environment.

Tip 3

c i t s a l p f o e s u r u

o y e c u Red

Did you know that in 2020, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic (that’s over 26,600 747 planes!) flows into seas, oceans and water ways every year. Most of this run off is from our everyday consumption of products in plastic. Simple changes like reusable drinking bottles, and replacing plastic cling wrap for beeswax wraps and taking string bags when buying fruit and vegetable, can cut down household use of plastic substantially. The big bonus is that it will also save you money!

Tip 4

r e i l p p rgy su

e n e n e e r g a o t p

Swa

Renewable energy is useful energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are naturally replenished including carbon neutral sources like sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. If you can swap to a green energy supplier, you may be reducing your carbon footprint on the earth. Some Green energy supplier also plant trees when customer sign up which is a bigger bonus. If you can’t swap, you can still reduce power by tuning off lights and power switches when not needed.

Tip 5

r o e l b a ustain

Wear S

n o i h s a f ircular

We live in a time where disposable fashion has become normal. Every year millions of tonnes of unwanted clothing ends up in landfill. While large retail chain stores offer very inexpensive clothing and shoe options, in order to do so, they are often opting for environmentally damaging processes and low quality materials. Sustainable fashion is the principle that by buying high quality clothing that can last and be re-worn for many years, we will consume less. Circular fashion means donating clothes, but also seeking to buy your clothes from pre-loved clothing outlets and opportunity shops, not just shopping chains. In this way we keep clothing on people rather than in landfill! 83

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AUD $7.99 (Digital) ISSN: 2652-9564

Women Beyond Forty - Third Edition - Theme: Mother Earth

Articles inside

Girls can do anything

She Endeavours

Empire state of mind

Cheree Stokes - Coming back to country

Fashion - What on earth are you wearing?

COVID and the Arts

Unpacking Menopause and weight gain

Food - Thyme Roasted Pears

Who is there to help families in crisis?

Your place of work - does it work for you?

Mother Earth is feeling the change