For International Women's Day this Monday 8th March, we're bringing the theme Choose To Challenge to our Collarts community. There's lots of ways to challenge the status quo in the creative industries, and as students craft their careers, we want you to remember that inclusivity and diversity isn't just defined to a day, but a lifetime.
DIVERSIFY YOUR LINEUPS
For Entertainment Management students, you're bound to be asked to curate a gig lineup or perhaps, one day, even a festival lineup, if you're working as a booker. Take your look at your options: are you sharing as many different voices as you could? If not, it's time to diversify.
But don't just add one band with women in it just to tick a box; make sure you're diversifying across the board and telling different stories. Organisations like Listen Melbourne have active lists of female and gender non-conforming artists (as well as sound engineers—because you can't forget about the crew either!).
BOOST JOB SEARCH CONFIDENCE
As a women, diving into the job market can seem daunting, particularly when you see a dream job that you're not sure if you're 100% qualified for. But did you know male applicants tend to apply for jobs when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women only apply if they meet 100% of them? Change the game and give every job ad that piques your interest a shot; who knows, you might get an interview!
If you're in a hiring position, you can also level the playing field for the applicants. Diversity and Inclusion policies at work can be crucial to doing so, and ensure you have a diverse, well-rounded and welcoming team.
SPOTLIGHT SIZE-INCLUSIVE FASHION
If you're in Fashion & Sustainability and thinking about starting your own label (or perhaps you already have one!), consider that women don't just come in one standard size. Diversify your sizing and acknowledge that there's no one way to be a woman, and your label could become a one-stop-shop for those who feel sidelined by other brands. Fashion Marketing students, embrace representing different types of women and gender non-conforming people on socials or ads too. Who knows; what you put out might resonate with someone unexpected.
If you're just an avid fashion fan, there's ways to challenge yourself too. Make the extra effort when you have a blouse or trousers you no longer want, and donate to Dress For Success, a not-for-profit that helps women re-entering the workforce with a dressing and support service.
CELEBRATE FEMALE GAME DEVELOPERS
Women and gender non-conforming people haven't exactly had the easiest time in the gaming industry (people still talk about Gamergate to this day), but the current scene has evolved to be a more welcoming and inclusive space. If you're an Animation & VFX student interested in gaming, an easy way to boost that inclusivity is by celebrating female and GNC developers!
While the triple A games created by majority-male video game companies are always tempting, endeavour to invest in smaller games created by female or GNC developers. Going the extra mile and supporting them on Patreon or social media if you like it can also ensure you're helping them out in the long-run.
