On Balance

24 July 2015

Welcome to On Balance, the National Council of Women of New Zealand's round-up of the latest gender equality news, research and events. Please share it with anyone you think might be interested and let them know they can subscribe here.

News from around the country:

• The finance spokespeople from four major political parties took a stand against domestic violence and spoke out on its economic impact at the Annual Debate held by the National Council of Women Wellington branch, the Zonta Club of Wellington and Graduate Women Wellington. The panelists were invited to discuss their party’s response is to the recommendations arising from the recent Productivity Gains from Workplace Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence report. The report was presented by economist Suzanne Snively who noted that "because of the absence of effective workplace protections for victims, domestic violence will have cost employers at least $368 million annually"
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• The first Muslim woman to have successfully come through a programme to help police increase diversity on the front line and within its ranks was revealed today. Shazmeen Khan is part of a "Turning of the Tide" Whanau Ora crime and crash prevention strategy in which police are doubling the number of their ethnic staff to improve the way they engage and respond to ethnic communities
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• During the grand finale of Dancing with the Stars, radio host Dominic Harvey competitor posted an unsavoury screengrab of competitor and former The Bachelorcontestant Chrystal Chenery. The feud following Harvey’s post is said to have “become a deeply troubling representation of the hatred towards women who stand up for themselves, and wish to protect and defend their rights to their own bodies”
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• ‘Gender diverse’ will join ‘male’ and ‘female’ categories in a new gender-identity classification released by Statistics New Zealand. This new classification records the identity of all people, including those who see themselves as different from male or female
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• Planning is underway for the implementation of gender-neutral toilets in Palmerston North. The city council is currently researching appropriate signage for gender-neutral toilet facilities throughout the city
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• Farmers department stores announced they will adopt gender-neutral changing roomsfollowing the investigation into the insensitive treatment of Auckland transgender personality Mary Haddilock-Staniland
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• Auckland is a city that prides itself on its diverse community, but a NZ Herald survey has found that white European men still run the city. Men occupy 88 of the 99 positions in the council’s boardrooms and executive management teams
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• The Kaikohe community took a stand against all forms of sexual violence and abuse against its girls, boys and women at a march down the town’s main street. This was followed by a meeting to explore ways to end sexual abuse within their community
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Latest research:

• More than 95 per cent of year 9 and 10 students in NZ want secondary schools to offer LGBTI workshops, according to a study commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Rainbow Youth
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• The men most likely to harass women online are the ones most likely to have their own problems, found a study of male Halo 3 players. It found that the male players who were less-skilled at the game were the ones who made frequent, nasty comments to the female gamers.
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• Women are half as likely as men to start a business, despite making great entrepreneurs, states a policy report out of the US. The report claims that women entrepreneurs tend to face more significant obstacles when it comes to starting their own businesses
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International news:

• Young women are increasingly planning to interrupt their career for family. A Harvard survey has shown that fewer young women than older ones expect to successfully combine work and family or have a career equal to that of their husbands
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• Actress Emma Thompson stated the acting industry is more sexist today than it was in her youth. She claimed that “some forms of sexism and unpleasantness to women have become more entrenched and indeed more prevalent”
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• US superstore Target is facing backlash for a sexist t-shirt emblazoned with the word “Trophy.” The shirt targeted at young women is emblazoned has been labelled as “objectifying (women) as a tangible object that can be bought, used, and disposed of”
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• Italy violates human right by not offering adequate legal protection and recognition to same-sex couples, a European court has ruled. Italy is the only major western European country that does not recognise either civil partnerships or gay marriage
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• Britain’s first feminist political party revealed its first ever leader Sophie Walker. The party, which is claimed to be the nation’s “fastest growing political party,” seeks equal representation in politics, business, and education, equal pay and treatment of women in the media, equal parenting rights and an end to violence against women
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• Many assault survivors have said they believe that US middle schools and high schoolscould prevent sexual violence by providing students with more robust sex education classes
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• Sexual predators are increasingly using crowded trams and trains as “opportune moments...to seek their gratification,” as a number of public transport passengers in Melbourne are reporting attacks while travelling

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