Feminism and women’s rights

Dear RainbowYOUTH and InsideOUT, I’m writing this letter in light of the influence your organisations have and work you do with youth in New Zealand, and in our schools and surrounding communities. The InsideOUT website states the organisation works to “make Aotearoa a safer place for young people”. RainbowYOUTH claims to “support queer & gender diverse youth in …

Are you perpetuating sexism? An open letter to RainbowYOUTH and InsideOUT Read More »

On May 26, Amnesty International released a policy on prostitution, advocating for the global decriminalisation of prostitution worldwide, framing it as “sex work”. Pimps are legitimate business managers; johns their clients. Over 600 leading feminist, human rights and anti-trafficking organizations that recognise prostitution a form of violence and exploitation, have challenged Amnesty International. Rachel Moran, a …

Some johns are policemen: on sexual violence, reporting, and legalising prostitution Read More »

This piece is written in response to Amnesty International’s just released policy on prostitution, a recent piece on “sex work” published on The Wireless, a courageous woman in Stanford, and for women everywhere.   In recent weeks many of us read the courageous, devastating letter a Standford woman wrote and read in court to the rapist who attacked …

On rape culture, and why I wear a whistle Read More »

As a rule, trade unions take their industries for granted. We’re not likely to see the president of a miners’ union speak out about fossil fuel extraction because of its connection to climate change, colonisation, or exploitation. Unions exist to advocate and educate workers: they’re invaluable, but they aren’t per se objective. It would be irresponsible …

Why the New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective shouldn't get the first and final say on prostitution Read More »

White Ribbon is an organisation that owes a great debt to women. White Ribbon is a group of men who recognise that male violence is epidemic, and have come together to take responsibility for and to do something about it. Multiple White Ribbon ambassadors have promoted or perpetrated violence against women before themselves, or still do – either at …

I want free self defense classes offered to all women in New Zealand. And I want White Ribbon to pay for them. Read More »

Committee Secretariat Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Parliament Buildings Private Bag Wellington 10 March 2016   Submission to Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee International Treaty Examination of the Trans-Pacific Partnership We (Pala Molisa and Renee Gerlich) are making this submission to the above committee as individuals. We request that MFAT, or a Ministry facilitated …

Submission on the TPPA – Request for assessment of the likely impacts on women Read More »