Speak Out June 2021

Member reflections INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2021 CON'T

have certainly paved the way for others to be able to do the same." What does International Women’s Day mean to you? "I see this day as a chance to highlight the ongoing issues for women, with the hope that each year, more people learn about inequalities and why we should never allow ourselves to become complacent. What is no longer a visible inequality to us may still be very much ongoing elsewhere. I also see this as a chance to advocate for the inclusion of trans and gender-diverse women who too often report feeling excluded from women's day events and issues. All women need a platform for respect and change, and to be able to celebrate our achievements in a still very much cis-male dominated society." I wonder if you noticed a common thread? All of these women are from the same program, completing the Master of Speech Pathology program at Griffith University on the Gold Coast. Why did I choose them? Well, I studied with each and every one of these amazing women. Women from all corners of Australia, in the same program studying together. It was tough for some of us, we were home sick, but we could count on this little speechie unit to come together in times of need. During our time together, we supported and pushed each other to strive for greatness. We were encouraged to do more, be more and to contribute to the community, go beyond our studies. The encouragement came from a group of wonderful women and men. To name a few; Carol Baldwin, Professor Elizabeth Cardell, Dr Samantha Siyambalapitiya, Dr Simone Howells, Associate Professor Marlene Westerveld, Associate Professor David Trembath, and so many other gifted, generous and supporting individuals who contributed to each of our journeys and supported each of these women to get to where they are today. Who supported you? Who made changes to enable you to get to where you are today? How have you contributed to better those who have come after you? How can we continue to make gains for women not only in our field but in general? A few question to get you reflecting and thinking!

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? "For me, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate how far women have come throughout history. It is also a reminder of how far we still have to climb to break through the glass ceiling, striving for equal rights."

ELIZABETH VENABLES Elizabeth Venables graduated from Griffith University speech pathology masters, with a background in linguistics, and she has been working in the acute adult hospital and university education and research spaces since then. Lizzy took some time off to have a couple of babies, and this has significantly shaped the direction she’s moved in. Always being very passionate

about cultural and linguistic diversity, even before speech pathology, Lizzy is continuing her work towards making this an integral and normalised part of our practice in Australia. What does our profession mean to you? "Being a speech pathologist has become so much a part of my identity. I am proud to be someone who dedicates their career to advocating for communication rights and access. When I studied linguistics, I wasn't sure where to channel my love for language and communication, and through speech pathology, I've found my place." In your eyes, how has our profession changed the landscape for women? "Research and academia have historically been a male- dominated field, but even in my short years in this profession I've seen many of my colleagues, both in the university and the clinical space, become leaders in their fields of research, where women were not as visible when I started out. They've done this through pouring blood, sweat, and tears into obtaining competitive grant funding, publications and places at national and international conferences. Many of these women are working mothers, looking after a sick parent, or driving two hours each way to work, we see the outcomes, but not the late nights, litres of coffee, children on laps during early morning Zoom meetings. I'm so grateful to these women, because they

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June 2021 | Speak Out