From 2023 to 2025, Dr Donna Bridges, A/Prof Sonja Maria, and I hosted “Conversations for a Brave New World“. We started this show with two main goals.
ONE: to shake up the norms in rural/regional Australia around gender and sexuality.
TWO: give scholars a platform to show off their research.
Even though we hosted the show together, each month, one of us took the lead. The ones I’ve led are highlighted below.
You can catch our show on 2MCE, and to listen to past episodes, just click on the episode name below.
Episode 18: Rural LGBTQ+ Experiences (December, 2024)
Rural LGBTQ+ people still report poorer mental health outcomes compared to LGBTQ+ people who live in metropolitan cities. One explanation for this is that rural communities as conservative spaces expect residents to conform to heteronormative roles. In this episode, we speak with Dr Ruby Grant from ARCSHS at La Trobe, and Gavin Prendergast from ACON about the experiences of LGBTQ+ people in rural communities. ACON provides dedicated support for LGBTQ+ people in rural communities and you can access information about the services they provide by clicking here.
Episode 17: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (November, 2024)
This month our show is in honour of The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This year the theme is “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”. It calls on governments worldwide to share how they are investing in gender-based violence prevention. To talk about activism and prevention in rural NSW Donna is joined by two experts in the area of violence against women. Paula Cahill is a Generalist Counsellor at the Central West Women’s Health Centre in Bathurst and works extensively with women experiencing or recovering from domestic violence. Dr Rachel Hogg is a senior lecturer in Psychology at Charles Sturt University. Rachel has contributed to academic and media discourses about domestic violence reforms.
Trigger Warning: This show will cover sensitive and potentially distressing topics, including gendered violence, sexual assault, and related trauma. If at any point you feel uncomfortable or triggered, please prioritize your well-being and step out or take a break. For anyone needing support, I encourage you to reach out to the following services:
- 1800RESPECT (National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service): 1800 737 732
- NSW Rape Crisis Service: 1800 424 017
- Central West Women’s Health Centre: (02) 6331 4133
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
Episode 16: Voices of Change (October, 2024)
In this episode, we amplify the voices of Canadian youth on issues of gender equity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The episode aims to inspire and inform through the stories, insights, and experience of the students. Canada has a positive reputation internationally in the diversity, equity and inclusion stakes – Donna asks the students if they think Canada is deserving of this reputation and opens up discussion on topics such as gender identity and the role that education should play in teaching and supporting gender identity. The students discuss the importance of gender identity and sexual orientation for young people in Canada today.
Lakehead University students visited Charles Sturt University as part of a short-term Diversity & Inclusion program. This was a joint initiative between Charles Sturt University’s Office of Global Engagement and Lakehead University Department of Gender and Women’s Studies. Many thanks to Shane Aylmore from the Office of Global Engagement and to Lakehead University academic Dr Rosemary Kimani-Dupuis for inviting us to participate.
Episode 15: Women in STEM (September, 2024)
Women continue to be a minority within the STEM disciplines. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics continue to be seen as masculine largely with some exceptions related to the caring parts of STEM such as anatomy and health where women are better represented. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Felicity McLure and Associate Professor Theresa Larkin to explore what restricts women from participating in STEM.
Episode 14: Rainbow Realities (August, 2024)
Despite achieving marriage equality in Australia, LGBTQ+ Australians still report poorer wellbeing. In this month’s episode, we are joined by Natalie Amos and Shakara Lidlow-Hunt from the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society to talk about LGBTQ+ well-being based on their recent Rainbow Realities report.
Episode 13: Women in Corporate Leadership (July, 2024)
Australia needs more women in corporate leadership to enhance diversity, innovation, and decision-making. Women bring unique perspectives, foster inclusive cultures, and drive better business outcomes. However, women still represent a minority in corporate leadership positions in Australia. Join me for a chat with Dr Claire Wright and Jacki Johnson on why we do not have more women in corporate leadership and what can be done to change this.
Episode 12: The Hidden Homeless (June 2024)
Women make up the largest number of the new homeless. Homelessness is something that can happen to any of us at any time. In this episode, we speak to Sue Thomson and Adam Farrington-Williams about the documentary Under Cover, which sheds light on the hidden faces of homelessness. We talk about the little actions we can all take to end the stigma surrounding homelessness.
Episode 11: The Barbie Movie (May, 2024)
The “Barbie” movie has been toted as a feminist film. This month’s guests, Dr Suzie Gibson from Charles Sturt University and Dr Lauren Gurrieri from RMIT University don’t agree. They talk this month about Barbie – the doll and the movie – and the reinforcement of traditional gender roles and beauty standards. Despite attempts to modernize the image of Barbie, it seems that the doll and its promoters still centre on a character historically associated with consumerism and unrealistic body images, which can undermine feminist principles of equality and diversity.
Episode 10: Solo Female Travel (April, 2024)
Travel can contribute significantly to our well-being. We all know how refreshed we feel coming back from a trip. Travelling alone can also help develop skills and confidence in oneself, which can significantly enhance the individual’s life. But can travel also be gendered? In this month’s episode, our experts, Dr Elaine Yang and Dr Prachi Thakur highlight the challenges of travelling as a solo female and the complications that arise when you consider ethnicity. We look at how travelling as a solo female can attract unnecessary attention and social judgement, limiting the ability of women to travel by themselves.
Episode 9: International Women’s Day: Women’s Health Centres (March, 2024)
This week International Women’s Day hits the stage and many people have expressed concerns about the potential short-term effects of the day. Whilst IWD raises awareness for women’s equality and celebrates women’s achievements does the energy fizzle away when the day is over? This show celebrates women working at the coal face of inequality, domestic violence, and health and wellbeing – women working in Women’s Health Centres are progressing the IWD agenda in all aspects of their work, all year round. Join us to find out what this work involves and learn more about the passionate women who commit to equality, to health and to ending violence against women, everyday.
Episode 8: Early childhood education: A feminised industry (November, 2023)
This episode addresses the problem of low pay and unequal conditions in this industry. Donna talks to Dr Tamara Cumming from Macquarie University about the historical legacy of feminisation issues in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and the what can be done about them and to Kate Damo from the Independent Education Union of Australia about initiatives occurring to create better conditions for early childhood educators.
Episode 7: Unconscious bias (October, 2023)
Biases, we all have them. Some are innocuous, like our bias towards how we like to organise stuff in our pantry. However, some biases particularly focusing on how we see others in society, can be dangerous. In this episode, our guests Kim Copeland and Associate Professor Sue Williamson talk to us about unconscious bias and its impact in the workplace. These are biases against people that we are not actively aware of having but which still influence our behaviours.
Episode 6: Queer people in leadership (September, 2023)
This month we have a conversation about Queer people in leadership, covering the challenges they experience and the perspectives they can bring to leadership roles. Our guests, Jordan Emery and Dr Elise Stephenson (ANU) challenge us to think about how Queer people in leadership may face challenges and stigma because of characteristics unrelated to their job or ability to lead.
Episode 5: Women in paramedicine (August, 2023)
This month we have an inspiring radio show that honours the incredible women of paramedicine. This empowering show is hosted by Sonja Maria, Associate Professor at Charles Sturt University, we’re joined by Alisha McFarlane, an advocate for gender equality, and Louise Reynolds, Chief Paramedic Officer. Both guests discuss their journeys, insights, and how they’re shaping the future of healthcare.
Episode 4: Women in trade occupations (July, 2023)
This month’s show focuses on the barriers to women entering the trades and the actions required to increase the representation of women in non-traditional trades in Australia. Donna talks to Sarah Curley, Program Manager at Tradeswomen Australia who has 10 years’ experience in construction and related trades, a double degree in Construction Management and Design and is committed to real change in gender equity within male-dominated industries. Donna also chats with members of her own Women in Trades research team, Larissa Bamberry and Elizabeth Wulff.
Episode 3: How far have we actually come in LGBTQ+ rights? (June, 2023)
The month of June has been celebrated as Pride month and this months episode explores how far we have actually come in LGBTQ+ rights. Our expert guests Noah Riseman and Karl Zlotkowski share with us how LGBTQ+ rights have advanced in some ways, but not others, drawing attention to the challenges Trans people in particular still experience in our societies.
Episode 2: Women in Precarious Employment in Higher Education (May, 2023)
This month’s show “Gender issues in the university sector: The case of precarious work” highlights the escalating trend of casual work in universities and its unfair impact on women. This month our expert guests Emma Rush, Sarah Redshaw, Elizabeth Wulff and Larissa Bamberry discuss how precarious work contributes to employment insecurity, income inadequacy, and a lack of employment rights and protections.
Episode 1: Women in Church (April, 2023)
This month’s show features two experts discussing the problem of gender inequality in the Anglican Church in Australia. After the 30 year anniversary of women’s ordination in the Anglican Church Reverend Wendy Pullin reflects on the barriers that she encountered on her journey to become a priest. Nicola Lock a Lecturer of Pastoral Counselling and Professional Supervision in the School of Theology at Charles Sturt University and counselor in private practice talks about barriers that still exist today for some women in the church.
Clifford Lewis 