Articles

Art

Lost in Translation

Leave a Comment / Articles /

The importance of learning foreign languages isn’t as prominent anymore, as it once was. Perhaps living in Australia and being geographically isolated is a reason for foreign languages not having the same emphasis, as those living closer to other countries. However, I have heard a number of children raised in Australia who had migrant parents, myself included, who were never taught their parents’ first language growing up. I have heard before that a number of people have abandoned their parents’ first language or weren’t taught it in the first place because many were bullied for it, which is another issue. Whilst the bullying component was not my personal experience, the conversation tended to be how it may not be as useful as it’s a niche language or for some people they heard how they’re living in Australia so they will be speaking English anyway. Whilst I understand this logic I feel as though the value or any foreign language is immense and contributes to enhanced emotional intelligence. Whether the foreign languages learned in childhood years are utilised whilst grown up, there is so much within a language that is lost when no longer spoken; understanding culture and meaning within language dissolves. Being able to speak any other language can make someone more culturally and linguistically sensitive and respectful to local people whilst travelling or living abroad, to the country where the language is spoken, or with migrants who speak that language. When languages are translated there is a significant amount of meaning which can be lost. To successfully translate foreign languages requires meticulous education, training and application. The literal translation of foreign languages does not come close to understanding the meaning of what has been written or spoken. When trying to implement feedback mechanisms within a humanitarian or international development context, there definitely can be challenges when trying to use specific language to ensure that people utilise the feedback mechanisms put in place, and accurate data and information is collected. Some terms and words which are quite common in English and in Western countries may not translate in the same way and have meaning. Some systems then end up becoming redundant because the relevance of it does not appear to apply. There are some systems which do apply but they have not used contextually specific language to translate meaning effectively, as to their purpose and function within the community. There may be more of a move to investing in foreign languages or at least passing on languages learned over the course of someone’s life, to children. From speaking to a number of people who have had migrant parents, who didn’t learn their parents’ first language growing up and are now are doing so have recognised the value in it and what they missed out on. It makes it a lot simpler to invest in a skill like understanding foreign languages from a young age when the children absorb everything so much easier than to try and do so as an adult.

Lost in Translation Read More »

Porndemic

Leave a Comment / Articles /

There is a documentary out there titled ‘Porndemic’ which looks at the pornography industry and the HIV outbreak in the 1990’s. This blog post isn’t about HIV/AIDS but about liberation and oppression with the rise of porn around the world, sex education and how sex is viewed within the space; with how this translates into sex in relationships. Liberation and oppression are interesting concepts because one person’s form of freedom can be another person’s tyranny. When thinking about sex work around the world there is a lot of conversation about how liberating it can be for so many people to be able to express themselves sexually in a way that perhaps could not have been done before. However, does this perspective only consider people who by free will went into that work and industry. When you take a deeper look into the sex work industry it can be a very sinister thing; where a lot of what is visible can be perceived as “soft” compared to what is really available out there. I don’t feel as though a lot of the discussion of sexual liberation is considering the people who are trafficked or forced into things based on what is now “normal”. It can be a challenging thing when trying to support freedom and expression whilst being painfully conscious of how that can impact you personally. When it comes to the impacts of the rise of the porn industry it can be a confusing thing for people because in a way it can be a form of sex education. Whilst sex education is taught in some schools and spaces, in my schooling experience it was predominantly human anatomy as sex education. It may be different today however in some countries and cultures it is still something very taboo. A lot of how people learn about “sex” is through porn. With porn being so readily available today and being a typical thing for people to consume it is not surprising that a lot of sex today is reflective of this. A big issue in this is of consent and how this takes place, demands and expectations of how people should perform and what is considered normal. I have heard a number of people tell me that what they learn or think they have to do during sex is from what they see in porn or on TV. This is not to solely criticise the sex work industry, people who work in the sex work industry or people who take part in it. I believe that you can be sex positive, support freedom of expression and not necessarily have to do or agree with everything that is out there. I think there needs to be a more enhanced and genuine focus to understand how sex is portrayed today and how it has an impact on women and people in their lives. Overall, I believe that when discussing issues related to liberation and equality it is essential to consider not only who and how people experience the freedom of something but how people also experience the abuse and oppression.

Porndemic Read More »

Collaboration not Competition

1 Comment / Articles /

An Innovation, Technology & Design Summit recently took place in Sydney, with the goal of businesses sharing their efforts and contributions towards sustainability. A lot came out of the many sessions which took place with a range of topics including fashion, technology, medicine and health care, food, packaging, transport, circularity and manufacturing. Understanding further about the capacity for businesses to make contributions to a sustainable future was really valuable and is something which should be promoted more. A key finding which came out of the summit, which was reflected in many sessions and topics, was the concept of having collaborators and not competitors. Typically, a lot of development within communities and around the world is often associated with the not-for-profit sector and with charities. Whilst it’s good to have the work that’s being done with many development organisations, I think it can be limiting to have it exclusive to just these spaces. With a growing awareness about climate change, global warming, pollution and waste now is the time to innovate and share the responsibility of a sustainable planet and future, beyond the not-for-profit sector. A panellist at one of the sessions at the summit highlighted their thoughts around business models and shared their belief of approaching work with the mindset of “we don’t have competitors, we have collaborators”. Rethinking development in this way is a conscious shift from a model of aggression and rivalry to partnership and team work. It’s great to encourage businesses to support and align themselves with charities or important causes however, increasing awareness as to how businesses can make modifications and reduce things like their carbon footprint, with the goods or services which they produce, may make more of an impact. For example, the summit was informative of enhancing awareness about the detrimental impact which food packaging has on the planet. I was surprised to hear that food packaging can cause more harm to the environment than animal production for consumption and travelling by aeroplane. Whilst today I feel that people are generally quite informed about environmental degradation, being informed across a wider range of things which harm the planet and people, which have the most harmful affect like food packaging, can highlight areas where businesses can be more involved in making modifications to their outputs. In terms of greater individual responsibility fashion and waste was brought up. Today there are increased rates of consumption and production of clothes. The concept of how something can be reused and what people now are calling “preloved” clothes was discussed. How people can learn about proper care for their clothes so that countless items don’t continue to end up in landfill each year is the goal; or when clothes no longer serve a purpose to ensure that they are donated and not thrown away. Overall, whether there is work done at the individual or organisational level to contribute to a more sustainable world, success will be achieved through more collaborative action; where the outputs are focused on sustainability directly.

Collaboration not Competition Read More »

Labour Pains

Leave a Comment / Articles /

Invisible labour, as work which is unpaid and minimally recognised, has been a hot topic for a while and something more comprehensively explored, given the increased number of women in the workforce today. Invisible labour is still an issue today with the amount of work outside of paid employment that people still have to complete. Previously I have written about “the grind” and “the hustle culture” which is rampant in society, where the style of how we work is to be juggling a bunch of things related to work and including work in order to get ahead and achieve. Whilst there is this shift towards considering mental health and wellbeing, what I feel is not being included in our work model when considering work-life balance is the work which people are required to do at home, for themselves and their family. A lot of people seem to be experiencing this prioritisation of work over many other things in life. Paid work is definitely a priority but at times it feels as though it’s not a choice for many people, and it appears as though the rest of life gets left behind.   Previously more women stayed at home to complete most of the standard household chores like cooking, washing, cleaning, groceries, errands, child care and other caring responsibilities to say the least. Whilst this has shifted to more women working in paid roles today the amount of invisible work remains. Perhaps in some instances in a two-person relationship it is more convenient if there is one person who undertakes paid work and the other who looks after unpaid work. However, it is such a complex issue to consider as most people today can’t afford to not work and a number of people actually want to work to do something that they are passionate about, outside of a home and family life. The question still remains as to how to manage a genuine work-life balance today, considering the increased expectations from paid work, outside of paid work activities related to work, social and family life, exercise and wellbeing, leisure, chores, life administration and other general tasks.   A lot has been discussed about moving towards a 4-day work week, where some countries around the world have put this to trial. Naturally I hear a lot of praise for this model and seeing people being all for it. Having an extra day off work can be really valuable, considering if salaries were to remain the same. The amount of times I have said and have heard other people say “if only I had an extra day on the weekend…”. Having this extra day would mean I could invest a lot more in consistent cleaning, chores and the endless life administration which I cram into my weekday evenings; so that I can have more of a break on the weekends, and not spend the entire weekend racing around. It would be ideal to being able to slow down, work meaningfully, effectively and enjoy.

Labour Pains Read More »

Social Same

Leave a Comment / Articles /

A lot of social activism appears to be about change and supposedly changing for the better. This in a way makes sense although I also think it’s important to recognise the values and behaviours from the past which were good and strive to maintain them; or work towards bringing some of them back. Today I’m seeing a lot of discussion about traditional values and how they are dismissed. Whilst I recognise that certain traditional values can be harmful and may not be for everyone, there is merit in some of them. For example, I believe that the emphasis on community and family were stronger in the past and a lot of what conservative activism tries to work towards is promoting this. I think that the concept of change has become something to constantly work towards but it’s worth considering the goal of change when doing so.   Things are constantly evolving without us even being conscious of it. I wonder if there is an increased rate of change because today we have so much more stimulation, goods and services at our fingertips that the competition for attention is more intense. The challenge to remain relevant and interesting is difficult so ongoing change almost appears to be the way to go. Fashion trends change all the time but even with these changes there is still this reverting back to different decades of fashion and style, which are reignited as trendy. I see the appreciation of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s styles today. From this I understand that whilst there is change there is also a fluctuation of ideas and trends being recycled and being returned back to when there is the appreciation of hindsight. I don’t think that this applies to just style and fashion but also values and behaviours.   There was previously an emphasis on knowing how to look after and repair things in your home and car whilst having useful skills like sewing and cooking. A lot of these important life skills appear to have diminished and lost a lot of their value. However, with the trend now to live the simple life, and people wanting to be more removed from a lot of recent technology and busy city life, these values and skills are now beginning to be more appreciated again. It appears that a number of people are realising the value of being able to look after themselves and their homes.   I know that often people romanticise the past particularly when the present isn’t as exciting and the future not so promising. However, nostalgia is a very valid feeling and I think it should be considered more as a tool for what needs to be included in the present, and what is really significant. Everyone knows the power of hindsight and I think it can be used as a way to bring back what was important. I believe that it’s worth having a holistic society which is accepting of people who are more traditional whilst being open to new ideas.

Social Same Read More »

In a Barbie World

Leave a Comment / Articles /

Barbie is iconic and an unbelievably contested product and topic of discussion. Decades have passed since the doll and brand was introduced and I believe it’s still as relevant today, if not more, than it was initially. Barbie had the goal of being progressive and dedicated to young girls having private play time to envision their adulthood. However as many of know and can attest to, the impact which Barbie had and continues to have on our lives is much more than its original goal. This is not to solely criticise Barbie and its creators as I believe that Barbie is a symbol which brings attention to complex issues; including body image with extreme dieting and unrealistic/exclusive beauty standards, gender roles, femininity and fashion. Barbie is indicative of many cultures and sub-cultures. At times Barbie may not be as present but the aspiration for the plastic and perfect look is prominent. With the development of social media there is an influx of superficial and self-promotion, sometimes using filters and other digital modifications. There is even the rise of people who are admitting to wanting to look like Barbie and look plastic. I selected Barbie as a topic for my year 12 Society & Culture major work. I wanted to explore this as to why she’s so popular and the impact she has on people. Whilst I understand that I was inexperienced with research and framing questions I still feel that I never came to a solid conclusion as to her relevance and impact. What real impact does it make to say that you won’t allow your children to play with Barbie dolls when the cultures which Barbie represents infiltrate society in numerous ways. There may be people who have barely played with Barbies as children but have a strong consciousness about self-image and beauty. These are traits associated with Barbie so it’s not as simple as just removing Barbie as beauty standards, fashion and gender roles are ever present despite Barbie. Representation matters but has it changed anything? I remember when I was interviewing someone for my major work and they mentioned that they had a few Barbie dolls, not all were Caucasian and blonde, but the blonde one was still their favourite. The interviewee could not describe why they were the favourite. It’s clear how complex Barbie is as and how they impact people’s lives, not always at a conscious level. Many of us express hatred and anti-Barbie sentiment but there’s still this gravitation, love and sometimes obsession with the dolls. Even with Barbie changing over time with the addition of different careers and outfits to complement her, was there really a positive change? Did the discussion and impact of Barbie shift from body image and beauty standards? How relevant is Barbie to people today? Even when Barbie changes to have the standard doll body template modified and altered to be more inclusive and realistic, it’s not necessarily positively received or results in sales being boosted because of it. Is it Barbie that needs to change or the cultures and norms related to her?

In a Barbie World Read More »

The “Me” Culture

Leave a Comment / Articles /

“Never has a generation so diligently documented themselves accomplishing so little.” I saw this post several years back and it stuck. One can’t miss its manifest prevalence on social websites and platforms. At times, we need not even go online; it’s played out right across the table (or at your own) as you dine out with family or friends in a restaurant. In morning walks along the boulevard, the novelty of anyone suddenly breaking into a groovy dance is long foregone; heck, even the nice lady who sweeps the sidewalk does it – dancing to the camera. People are not engaging with people; they talk to the camera or their phones. The “Selfie” phenomenon ‘Selfie’ made it to Time’s top 10 buzzwords of 2012 and became Oxford English Dictionary’s ‘Word of the Year‘ in 2013, beating the close runner-up, “twerk”. I couldn’t resist sneaking that trivia in and leave you to your own takeaways on these insightful word choices. “Selfie” is said to be an Australian slang for self-photo snap, making its online debut in 2002 on an out-of-focus close up post of a man’s swollen lip after a drunken night out. Selfies are often associated with narcissism and vanity but they do have beneficial value. It’s all about intent and impact that make them good or bad. Photo Journal. Digital technology has removed practical constraints of self-documentation through photos anytime, anywhere. It has enabled us to capture and share not just our significant milestones and events but even the trivial details of our daily life. It could just be the outfit and look of the day, being in some place or with someone, or anything inconsequential that’s happening in the moment. Selfies can serve as a photo journal keeping track of one’s progression and journey through life, visual tools to help relive and look back on those moments in retrospect. On the flip side, self-documentation can distract you from fully experiencing the moment when you’re too invested in documenting instead of being present in it. Living through filtered lens. Selfies can be a form of self-expression. It is empowering to be able to make a statement through your self-photos. It gives you control over the image you want people to see of yourself. For those too concerned with appearances, smartphones come loaded with features to ‘enhance’ your looks; else there are applications that take care of that as you please. How many times have you known people through their photos who don’t quite lived up to them in the flesh? Yes, authenticity can be compromised, not just by appearances but also by perception when selfies are posted through contrived and filtered lens. I vlog “Me” Video blogging is another phenomenon taking place on the You Tube platform. According to CfDS, data analyzed by Global Web Index show that two out of three Internet users (65%) have watched a vlog. You Tube, with 1.3 billion people using it, has successfully established a social media lifestyle and is potentially becoming a new source of creating and getting information. Many are turning to You Tube to vlog about themselves and their lives. Some have even quit their 9 to 5 jobs to go full-time in creating these contents. The “Me” culture Incontrovertibly, advancement in technology and the internet have laid the foundation for these phenomena to happen. Lawrence R. Samuel, Ph.D wrote an insightful piece about the rise of the “Me” generation noting in particular that, “this  rise has run on a parallel course with a loss of faith and trust in large institutions…people all over the world rebuff external control in favor of sovereignty of the self.” One can only speculate how the “me” culture will play out far into the future.     REFERENCES: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/19/selfie-australian-slang-term-named-international-word-of-the-year https://newsfeed.time.com/2012/12/04/top-10-news-lists/slide/selfie/ https://cfds.fisipol.ugm.ac.id/2017/02/01/the-phenomenon-of-video-blogger-on-youtube-as-a-shift-in-peoples-culture-in-creating-and-getting-information https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/future-trends/201808/the-rise-me-culture

The “Me” Culture Read More »

Thank You!

Leave a Comment / Articles /

“Thank you” is an overused phrase, perhaps also the most undervalued, diminished by constant use. Ironically, it may also be one that we don’t have enough of on a deeper level. Gratitude, experts say, is a thankful appreciation for what one receives. In life’s convoluted web of relationships and social entanglements, it’s refreshing to indulge in simple acts and pleasures. Dr. Dona Matthews affirms the power and grace of Thank You. Many others, experts and non-experts alike, extol the benefits of gratitude. There are voluminous research studies undertaken that validate this but let’s not geek out on it. Here’s the gist: Gratitude makes one happier, healthier, and hardier while navigating through life’s ups and downs. There’s a caveat – one has to make a habit out of it to reap the benefits in good measure. Start each day with gratitude Wake up with a thankful heart. You’re blessed with another day, another shot at life and all its potentials. Appreciate the people with you and around you Give someone a thank-you note or express appreciation for the little things someone does for you. Build on this gratitude practice to nurture relationships and strengthen social support. Forsake ego / pride It takes selflessness to be grateful. Self-entitlement or ‘all about me’ attitude leaves hardly any room for appreciation. Let go of self-centeredness, yield to gratitude in all its gratification. Keep a gratitude journal Note down not just the good things but seek out the gains, even from the negative circumstances. Try a different perspective. Be grateful for your weakness or inadequacy that may have kept you grounded and motivated to strive harder, the hardships that made you strong, the pains and heartbreaks that taught you to endure, the obstacles that trained you to overcome. These are easily overlooked when you don’t consciously seek them out. Gratitude walk Go out and take a leisurely walk. Focus on the sights and sounds that please you along the way. Interact positively with the people you meet, seize opportunities to engage in small talk, work out a sweat, let those endorphins out – enjoy the moment. Pray or meditate It helps clear your mind. Focus on the people, things, and events you are grateful for. Let gratitude be your prayer or thought anchor. Getting into the habit of gratitude may be a struggle at first but it gets easier and more natural with persistent practice. The potential benefits are worth going the mile to do it and do it repeatedly. It improves your physical, physiological, and mental health, reinforces relationships, and enrich the overall quality of your life. The next time you instinctively say “thank you,” take a moment to think what you’re truly thankful for and savor it. REFERENCES: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/going-beyond-intelligence/202207/the-power-and-grace-thank-you https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-gratitude-research-questions/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/going-beyond-intelligence/202207/the-power-and-grace-thank-you https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain

Thank You! Read More »

Fast Food for Thought

Leave a Comment / Articles /

We live in a binge culture. There’s literally a TV and movie streaming platform called ‘Binge’. Today many of us consume so much of a product or service to such an extreme in such a small period of time. We do it with video games, TV and movies, food, drugs, alcohol, shopping, dating ETC. Bingeing something like food and alcohol is not necessarily a new phenomenon but it’s those excessive behaviours in conjunction with more of what and how we are consuming today, that makes it all that much more intense. Recent technological advances like laptops, phones and applications which compliment these make it so much easier to access information and resources. Previously, before computers were more readily available, if you wanted to complete an assignment you would have to travel to a library, reserve books and extract the information that way; making it more time consuming for some. Whilst many of the advances in technology have improved our access to information as well as enhanced our efficiency, we are then sometimes inundated with more work because we can be more efficient with our improved gadgets. Similarly, we experience this influx of people via social media and an ongoing supply of TV and movies. I remember when I was in school having to watch TV and movies at the scheduled time which they were on TV, or at the cinema. It was always annoying if I wasn’t able to make it home in time and missed parts but I remember enjoying the experience of TV and movies more. Nowadays, it gets to the point for me where watching all the TV and movies available isn’t as enjoyable as it was in the past because it’s just incessant. I think about how we binge with so many things and I notice that this is reflected a bit in our social scene as well. I don’t feel as though the social binge is about trying to see and meet people all the time. It is slightly more complicated because I feel as though today some people won’t see friends or others as much in person but veer towards “keeping in touch” through social media and scrolling through news feeds. It’s almost like getting a dose of socialising without having to do much work or organisation. It’s a similar experience with online dating where you can swipe left or right for ages where people will just consume this material for hours on end. In that way I see it as a binge. In social spaces I feel that there appears to be a bit of a disposable culture developing where people aren’t as good at interacting and connecting. Many will revert back to their phones as a way to communicate and if things don’t work out between people there’s this security blanket of social media and online dating to remind ourselves that there’s plenty of people out there. With all of these technological advances and methods of communication I always wonder if we are more efficient and productive, if we communicate better and overall if we really are better off.

Fast Food for Thought Read More »

Arts Activism

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I don’t have a very moving or profound story about how I managed to get into the humanitarian sector for work. I tried to pin point certain periods in life when I experienced injustice but upon reflection it was clear that it wasn’t any of those experiences. There are many people who work in the charity sector and within these significant global institutions like the United Nations who have much more profound and respectable stories of how they got to their place. To put my experience simply, as to how I became interested in human rights and international affairs, stemmed from being required to read a book for English class in year eight called ‘Parvana’. The story is about a young girl living in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban. She is forced to cut her hair to look like a boy so that she can sell products on the street to provide for her family. This is definitely where my interest in Afghanistan was ignited and I developed a greater interest in world affairs. I started watching the news more and made a conscious effort to understand history and war. Typically, I was saddened and appalled at what goes on in the world and was inspired to make contributions and efforts in order to combat these injustices. I am aware that when a book tells a story or when a film displays a portrayal of historical/current events then things can be dramatised and at times false. However, I believe that these sorts of platforms are excellent places to start discussions and inform about critical issues around the world and at local levels of society. I see the documentaries which Inspireflix creates in order to share stories and experiences about what people have gone through and overcome. I think that these documentaries and stories provide a clearer insight into genuine human experiences as well as being another medium for sharing and informing people about experiences and challenges which many people wouldn’t have ever considered. I understand that there are a number of ways to learn and engage in self-development. Many would say that travel is the best way to learn and experience other cultures. However, I don’t necessarily agree with this especially when some people just flock to tourist hubs. I believe that learning a lot about other people, challenges and cross-roads are a fundamental part of self-development, empathy and enhancing emotional intelligence. So when I hear people tell me “oh it’s just a movie”, I couldn’t disagree more. I am very involved in the films and TV I watch as well as the books I read. I don’t see them as just form of entertainment or creative expression, where both are relevant, but they are also something very deep for us to connect to, appreciate, understand and learn from. For people to be more involved in the creative arts in this way to enhance their social learning and awareness would be an ideal. I think that the work Inspireflix does in order to share personal and unique stories about real people is a very moving and honourable contribution to society.

Arts Activism Read More »

Fish Hook

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I previously had someone tell me about fishing, when fish are caught and then thrown back into the ocean that they end up being fine because they recover from a “minor” wound; then mentioning that catching fish isn’t that cruel because fish can’t really feel pain in the same way humans and other animals do. Meaning that fish perhaps know that something is wrong when they are caught but they do not feel the intense pain of the wound and trauma. This concept of fish being caught and wounded by hooks is a way that I’ve used to describe rape culture and normalised sexual violence. I feel as if there’s so much abuse within sexual relationships and that people are a bit like fish being caught; where we know that something is wrong but we don’t know how to explain what went wrong. Then when people are thrown back into the world we are left with this wound to somehow manage, but we don’t always know in a conscious sense what happened in the first place. The articulation of why something is uncomfortable or violating can be hard to explain because maybe there was consent established for sex or aspects of sex, but not for everything that has happened. I know that rape culture and what constitutes sexual violence; assault, abuse, coercion, harassment and consent today is much broader than what it used to be, and that it’s a very contested topic. It’s something that I find incredibly difficult to talk about and there seems to be such resistance when many people point out instances of rape culture behaviour. From discussions around sexual violence over the years a lot of people understand a lot more about consent and some things which they have experienced sexually, aren’t in fact a normal part of sex. I remember only starting to talk about my experience with rape culture about a year ago. It was mentally and emotionally a really tough thing to do because I couldn’t articulate the experiences properly. Physically I felt like something very wrong had happened but I had told myself for so long that nothing had happened, mainly as a maladaptive and sub-conscious coping mechanism, but also there was still this entrenched belief about what rape means. Previously I understood rape as someone unknown forcing themselves sexually onto another person. In reality this isn’t always how it occurs. It’s hard enough to ever prosecute someone for any kind of sexual misconduct let alone when there is this rigid definition and understanding of it. It is good to see that consent education is something which is being developed. There is still such an acceptance to avoid obtaining consent and instead waiting for someone to either scream out or literally say ‘no’ but this isn’t the way it should be in order to receive “consent”. There is definitely still a long way to go when it comes to eliminating sexual and gender-based violence and I’m hoping that consent education improves this.

Fish Hook Read More »

Swede…ish

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I remember learning a lot about belonging and identity during high school, as it was my year 12 HSC topic for English. At the time I didn’t think much of it and understood that “outsiders” have a heightened sense of not belonging. A lot of the examples which were examined were to do with people not belonging as opposed to people belonging. When undertaking exams many of us were encouraged to use examples of people who didn’t belong. I feel as though understanding belonging and its importance often derives from when you are in situations where you don’t belong or don’t have the same connection to something which the others in the context do. My dad was Swedish, my mum is Fijian-Indian, I am born and raised in Australia and the only language I speak is English. I feel as though not speaking the native language from each of my parents has enhanced the sense of often not feeling as though I belong in certain settings. There is this distance between myself and the rest of the group. There is this delegitimising of me being part of an ethnicity because I can’t speak the language. It’s as if in order to be part of the group I almost have to be the stereotype or express the ethnicity in some easy, identifiable way. My feelings of not belonging are by no means the fault of other people who are part of these groups where I am. Many people who are part of groups where I feel that I do not belong are often the ones who are very inclusive, and often make a conscious attempt to include me. Recently I attended a Swedish, cultural celebration and I expressed to a friend at the event how I feel in situations like this and it came as such a surprise to her. To my friend her perspective was more of course I belong because she sees me as a part of the group. The criticism I have faced from people about my ethnicity has more come from other people who enquire where I am from and some have said “well you can’t be Australian then”, or when I describe that my mum’s ethnicity is Indian but she was born and raised in Fiji then they get annoyed and say “well she’s Indian then not Fijian”. It appears to be a bit of a no-win situation when I explain my ethnic background and nationality to people. I’m not entirely sure where this animosity about peoples background comes from, and I understand that this is not just something that happens to me but many others with a more “complex” identity, but where my parents have come from is all relevant and a part of me. It can be such a challenging experience when not belonging is felt. From my experience it’s often not always about being socially included. It is something much more deep rooted, internal and personal. I think it can be very different for each person. I remember learning about how identity is not just how we perceive ourselves but how others perceive us. I am in the process of learning Swedish now and I am interested to see how my sense of belonging and identity changes when my Swedish improves.

Swede…ish Read More »