Post by emilykate on May 10, 2010 21:38:08 GMT -5
MSA Women's Department Plans (so far!)
for Bleeding is NOT a 'Luxury' Day, May 25th, 2010.
for Bleeding is NOT a 'Luxury' Day, May 25th, 2010.
The following is a summary of discussion from the Women's Affairs Collective Meeting held 10am on Monday, May 10th in the Women's Room. AFter each discussion, I will add replies to this post to show have plans have developed.
I strongly encourage anyone with further comments, questions or ideas to attend WAC Meetings (10am every Monday in the Women's Room), email myself or my co-officer at Emilykate.Cowan@adm.monash.edu.au or Erica.Chan.adm.monash.edu.au, leave a note in the Anonymous suggestions box in the Women's Room or slip a note under the door of the Women's Office.
As always, we'd love there to be as much input as possible!
Without further ado...
Specific Event Plans
#Suggestion: "if people have issues with going without pads and tampons and dripping everywhere, perhaps people could just wear red skirts or pants to be symbolic?" We could wear a red scarf, perhaps, around the hips. Erica says she can get red fabric for cheapish, and so perhaps she can buy heaps and cut them up into scarves and give people them to wear to spread the word. - People like this idea.
#We could have another performance of the Vagina Monologues (as written by Eve Ensler, and directed by Maeva Veerapen); specifically, "The Vagina Workshop".
#We should have a stall to have information on the debate that went around at that time, as well as the petition.
#I intend to have a stall to have information on the debate that went around at that time of the introduction of the GST, as well as the petition.
#We could have two conversation groups, a general one for both genders, and a more private one for women.
Background Points
# I started the MSA Women's Department petition against the GST on pads, tampons and cups etc last year. The intention is to lodge the petition this year, being the 10 year anniversary of the GST. {I'll post the petition itself to this board, so you can read it, or even print it out and pass it around.}
#Discussion on the conversations which took place 10 years ago, justifying the GST being on pads and tampons.
#The intended focus is to look at the way menstruation is a thing that women need support for and that pads/tampons/menstrual cups/etcthey are definitely necessary.
#Whilst most women may not find this tax on sanitary products to break the bank, women tend not to be as well of as their comparable male counterpart., and the cost of sanitary items definitely is a problem for homeless women, poor women and women without stable housing arrangement. Not also that the long-term cheaper option of menstrual cups and reusable pads has a higher intial cost (often higher than $AU40 for a menstrual cup) and to look after these items in terms of sterilising and cleaning when you are homeless or have an unstable housing arrangement is borderline impossible.
#Unlike with the tabacco tax beingg steered towards healthcare, the GST on women's sanitary products is not directly steered towards anything forthe specific benefit of Australian women.
# A pro-period/bleeding day.
#Another discussion group on Vanessa Tieg's "Menstrala" paintings.
#Give out free menstrual products, and begin talks on alternatives to disposable pads and tampons.
#Ada also loves the idea of giving women an art wall and telling them to draw things connected to their period or how they feel about their period.
#Ada suggests the article ‘If men could menstruate’ by Gloria Steinem. Erica looks it up and is thrilled. It is amazing. This would be a brilliant article to centre Women's Reading Group discussion on.
#Start a thread on the forum for discussion (HA! You're reading it now!)
#Madeline suggests we can contact Steph about someone at NOWSA from RMIT who wanted to do a pro-menstrual event/campaign.
#Chocolate. Lots of it. There was also discussion of healthy options, with tea being nominated.
Quotable Quotes
... from the minutes...
#"...Toilets aren’t considered a luxury product, and would the Parliament, composed primarily of men at the time (it still is), prefer that she bleed everywhere?
#"It is considered a $20 million tax on women in Australia."
#"So they’re making money out of our vag?"
#"The sight of everyone with blood running down their legs will get the point across."
#"Erica explains that at the time, the Minister... compared tampons and pads to shaving cream, saying that he would love to have shaving cream GST-free, but knows it is a luxury item. She acerbically notes that if he doesn’t use shaving cream, he just grows a beard. If we don’t have pads and tampons, we bleed everywhere."
#"We could even extend it for a few days if people like it, you know, like when the body feels it just needs a few extra days."
#"Erica asks who likes a good cup of tea when they have their period. Vigorous and mutual nods of assent follow."
Please feel free to post replies to this content and I look forward to contributions and debate on the topic! EK