The women’s movement in Australia has achieved phenomenal advances in the last 200 or so years. We saw the first Australian Suffrage Society form in 1884 then saw South Australia and Western Australia give the vote to women in the late 1800s, early 1900s. In 1902, some Australian women got the federal vote (Indigenous women didn’t get the vote until 1962!).
We saw women support the war effort from 1914-1918 by taking on traditional male work and this transpired again in greater numbers during World War II. We saw the invention of the pill in 1961 change the face of women’s health and freedoms forever. In the 1960s we saw women wearing mini skirts and women in pubs.
Today, feminism lives on, with further advances towards equality still pursued by the women’s movement (equal pay, board representation, senior management roles, violence against women).
Today, the third wave of feminism has seen a broadening of the goals for equality to include queer women and women from different cultural backgrounds as well as different theories around activities once considered exploitive of women – pornography, sex work and prostitution.
And when it comes to fashion, if you’re in Australia, anything goes. If you want to reveal all in a string bikini, you have the right to do so. If you want to cover up from head to toe, you have a right to do so. We can credit this to third wave feminism.
When it comes to art, it’s sometimes a reflection of the world in which we live and, sometimes, art influences the world in which we live.
When it comes to feminist art in the 21st Century it’s all about making the old new again. Women today are increasingly taking all that was good from the past and giving it a contemporary twist or a cheeky middle finger to old patriarchy.
Think 1950s housewife versus rockabilly revival …
CHEEKY: You’ll find this gorgeous rockabilly girl print in our Pop Art collection.
Think steam trains versus steam punk …
STEAM PUNK: Where yesterday meets tomorrow (and anywhere in between!)
Think subordination versus independence …
BE FREE: Celebrate independence with inspirational imagery. This gem is from our sports photography collection.
Think prim and proper versus serious and sassy …
BE YOURSELF: This sassy print from our Retro Art collection says ‘girl power’ through and through.
Think sexual oppression versus sexual liberation …
STEAMY: Spice up your nights with this sexy bedroom art print, one of our most popular buys.
Think no vote versus greater corporate and political equality …
STEP UP: Celebrate success and inspire equality with this black and white corporate print.
Think boring versus fun …
GRAF GRRRL: Graffiti art is no longer just for boys. Add colour and life to your home today!
We’re seeing this trend in fashion, arts and craft. Women are taking the good bits and poking fun at the bad bits. What a way to disrupt patriarchy!
These are just a few examples from many pieces of art you can hang in your home or office that will inspire you to stand up for equality, day in day out, without being a belligerent bore.
At the end of it all, the most important thing to do is stand up for equal rights for women, embrace the change, take care of each other and – most of all – have fun while doing it. Find the feminist fun now!
