WORLD WORLDWIDE AUSTRALIA - news journal UPDATE - (en) Australia, MACG: International Working Women's Day 2025: Despite It All, We Can Fight Back - AC Meanjin (ca, de, it, pt, tr) [machine translation]

 Despite the brunches and pink frosted cupcakes, women in Australia are

under threat. Gender based violence is on the rise, abortion rights are
still under threat in Australia and mature women are one of the fastest
growing homeless demographics. At home women's care work is taken for
granted, their hidden labour is vital for the running of the economy. At
work women are subjected to sexist harassment and discrimination. Whole
professions (such as nurses and teachers) associated with women, known
as feminised industries, are underpaid due to sexist devalueing of care
work.  It is laughable to suggest we are in a free and equal society.

International Working Women's Day gives us a chance to reflect on the
battles of the past, reflect on women's place in society today, and
renew our fight for a better future.

Despite the massive issues facing women, there is resistance. Last year
there were mass rallies calling attention to the rise in gender based
violence. There were mobilisations against the newly elected LNP
government in Queensland to defend abortion. Industrial action by nurses
in Victoria was able to secure much needed wage raises for a drastically
underpaid feminised industry, moving the dial in bridging the wage gap.
Female construction unionist rallied in Queensland demanding legislation
on women's bathrooms on site, a demand they would go on to win. Despite
all that is stacked against women we can fight back.

So what's the path forward for the struggle? Instead of hoping for
female bosses or electing politicians to disappoint us, we need to take
action for ourselves. This is difficult to do in isolation, so we need
to get organised and band together with people in the same situations as
us. The most powerful way to do this is class organisations like trade
unions. By fighting alongside our fellow workers, regardless of gender,
we increase our power. By struggling together we improve our lives and
build solidarity. Building a power of our own we can have real weight to
bring to the fights against gender based violence and to secure abortion
rights.

Ultimately, the degree to which women's autonomy can be expanded is
limited by the nature of capitalism. The system depends on the
exploitation of women. If we want true freedom, we need to replace it
with something better. A system where everyone takes an active role in
decision-making, rather than leaving it to politicians: anarchism. A
system where workers can manage their work collectively for the good of
society, not for profit: communism.

https://melbacg.au/iwwd2025/
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