March 4 justice

Gosh, it has been a rocky road for women lately hasn’t it? On the one hand I think we’re all feeling a bit happier that flexible work conditions and working from home seems to have become part of the new norm. So that we can better juggle that old chestnut work/life balance.

And it was excellent that Grace Tame was named Australian of the Year. A fabulous speaker and a powerful advocate, fighting to ensure that women who are raped (and all rape victims) have a public presence, can tell their own stories and have their own voice.

And then on the other hand we’ve had the last week or two of federal politics - making it feel all pretty tokenistic.

If you’re concerned that our political institutions at the highest levels still think it is appropriate to undermine and minimalise women who name high powered men as their rapists, and brush allegations against the same men under the carpet without any investigation as to their veracity, you're not alone.

The March 4 Justice is an Australia-wide march and protest taking place in response to the manner in which recent allegations of sexual assault have been dealt with at the highest levels of government.

It is taking place in all capital cities (as well as in many regional towns) on Monday, March 15, with the aim of addressing (and ending) "sexism, misogyny, dangerous workplace cultures and lack of equality in politics and the community at large".

In Melbourne the event starts at 12pm at the State Library, but if you’d like to join a neighbourhood house crew, you can head to Jika Jika Community Centre, 1B Plant Street, Northcote at 11am. Then catch the train as a collective from Westgarth station.

And if you would like to make a banner for the March you can do so this afternoon (Friday) at Jika Jika, from 12-3pm.

If you've never made one before, need some help or resources, or just want to hang out in the company of other like-minded folk, pop past.