Toolkit

Understanding Aboriginal Women's Rights

Explanation of Key Concepts

This tool provides an explanation of key concepts related to gender, racism and intersectionality and is relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women involved in gender justice and equality work. The tool clarifies the meaning of specific concepts related to gender, racism and intersectionality to develop an understanding of First Nations women’s gender justice and equality to drive change. The information can be used as a reference point or included in organisation documentation and information in the form of a glossary or additional notes.

The Aboriginal Gender Study: Final Report – based on three South Australian Aboriginal communities in metropolitan and regional areas, the study explored perspectives of gender, gender roles and gender equity.1

The Aboriginal Gender Study: Community Report – a summary of the Final Report that describes gender, the research and findings.2

Aboriginal Women and the White Lies of the Feminist Movement: Implications for Aboriginal Women in Rights Discourse – a 1993 article by Eualeyai and Kamillaroi scholar Dr Larissa Behrendt, providing a perspective about Aboriginal women and the feminist movement in Australia.3

Australia is Racist – But Not in the Way You Think – a NITV article by Natalie Cromb, Gamilaraay woman, mother, lawyer and writer, discussing the key role ethnocentrism plays in Australia’s racist discourse.4

Changing the Picture: A National Resource to Support the Prevention of Violence Against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and their Children – provides an evidence-based framework for government, organisations and communities to work together to prevent violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.5

Change the story. A Shared Framework for the Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women in Australia – provides an evidence-based, cross-disciplinary framework to drive and lead change to ensure all women are free from violence.6

Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics – Kimberlé Crenshaw’s 1989 article where she first discusses intersectionality as critical when analysing racism and sexism.7

Discrimination – the Australian Human Rights Commission quick guide to discrimination.8

Gari Yala (Speak the Truth) Gendered Insights – a multi-agency report, led by Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education, focused on the underrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Australia’s workforce and understanding the intersection of gender and identity.9

Gender-based Violence – provides a broad, global definition of gendered-based violence and links to relevant United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) policies, publications and resources, including a gender equality toolkit.10

Gender Equality: Glossary of Terms and Concepts – includes a glossary of gender terms, as well as an overview of key gender concepts – theories, approaches, tools and laws.11

Gender Mainstreaming: Conceptual Framework, Methodology and Presentation of Good Practice – provides a conceptual framework and strategy on gender mainstreaming and conditions required for its achievement.12

Gender Stereotyping – a United Nations definition of gender stereotyping, examples and its prohibition under specific human rights treaties.13

Julia Gillard Speech Prompts Dictionary to Change ‘Misogyny’ Definition – an article by The Guardian journalist, Lizzy Davies, explaining how Julia Gillard’s famous 2012 speech directed at Tony Abbot prompted a change to the definition of misogyny.14

The Key Things You Need to Know About Power and Privilege – an article by The Line, an Australian organisation aimed at young people and focused on “what’s ok and what’s not when it comes to sex, dating and relationships”.15 The article provides a clear explanation of power and how it is coupled with privilege.16

Pursuing Implementation of Wiyi Yani U Thangani Dialogue Paper One – provides an overview of Stage Two of Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) and its aim to progress First Nations gender justice and equality.17 Dialogue Paper One includes key concepts related to First Nations women’s gender justice and equality.

Racism at Work: How Organisations Can Stand Up to and Eng Workplace Racism – based on Diversity Council Australia’s 2022 report, Racism at Work, a downloadable infographic, and explanations of racism and anti-racism are provided.18

Talkin’ Up To The White Woman: Indigenous Women and Feminism (20th anniversary edition) – written by world-renowned Geonpul woman, Dr Aileen Moreton-Robinson, and first published in 2000, the text explores Australian feminism from an Indigenous woman’s standpoint.19

What is Racism? – an explanation of racism by the Australian Human Rights Commission campaign, Racism It Stops With Me, with a link to Key terms, including anti-racism, types of racism and bias and intersectionality. 20 21

Why ‘Blak’ not Black?: Artist Destiny Deacon and the origins of this word – an NITV article by Gamilaroi journalist Kate L. Munro explaining the origin of Blak over Black.22

UNESCO’s Gender Mainstreaming Implementation Framework – provides baseline definitions of key concepts related to gender.23

Key concepts can be included in organisational documents and information to aid clarification and understanding. Ensure resources are acknowledged accordingly.

Blak was coined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist Destiny Deacon in the 1990s when she took the ‘C’ out of the “colonisers’ language” to assert her identity and push-back from hearing Aboriginal peoples described as “…little black c…s”.24

Blak Feminism advocating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s standpoints, rights and balance of power with other genders.25 26

Discrimination the unfair treatment of an individual or group based on personal characteristics.27 It is unlawful to discriminate a person on the grounds of age, disability, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, immigration status, sex, pregnancy, marital or relationship status, family responsibilities or breastfeeding, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.28

Ethnocentrism preconceived, narrow ideals that infiltrate societal attitudes and values and deem certain people or groups inferior.29

Feminism the advocacy of gender rights and balance of power across all genders.30

First Nations Gender Justice and Equality embodies self-determination and the rights of First Nations women and girls by:

  • ensuring equal access to resources to decide how lives are governed and shaped;
  • acknowledging and embracing lived experiences, knowledges and worldviews to dismantle and reconstruct inclusive, fair and just systems; and
  • recognising and equally valuing and respecting First Nations women’s identities.31

Gender-blind bias towards one gender and other privileged groups.32

Gender-mainstreaming “is the (re)organisation, improvement, development and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all policies at all levels and at all stages.”33

Gender-responsive actions that meet the needs of specific genders.

Gender-sensitive Approaches include ways that are more effective in improving outcomes for all genders.34

Gender and Culture the understanding that there are often specific gendered roles within certain cultures. For example Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women tend to take on more caring and nurturing responsibilities for children, family and community than men.3536

Gender Equality – is equal conditions for women and men to realise their full human rights, and in turn, contribute to and benefit from. economic, social, cultural and political development.37

Gender Equality from an Aboriginal perspective – includes the equal and collective responsibility of men and women to bring culture forward, as well as maintain gendered spaces.38

Gender Equity – is fairness to women and men and includes compensatory measures to ensure injustices faced by women are prevented, and women and men operate at the same level.39
“Equity is a means. Equality is the result.” 4041

Gender Inequality – “unequal value afforded to men and women and an unequal distribution of power, resources and opportunity between them”.42

Gendered Hierarchies – the placement of gender in a position of power over another.

Gendered Stereotypes – generalised beliefs or ideologies about the “attributes or characteristics, or…roles” of women and men.43

Gendered Violence – are “harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender”.44 For First Nations women and girls this may include acts of rape and child removal.45

Intersectional – focused on the intersections of multiple forms of social inequality.46 For First Nations women and girls, gender inequality “intersects with sexism, racism, classism, and political and economic disempowerment,” creating further imbalances of power.47

Intersectionality – the recognition that discrimination does not occur on a single-axis (eg only racism), but intersects with other discriminatory behaviour (eg sexism), further compounding marginalisation.48

Intersections of Racism and Gender – recognition that intersectional experiences are greater than racism and sexism alone, and must be considered as a whole to address subordination and marginalisation (of Black women).49

Misogyny – holding a deep prejudice, or hate towards women.50

Patriarchy – a social system where men “ hold the greatest power, leadership roles, privilege, moral authority and access to resources”.51

Power – “the ability or authority to make decisions and/or exercise control over” others.52

Racism – is the practice of individual or institutional discrimination, exclusion or disadvantage on the basis of “race, colour, descent, nationality, ethnicity, religion or immigration status”.53 54 Racism can take different forms including harassment, abuse or violence, or through inequitable and unjust systems and institutions.55

1

Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Ltd, The Aboriginal Gender Study: Final Report (Adelaide: AHCSA, 2019).

2

Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Ltd, The Aboriginal Gender Study: Community Report (Adelaide: AHCSA, 2019).

3

Larissa Behrendt, “Aboriginal Women and the White Lies of the Feminist Movement: Implications for Aboriginal Women in Rights Discourse,” Australian Feminist Law Journal, no.1 (1993): 27-44.

4

Natalie Cromb, “Australia is Racist – But Not in the Way You Think,” NITV, August 10, 2017, https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/australia-is-racist-but-not-in-the-way-you-think/j0rgdl6ay.

5

“Changing the Picture: A National Resource to Support the Prevention of Violence Against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and their Children,” Our Watch, 2018, https://media-cdn.ourwatch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/20231759/Changing-the-picture-Part-2-AA.pdf.

6

“Change the Story. A Shared Framework for the Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women,” 2nd ed, Our Watch, 2021, https://media-cdn.ourwatch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/18101814/Change-the-story-Our-Watch-AA.pdf.

7

Kimberle Crenshaw, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics,” University of Chicago Legal Forum 1989 (1989): 139-168.

8

“Discrimination,” Australian Human Rights Commission, accessed November 9, 2022, https://humanrights.gov.au/quick-guide/12030.

9

Olivia Evans, Gari Yala (Speak the Truth): Gendered Insights (Sydney: WGEA, Jumbunna Institute of Education and Diversity Council of Australia, 2021), https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/gari-yala-speak-the-truth-gendered-insights.

10

“Gender-based Violence,” United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), accessed November 3, 2022, https://www.unhcr.org/en-au/gender-based-violence.html.

11

“Gender Equality: Glossary of Terms and Concepts,” UNICEF, 2017, https://www.unicef.org/rosa/reports/gender-equality.

12

“Gender Mainstreaming: Conceptual Framework, Methodology and Presentation of Good Practices,” Council of Europe, 2004, https://rm.coe.int/1680596135.

13

“Gender Stereotyping,” United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, accessed November 3, 2022, https://www.ohchr.org/en/women/gender-stereotyping.

14

Lizzy Davies, “Julia Gillard Speech Prompts Dictionary to Change ‘Misogyny Definition,” The Guardian, October 18, 2012, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/17/julia-gillard-australia-misogyny-dictionary.

15

“About The Line,” The Line Limited, 2021, https://www.theline.org.au/about/.

16

“The Key Things You Need to Know About Power and Privilege,” The Line Limited, 2021, https://www.theline.org.au/the-key-things-you-need-to-know-about-power-and-privilege/.

17

Australian Human Rights Commission, Pursuing Implementation of Wiyi Yani U Thangani: Dialogue Paper One (Canberra, 2020).

18

“Racism at Work: How Organisations Can Stand Up to and End Workplace Racism,” Diversity Council Australia, 2022, https://www.dca.org.au/research/project/racismatwork.

19

Aileen Morton-Robinson, Talkin’ Up To The White Woman: Indigenous Women and Feminism (20th anniversary edition), (Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 2000).

20

“Commit to Learning,” Australian Human Rights Commission, 2022, https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/commit-to-learning.

21

“Key terms,” Australian Human Rights Commission, 2022, https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/commit-to-learning/key-terms.

22

Kate L. Munro, “Why ‘Blak’ not Black?: Artist Destiny Deacon and the origins of this word,” NITV, June 29, 2020, https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/why-blak-not-black-artist-destiny-deacon-and-the-origins-of-this-word/7gv3mykzv.

23

“UNESCO’s Gender Mainstreaming Implementation Framework (GMIF) for 2002-2007, UNESCO, 2003 https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000131854.

24

Kate L. Munro, “Why ‘Blak’ not Black?: Artist Destiny Deacon and the origins of this word,” NITV, June 29, 2020, para 5-6, https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/why-blak-not-black-artist-destiny-deacon-and-the-origins-of-this-word/7gv3mykzv.

25

Aileen Morton-Robinson, Talkin’ Up To The White Woman: Indigenous Women and Feminism (20th anniversary edition), (Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 2000).

26

Larissa Behrendt, “Aboriginal Women and the White Lies of the Feminist Movement: Implications for Aboriginal Women in Rights Discourse,” Australian Feminist Law Journal, no.1 (1993): 27-44.

27

“Discrimination,” Australian Human Rights Commission, accessed November 9, 2022, https://humanrights.gov.au/quick-guide/12030.

28

“Discrimination,” Australian Human Rights Commission, accessed November 9, 2022, https://humanrights.gov.au/quick-guide/12030.

29

Natalie Cromb, “Australia is Racist – But Not in the Way You Think,” NITV, August 10, 2017, https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/australia-is-racist-but-not-in-the-way-you-think/j0rgdl6ay.

30

Larissa Behrendt, “Aboriginal Women and the White Lies of the Feminist Movement: Implications for Aboriginal Women in Rights Discourse,” Australian Feminist Law Journal, no.1 (1993): 27-44.

31

Dialogue Paper One

32

Dialogue Paper One

33

“Gender Mainstreaming: Conceptual Framework, Methodology and Presentation of Good Practices,” Council of Europe, 2004, 12, https://rm.coe.int/1680596135.

34

Dialogue Paper One

35

Olivia Evans, Gari Yala (Speak the Truth): Gendered Insights (Sydney: WGEA, Jumbunna Institute of Education and Diversity Council of Australia, 2021), https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/gari-yala-speak-the-truth-gendered-insights.

36

Aboriginal Gender Study: Community Report

37

“UNESCO’s Gender Mainstreaming Implementation Framework (GMIF) for 2002-2007, UNESCO, 2003 https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000131854.

38

Aboriginal Gender Study

39

“UNESCO’s Gender Mainstreaming Implementation Framework (GMIF) for 2002-2007, UNESCO, 2003, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000131854.

40

“UNESCO’s Gender Mainstreaming Implementation Framework (GMIF) for 2002-2007, UNESCO, 2003,17, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000131854.

41

“Illustrating Equality VS Equity,” Interaction Institute for Social Change, last modified January 13, 2016, https://interactioninstitute.org/illustrating-equality-vs-equity/.

42

“Change the Story. A Shared Framework for the Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women,” 2nd ed, Our Watch, 2021, 28, https://media-cdn.ourwatch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/18101814/Change-the-story-Our-Watch-AA.pdf.

43

“Gender Stereotyping,” United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, accessed November 3, 2022, para 1, https://www.ohchr.org/en/women/gender-stereotyping.

44

“Gender-based Violence,” United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), accessed November 3, 2022, para 1, https://www.unhcr.org/en-au/gender-based-violence.html.

45

Dialogue Paper One

46

“Changing the Picture: A National Resource to Support the Prevention of Violence Against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and their Children,” Our Watch, 2018, https://media-cdn.ourwatch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/20231759/Changing-the-picture-Part-2-AA.pdf.

47

Dialogue Paper One

48

Kimberle Crenshaw, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics,” University of Chicago Legal Forum 1989 (1989): 139-168.

49

Kimberle Crenshaw, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics,” University of Chicago Legal Forum 1989 (1989): 139-168.

50

Lizzy Davies, “Julia Gillard Speech Prompts Dictionary to Change ‘Misogyny Definition,” The Guardian, October 18, 2012, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/17/julia-gillard-australia-misogyny-dictionary.

51

“Gender Equality: Glossary of Terms and Concepts,” UNICEF, 2017, 7, https://www.unicef.org/rosa/reports/gender-equality.

52

“The Key Things You Need to Know About Power and Privilege,” The Line Limited, 2021, para 2, https://www.theline.org.au/the-key-things-you-need-to-know-about-power-and-privilege/.

53

“Commit to Learning,” Australian Human Rights Commission, 2022, https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/commit-to-learning.

54

“Racism at Work: How Organisations Can Stand Up to and End Workplace Racism,” Diversity Council Australia, 2022, para 7, https://www.dca.org.au/research/project/racismatwork.

55

“Commit to Learning,” Australian Human Rights Commission, 2022, https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/commit-to-learning.

Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Ltd. The Aboriginal Gender Study: Final Report. Adelaide: AHCSA, 2019.

Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Ltd. The Aboriginal Gender Study: Community Report. Adelaide: AHCSA, 2019.

Australian Human Rights Commission. “Discrimination.” Accessed November 9, 2022. https://humanrights.gov.au/quick-guide/12030.

Australian Human Rights Commission. Pursuing Implementation of Wiyi Yani U Thangani: Dialogue Paper One. Canberra: AHRC, 2020.

Australian Human Rights Commission. “Commit to Learning.” 2022. https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/commit-to-learning.

Australian Human Rights Commission. “Key terms.” 2022. https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/commit-to-learning/key-terms.

Behrendt, Larissa. “Aboriginal Women and the White Lies of the Feminist Movement: Implications for Aboriginal Women in Rights Discourse.” Australian Feminist Law Journal, no.1 (1993): 27-44.

Council of Europe. “Gender Mainstreaming: Conceptual Framework, Methodology and Presentation of Good Practices.” 2004. https://rm.coe.int/1680596135.

Crenshaw, Kimberle. “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics.” University of Chicago Legal Forum 1989 (1989): 139-168.

Cromb, Natalie. “Australia is Racist – But Not in the Way You Think.” NITV, August 10, 2017. https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/australia-is-racist-but-not-in-the-way-you-think/j0rgdl6ay.

Davies, Lizzy. “Julia Gillard Speech Prompts Dictionary to Change ‘Misogyny Definition.” The Guardian, October 18, 2012, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/17/julia-gillard-australia-misogyny-dictionary.

Diversity Council Australia. “Racism at Work: How Organisations Can Stand Up to and End Workplace Racism.” 2022. https://www.dca.org.au/research/project/racismatwork.

Evans, Olivia. Gari Yala (Speak the Truth): Gendered Insights (Sydney: WGEA, Jumbunna Institute of Education and Diversity Council of Australia, 2021). https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/gari-yala-speak-the-truth-gendered-insights.

Interaction Institute for Social Change. “Illustrating Equality VS Equity.” Last modified January 13, 2016. https://interactioninstitute.org/illustrating-equality-vs-equity/.

The Line Limited. “About The Line.” 2021. https://www.theline.org.au/about/.

The Line Limited. “The Key Things You Need to Know About Power and Privilege.” 2021. https://www.theline.org.au/the-key-things-you-need-to-know-about-power-and-privilege/.

Our Watch. “Changing the Picture: A National Resource to Support the Prevention of Violence Against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and their Children.” 2018. https://media-cdn.ourwatch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/20231759/Changing-the-picture-Part-2-AA.pdf.

Our Watch. “Change the Story. A Shared Framework for the Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women.” 2nd ed. 2021. https://media-cdn.ourwatch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/18101814/Change-the-story-Our-Watch-AA.pdf.

Morton-Robinson, Aileen. Talkin’ Up To The White Woman: Indigenous Women and Feminism (20th anniversary edition). Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 2000.

Munro, Kate, L. “Why ‘Blak’ not Black?: Artist Destiny Deacon and the origins of this word.” NITV, June 29, 2020. https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/why-blak-not-black-artist-destiny-deacon-and-the-origins-of-this-word/7gv3mykzv.

UNESCO. “UNESCO’s Gender Mainstreaming Implementation Framework (GMIF) for 2002-2007.” 2003. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000131854

UNICEF. “Gender Equality: Glossary of Terms and Concepts.” 2017. https://www.unicef.org/rosa/reports/gender-equality.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). “Gender-based Violence.” Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.unhcr.org/en-au/gender-based-violence.html.

United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. “Gender Stereotyping.” Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.ohchr.org/en/women/gender-stereotyping.