International Women's Day 2026 Balance the Scales For All Women and Girls #BalanceTheScales #IWD2026 UN Women Australia

Every day is International Women's Day at the Australian Women's History Network!

To celebrate, check out our wealth of feminist, gender, and women's history at #VIDAblog 🚺 ⚧️

#IWD2026 #BalanceTheScales #RightsJusticeAction

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www.auswhn.com.au/blog/

1. “Unreal and untrue: Refrigerator mother theory and the historic vilification of the mothers of disabled children,” by Kate McAnelly 2. “The Neptune: A Biography of Convict Women,” by Nichola Garvey 3. “Remembering Lyndall Ryan (1943-2024),” by Vera Mackie and the Australian Women’s History Network 4. “Camp Names and Vernacular: Queensland’s Lavender Language,” by Michael Stockwell 5. “The History of Objectifying Women: From Opium Use in the Japanese Empire to Contemporary Advertising,” by Ming Gao 6. “White Aprons, White Sauce, White … Supremacy? The culinary politics of internet ‘tradwives’,” by Lauren Samuelsson 7. “An Exercise in Biography-as-Frustration: The Enigma of Evdokia Petrov,” by Julie Kimber and Phillip Deery 8. “Histories of Birth Trauma and Obstetric Violence,” by Paige Donaghy 9. “‘You Can’t Wear A Red Ribbon If You’re Dead’: The Complex Rise of The Ribbon Project for People With AIDS,” by Caitlin Merlin 10. “‘Production-line baby-killing centres’: Vilification of Abortion in Queensland’s Recent History,” by Cassandra Byrnes

Congratulations to the authors of the top 10 most-read blogs for 2025! ✨

And a huge thanks to the #VIDAblog editorial team for all their stellar work in 2025.

@paigedonaghy.bsky.social | @dranastevenson.bsky.social | @veramackie.bsky.social

Read these blogs + more here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/

Poster in support of Bjelke-Peterson and the National Party in Queensland. Queensland Museum Collection, H22289.

Satirical $15 Note (1983) showing a caricature of Bjelke-Petersen and his impact on rural Queensland. H46288 in the Queensland Museum Collection.

VIDA Commissioning Editor Michael Stockwell.

In our latest blog, VIDA Commissioning Editor Michael Stockwell explores the intersection between the Lutheran Two-Kingdoms Paradox and Rural Fundamentalism and its impact on Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s approach to politics. #vidablog

Find it here: www.auswhn.com.au/blog/hillbil...

A Matter of Class? Higher Learning Opportunities for Women in Nineteenth-Century Britain | Australian Women's History Network This blog explores the higher learning available to women in Britain during the nineteenth century and how these opportunities varied drastically between the classes.

Check out a new #VIDAblog in our Women’s Education series! 🎓

Kaitlin Mills explores the higher learning available to women in Britain during the nineteenth century, considering how these opportunities varied drastically between the classes.

Read more here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/a-matte...

Gender and regenerative histories of landcare in Australia | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Andrea Gaynor expands on the themes of her keynote at the 2025 Australian Historical Association Conference on gender and environmental history.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

Andrea Gaynor expands on the themes of her keynote at the 2025 @austhistassoc.bsky.social conference, discussing gender and regenerative histories of landcare in Australia.

Read more here ⬇️

www.auswhn.com.au/blog/gender-...

Book cover: Women and Whitlam: Revisiting the Revolution, edited by Michelle Arrow (NewSouth Publishing, 2023).

On the 50th anniversary of the Dismissal, revisit the career and achievements of Elizabeth Reid, the world’s first advisor on women’s affairs advisor to Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, at #VIDAblog.

Read more here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/revisit...

Reflection: ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’ Symposium | Australian Women's History Network Eli Branagh and Tahlya Evans reflect on their experience hosting the ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’ symposium.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

Eli Branagh and Taylah Evans discuss their experience hosting ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’, a one-day symposium held in response to the recently published Personal Politics: The Remaking of Gender, Sexuality, and Citizenship (2024).

Find out more here ⬇️

What do video games teach us about women’s history? | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Abbie Hartman explores the impression of women's history given through video games and its impact on informal education.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

@ahartman.bsky.social explores the impressions that playing video games gives us about significant women historical figures, asking: What impact does this have on informal public education about women's history? 🎮

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/video-g...

Unreal and untrue: Refrigerator mother theory and the historic vilification of the mothers of disabled children | Australian Women's History Network Dr Kate McAnelly explores how refrigerator mother theory was incorrectly used to blame mothers as being the cause of their children's autism.

Mothers have long been unfairly blamed for their children's autism, as Kate McAnelly recently wrote in #VIDAblog.

Knowing this history is all the more important following yesterday's scientifically unfounded allegations about paracetamol/tylenol.

Read more here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/unreal-...

Remembering Alison MacKinnon (1941–2025) | Australian Women's History Network Margaret Allen remembers Emeritus Professor Alison MacKinnon, AO, FASSA (1941–2025)

In the latest #VIDAblog Margaret Allen remembers Emeritus Professor Alison MacKinnon.

Read about Alison's impact and achievements here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/remembe...

A matter of right rather than privilege? The opening up of higher education in Aotearoa New Zealand 1877–1920 | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Tanya Fitzgerald explores the history of women's access to higher education in Aotearoa New Zealand.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

Tanya Fitzgerald (@archive-dweller.bsky.social) explores women’s access to higher education in Aotearoa New Zealand at the end of the nineteenth century 🎓

This is part of our "Women's Education" series, edited by Kaitlin Mills.

Read it here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/a-matte...

Listening to Kamilaroi Women | Australian Women's History Network Kerrie Saunders and Margaret Cook explore Kamilaroi women's knowledge of nature, country and history.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

Kerrie Saunders and @mcookhistory.bsky.social explore Kamilaroi women’s knowledge of nature, country, and history.

The "Environment and Gender" series is guest edited by @rubyekkel.bsky.social.

Read it here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/listeni...

Fearless Beatrice Faust | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Judith Brett shares her experiences writing the biography of Australian author and women's activist Beatrice Faust.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

Judith Brett shares her experiences writing the biography of Australian author and women’s activist Beatrice Faust.

Read it here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/fearles...

Camp Names and Vernacular: Queensland's Lavender Language | Australian Women's History Network Bill Rutkin (OAM) and Michael Stockwell explore homosexual men's use of lavender language in Queensland during the Bjelke-Petersen era.

In our latest #VIDAblog, prominent LGBTQIA+ activist Bill Rutkin (OAM) and contributing editor Michael Stockwell explore how homosexual men living in Queensland during the Bjelke-Petersen era used lavender language to circumvent public and political vilification ⬇️

www.auswhn.com.au/blog/camp-na...

Reshaping the Australian Dictionary of Biography: Feminist interventions | Australian Women's History Network On International Women's Day, Melanie Nolan explores the Australian Dictionary of Biography and its ongoing efforts to include the lives of more women.

Back in 2017, the Australian Women's History Network's #VIDAblog featured the @ausdictionarybiog.bsky.social's ongoing efforts to include the lives of more women in its biographical entries through fantastic work of ANU's Melanie Nolan.

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/austral...

Histories of Birth Trauma and Obstetric Violence | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Managing Editor Paige Donaghy explores the history of birth trauma and obstetric violence in Britain and Australia for “Birth Trauma Awareness Week” 2025.

This week, Australia and Britain mark Birth Trauma Awareness Week 📣

Learn more about the history of birth trauma and obstetric violence from #VIDAblog Managing Editor @paigedonaghy.bsky.social.

#BirthTraumaAwareness #BirthTrauma #ObstetricViolence

Read it here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/histori...

The Failing Formula of Remote Schooling | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Cally Jetta explores the history of the remote schooling system for Aboriginal communities and its current failing formula.

In the first #VIDAblog in this series, Cally Jetta explores the history of the remote schooling system for Aboriginal communities and its current failing formula.

Read it here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/remote-...

Women's Education | Australian Women's History Network This blog begins a new series, edited by Kaitlin Mills, dedicated to exploring the different higher learning opportunities, both formal and informal, available globally to women from the nineteenth ce...

"Women's Education" is a new series, edited by #VIDAblog editorial assistant Kaitlin Mills.

This series explores the different higher learning opportunities, both formal and informal, available to women globally from the 19C onwards 🎓🍎

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/womens-...

The Failing Formula of Remote Schooling | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Cally Jetta explores the history of the remote schooling system for Aboriginal communities and its current failing formula.

In a new #VIDAblog, Cally Jetta explores the history of the remote schooling system for Aboriginal communities and its current failing formula.

#NAIDOCWeek #NAIDOC2025 #StrengthVisionLegacy

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/remote-...

Heavenly Creatures and the Politics of Feeling Good: Black Women’s Joy and Why it Matters | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Tinka Harvard explores how Black women’s joy functions as a radical, political, and historical form of resistance, healing, and self-affirmation in the face of systemic racism, sexism, a...

In a new #VIDAblog, Tinka Harvard explores how Black women’s joy functions as a radical, political, and historical form of resistance, healing, and self-affirmation in the face of systemic racism, sexism, and intersectional invisibility.

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/black-w...

Towards Echoic Biography | Australian Women's History Network Richard Fotheringham’s research on entertainer Jenny Howard leads him to the idea of ‘echoic biography’.

In the latest #VIDAblog in the Australian Journal of Biography and History series, Richard Fotheringham’s research on entertainer Jenny Howard leads him to the idea of ‘echoic biography’.

@ausdictionarybiog.bsky.social

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/towards...

An eighteenth-century milkmaid. Robert Dighton, Spring and Winter / Le Printemps et l’Hiver (1785-1786). Image via the British Museum.

A 1950s housewife wearing a white apron, alongside a white fridge, with her daughter. Image via Wikimedia commons.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

@clemloz.bsky.social adds to the "Colour" series, exploring the colour white and its links with the #tradwife movement and white supremacy.

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/colour-...

Badge – ‘Vote Yes for Aborigines’, 1967. Photographer: Jon Augier. Image courtesy of Museums Victoria.

On the anniversary of Australia’s 1967 Referendum, revisit a #VIDAblog by Lucy Davies and Kate Laing.

For the Referendum's 50th anniversary, Davies and Laing highlighted the activism of Indigenous elder, Joyce Clague.

#NRW2025 #BridgingNowtoNext

Read here ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/indigen...

The History of Objectifying Women: From Opium Use in the Japanese Empire to Contemporary Advertising | Australian Women's History Network In this blog Ming Gao explores the long history of the sexualisation and objectification of women through advertising.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

@mgao.bsky.social explores the long history of the sexualisation and objectification of women in the Japanese Empire through advertising.

Find out more ⬇️
www.auswhn.com.au/blog/the-his...

Gender and the Queensland Bush Workers' Strike, 1891 | Australian Women's History Network In this blog, Peter Woodley explores the place of gender in the Queensland Bush Workers' Strike of 1891.

NEW at #VIDAblog!

Peter Woodley explores the place of gender in the Queensland Bush Workers’ Strike of 1891.

@ausdictionarybiog.bsky.social

Find out more ⬇️

www.auswhn.com.au/blog/bush-wo...

#PublicHumanities features new research about the important role of academic blogging in knowledge translation for the humanities.

Historians Ana Stevenson and Alana Piper, our very own founding managing editors of #VIDAblog, collaborate with higher education researcher @kieranballoo.bsky.social.

Congratulations to #VIDAblog editorial assistant Michael Stockwell on launching this new series bringing legal perspectives to the history of #vilification.

Keep an eye out for future series updates 👀

In the meantime, check out the series introduction ⬇️

‘You Can’t Wear A Red Ribbon If You’re Dead’: The Complex Rise of The Ribbon Project for People With AIDS | Australian Women's History Network In this blog Caitlin Merlin explores the history of the Ribbon Project and its impact on reducing the AIDS stigma in the early 1990s.

In the lastest article on #VIDAblog, Caitlin Merlin (@caitlinmerlin.bsky.social) explores the history of the Ribbon Project and its impact on reducing the AIDS stigma in the early 1990s.

#Ribbonproject

www.auswhn.com.au/blog/you-can...

Top 10 for 2024 1. “Compiling an Oral History of Oral Contraceptives in Australia: It’s NOW or Never,” by Natasha Szuhan 2. “Regnant Queenship or Female Kingship? Gender, Power, and Legitimacy in Early Modern Europe,” by Tyler Horton 3. “Why should we challenge assumptions about second-wave feminism in Aotearoa New Zealand?” by Geena Carlisle 4. Series Introduction: “‘Premodern Gender’ – Rethinking Categories,” by Paige Donaghy 5. “‘Manly’ violence: rape, massacres, and white masculinity on the Queensland frontier,” by Zoe Smith 6. “Too much married: Bigamy and the Australian military,” by Alana Piper 7. “A Man-to-Man Whipping and a Promotion in Byzantium,” by Mark Masterson 8. “Our Best State Asset: Women, babies, and citizenship in World War I,” by Katherine Weiss 9. “A Cocktail of Academic Fervour and Dance Fever: My Experience of AHA 2024,” by Meg Graham 10. Series Introduction: “Gender, Biography & History,” by Malcolm Allbrook and Michelle Staff

Our thanks to all the authors who contributed to #VIDAblog this year ✨

Check out our Top 10 for 2024!

Congratulations to #VIDAblog Managing Editor @paigedonaghy.bsky.social, whose “Premodern Gender’ – Rethinking Categories” series featured prominently!

Read more here ⬇️
auswhn.com.au/blog/

Book cover: Alana Piper, Yirranma Place: Stories of a Darlinghurst Corner (NewSouth Publishing, 2024).

Congratulations to Alana Piper on the launch of her new book, Yirranma Place: Stories of a #Darlinghurst Corner (NewSouth Publishing)!

Another one for the #holiday stockings!

Find out more in the latest #VIDAblog ⬇️

www.auswhn.com.au/blog/women-o...