IWD 2025

NOTE: Because this program features several speakers in lively conversation, it may not accurately identify each speaker.

Madeline 0:00

Thank you all for coming here for the International Women's Day. My name is Madeline Prasad. I'm a [?Guja Tamara Wonderi], lived experience advocate, and I'd like to welcome everyone past and present, dead and alive, sister, girls, brother, boys, aunties, uncles, all relatives on royal, glory to God, Aboriginal land. Amen. Thank you.

unknown speaker 0:30

We recognise self advocacy members who have worked tirelessly over the years for quality and human rights for all.

Shona 0:42

Hello and welcome to another, raising our voices show on 3CR at 855 AM. We are a self advocacy radio show run by people with disabilities, about people with disabilities, nothing about us, without us.

unknown speaker 1:13

Well done. Shauna, well done sister girl.

Shona 1:17

On today's show, we are talking about International Women's Day. My name is Shona. I'm from Have a Say Bendigo.

Louise 1:32

I'm Louise James. I'm also from Have a Say Bendigo. I pass it on to Janet.

Janet 1:41

Hi, my name is Janet Curtin, and I am a member of Power in Culture and Equality.

Madeline 1:50

My name is Madeline Prasad. I'm a wondr. I guja Tamara, lived experience advocate, and I'm from the blackfella shout out group, and I like to pass it on to Chris.

Chris 2:03

Hi, I'm Chris from have a say. Bendigo.

Janice 2:08

Hi, I'm Janice Latvian, and I'm from reinforce, and I'm also a silver bet.

James 2:19

Hi everybody. I'm James. I'm from Reinforce and Rainbow Rights.

unknown speaker 2:24

We got some questions about International Women's Day. What does International Women's Day mean to you? Shona?

Shona 2:35

International Women's Day means, oh, all that to me. I never knew about International Women's Day, but then I found out about it the other week. But getting told about it, what International Women's Day means to me is like gathering women from Aboriginal communities. You know, having a feed, having a maker up day, having a talk about the positive things we've achieved in International Women's Day, and having a nice rural experience at church, church too. I think it's really good to have a royal International Women's Day all over the world, and for people with disabilities as well, and mainstream sector, I think it's amazing and positive, and I really enjoy it.

unknown speaker 3:29

International Women's Day means to me that we remember where we came from and like how far we've come... like, now women are allowed to vote, like before we weren't allowed to vote. Now women can work. Now women should get the same pay, and women should have their their rights over their bodies. We're still working on that one. But... yeah, it just means that we're celebrating together what we've done, but remembering where we've come from and how far we need to keep on going.

unknown speaker

International Women's Day means a lot to me. It celebrates everything that women are allowed to do now, including what was said before, and also with a lot of other things that are still to be worked on anti natural Women's Day means that women can be strong together... they're not to be pushed around, and that the more we stand up together. The more strong we become.

unknown speaker

Why do you think International Women's Day started?

I think International Women's Day started because every other day is a man's day. So a man just like can walk, can get a job easier, can just live life easier. They could always vote. They could they don't have to worry about or back then they didn't have to worry about equal, like pay, or equal looking after kids, or, you know, they're naturally first. So of course, they needed to be a Women's Day.

unknown speaker

You are listening to raising our voices on 3CR at 855am. Wewill be back after some announcements.

3CR announcement 6:23

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unknown speaker  8:14

You are listening to Raising Our Voices on 3CR at 8:55am. Today, we are talking about International Women's Day. I think International Women's Day started because women were not allowed to do a lot of work or vote or do a lot of other stuff that men could do. It was not fair on women. It that was really bad. I think why International Women's Day was started so there's equal opportunity for like, getting a job, you know, cooking, washing, cleaning, recognised awards, certificates in community, and you know equal opportunity for childcare. And you know for work, everyone's equal in today's society, men and women are equal, and we have the right to be equal and heard and listened to and respected.

unknown speaker

I agree. I work in... women should have more say in everyday life, like most of these men working the men can be stronger than women, but that's not true or equal. I think in an International Women's Day started to ensure that women were allowed to have their say, and including what. Shona said earlier as well, along with a lot of other things that need to eventually start getting recognised.

unknown speaker

I think International Women's Day is important because now that we get to do a lot of stuff that we never used to get to do.

unkinown speaker

I think it's important because it can allow women to have their say, and also with being able to do more things than they've ever done before,

unknown speaker

I think International Women's Day is important because it means we have a day where we can talk about periods and it's not too much information We can gather together and just talk about, like, all the girly stuff and what we need to put up with and... just be women and, Like, not be behind someone actually, like, give us permission to talk about ourselves, to celebrate ourselves, to think about ourselves, because we don't do that as women, we look after other people. 

We we put everything first. We're like we put our work first, because we have to work that extra harder to say, Yes... we're just equal. So if you add a disability to that, that even more so having a being a woman with a disability is something to be proud of and celebrated on this day, because Jenny, we did a lot to get here on this radio show. So good on us.

unknown speaker 12:15

Good on your sister. Girl,

I would like to pass it to Janice.

Janice 12:23

Why is indigeous women today important? Because we are important. All women is important because they can stand up for what they believe in and that and we can vote for whoever we want. Maddie?

Madeline  12:47

I think we've gotta, you know, God bless our past generations of strong women, our mothers, our grandmothers and, you know, bringing really good aspiration into us so we can just be ourselves with our girls and, you know, talk about what we've achieved, you know, with degrees or any awards, it's just being a role into Women's Day, and even with sharing it with mob and people, especially people with disabilities, it's even harder, but we've come a long way, and it's just having a simple organization and a simple gathering and being positive, because we've come a long way to have a role into International Women's Day.

Janet 13:34

At Power in Culture and Equality, we support people from non-English-speaking backgrounds. So we realise that in Australia, to be a woman is different from being a woman in Afghanistan, which means that if you're a woman in Afghanistan, you cannot go to school, you cannot have a voice. You are not in charge of your body. You are a property of a man. So we... do recognise at Power in Culture and Equality that there are other women in other places in the world which do not have the same life as we do in Australia. 

So we're not talking about just not like having to do the dishes every night. We're not just talking about that. We're talking about human rights. And if you were a woman with a disability in another country, it would vary like so intoInternational Women's Day is very important internationally. In Australia, we've got a long way to go, but it's the world. There's like we're 51% of the population, so we outnumber them. So we cannot forget about our international women

unknown speaker 15:23

You are listening to raising our voices on three CR at 855 AM.Today, we are talking about International Women's Day. We will be right back after a song called Man I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain.

Song 15:50

Let's go, girls, come on. I'm going out tonight. I'm feeling all right. Go. Gonna let it all hang out. Wanna make some noise. Really raise my voice. Yeah. I wanna scream and shout. No inhibitions. Make no conditions. Get a little no conditions. I only want to have a good time. The best thing about every month I'm everybody totally crazy, cover my head. Do other Amazon. Man, I feel like a woman. Girls need a break tonight. We're gonna take the chance to get out all the time. We don't need momentum. The best thing about mine is a prerogative to have a little fun. Feel the attraction. Action. Feel the attraction. Man, I feel like a woman. You over to up,feel the interaction. Come ahead, do it again. Up, from my head. Do it again. Man, I feel like a woman.

unknown speaker 19:23

The song you just heard was Man I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain. I think it's a beautiful, very expressionate song. And I've got different friends, brother, boy, sister, girls, trash, drag queens. And they love this song. They all love it in their own interpretation. And I think it's we all live and experience this song very differently. And thank you very much. You are listening to Raising Our Voices on 3CR, 855 AM, streaming at 3CR.org.au ... Raising Our Voices - so run by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities - nothing about us, without us. Today, we're talking about International Day of Women with some advocates... and have you ever had to stand up for women's rights as a self advocate?

Madeline 20:33

My name is Madeline Prasad. I belong to the Blackfella Shout Out group, and I had to stand up and being an Aboriginal woman, and I had a situation with this double lady and another Aboriginal girl, and I felt really passionate in helping the Aboriginal girl get a message across with the boss that was Australian. So I worked really hard and passionately, and it made me feel really positive that we could achieve it by all communicating and standing up for this girl that felt really uncomfortable, and I really tried, and I got my point across, and I made it in a positive manner to get it all done. Thank you. Shona?

Shona 21:24

I have had to stand up women's rights because a lot of other a lot of men, have thought I was not very strong, and they thought I was not strong enough for to do other things. I'd like to pass it to Louise, please.

Louise 21:50

Okay, I've had to stand up for my friend being able to explain how she was feeling about being left out of certain groups because people thought she was unreliable and things like that. So I had to do that whilst being the self advocate as well. People think our self advocates don't do that, but we most definitely do, and we are always happy to help people in need. Janice?

Janice 22:31

had to stand up for women because over the years, I have worked in a project for advocating for women's behalf, and that. Janet?

Janet 22:49

As my time as a self advocate, there's been lots of times where I've had to stand up for women's rights, and particularly especially when it comes to women with disability and their health, because I think the health system doesn't think about accessibility. So accessibility with information about pap smears, about mammograms, about all those women health issues. 

I mean, I use a scooter, so it's really hard for me to get like an x ray or a pap smear or a mammogram, and people just put people with disability and women in the too hard basket, and we end up not getting grades, not getting the test done. So I'm always saying to my GP, but you're referring me to a place where I can't get on the table or, yeah, so that's what I'm advocating for all the time, just one aspect, yeah.

unknown speaker 24:16

Thanks, Janet. What is an important woman's right to you?

unknown speaker

All of them wanted to me, but I think the one that gets missed is the one where we get to have say over our own body only because that that has come like that. People are saying that we're not like overseas. People are saying that you're not in charge of your body and you don't know what to write for your body. So yeah, the people overseas are saying that. So that's what's important to me, men in America, in the Congress is saying that we don't have a right to make decisions about giving birth or not. 

I think a woman's right that's important to me is being able to speak up as a woman about things that are important to you, such as your right to independence, the right to be allowed to do things that women haven't been able to do for so many years.There's plenty of more work that needs to be done, but it's really good about what's happening at the moment.

I think one of the most important things about women's right is choosing like choosing things over your body, like saying if you want to be be healthy and eat healthy.

unknown speaker

Yeah, for me, I love to stand up Bucha, believing being your own boss. I think being financially independent and... not getting controlled by your boyfriend. And if you want to go to the gym, you can go to the gym. If you want to go shopping, can go shopping. You know, not being controlled. You have the right, as a woman to step up and do what you want to do, as long as you're not hurting anyone. And have no fear in today's community, because a lot of people with disabilities have a lot of fear, and we shouldn't have to feel like that. So get up, have a go, and you can be heard and listened to. 

And people in America, they need to listen. You know about people and children and young women. They're not sex slaves or objects. They're human beings, and they have the right to, you know their body is, you know, the temple of the Holy Spirit. So they have no right over them, to use them as sex slaves, and you have the right to live and dream as you want. Amen. Thank you.

unknown speaker

The thing I would like to see change that hasn't changed yet is more women with disabilities as leaders.

unknown speaker

Thank you, Sister girl, I agree.

As men, how do you support women in your life? James?

James 28:00

Supporting them about their rights and sticking up for women's rights and women with disabilities. Chris?

Chris 28:10

Well, I treat them with respect and make sure that no-one hurts them.

unknown speaker 28:17

If you have only just tuned in, we are Raising Our Voices on 3CR at 855 AM. Today we are talking about International Women's Day. We've touched on what rights are important to us. We have talked about what needs to change to make things better for women, if we have talked about some stressful or triggering topics, this might have brought up some difficult feelings for some people listening to Lifeline, 13114, Beyond Blue, 13002... 246361... 803, 800-373-7732.If someone you know and trust ever is in emergency, call triple O.

Thanks for listening to Raising Our Voices on 3CR 855 AM, a radio show run by people with disabilities. For people with disabilities join us next month, where we will talk about Green.

ID 29:59

You've been listening to a 3CR podcast produced in the studios of independent community radio station 3CR in Melbourne, Australia. For more information, go to... all the Ws, dot 3CR dot org dot AU.