My name is Paula and I am a warrior for BALANCE and think females are the key.
We are smart. We are strong. We are necessary. We are needed.
Adults need to MODEL the above to our daughters and sons.
Teach them in a better way than we are now – and that just doesn’t mean within our homes.
The current paradigm of our world is skewing toward an unbalanced, saturating and prodominantly male domain.
Unfortunately, females are globally not faring well in this domain.
We need to question why females are not even remotely close to equally representing our world and start taking some positive action toward an enlightened world where all people are globally treated with importance and RESPECT.
At this stage, it feels like a distant dream.
This is not a male-bashing site.
For a balanced paradigm, we need our males – males who will see a female’s worth, beyond her appearance and not see a sexual commodity; ones who will stand up for a less violent, more just and respectful existence.
I want to engage in rational and smart conversations with you all – female or male; teen or grandparent.
Are you up for it?
Hope so.
Paula x
PS All images used throughout this blog are taken from the Internet.
In the event that I have broken any rules with copyrighted material, it is unintentional and the material will be removed immediately upon request.
Please email petralunga@hotmail.com if this is the case. Apologies in advance.
Me
Questions for Us 
We are starting a campaign to stop the launch of lingerie football in Australia, I’ve emailed a heap of Australian MP’s and am brainstorming strategies with http://www.melindatankardreist.com http://www.collectiveshout.org We would love your support if you are interested and against the launch of LFL in Oz and all its implications for the female population of Australia. I can send you a copy of the information I’ve collected and received from the Australian sports commission to fill you in if you’d like. Blessings, Lily ๐ lilithrose76@hotmail.com http://www.freedomfrompornculture.wordpress.com
I would LOOOOVE to help!! Send me anything and everything! I’ll do them and pass it on here and on my Facebook page – Questions for Women!
Paula
petralunga@hotmail.com
Hello Paula
Fabulous what you are doing. Thank you.
These questions need asking, and answers. I am also a questioner, mother of two grown children, hairy legs and armpits (we really don’t have to comply, and can still maintain our dignity) activist, deeply concerned youth worker, and feminist activist committed to shining the light on our world saturation of subtle and overt denigration of women.
I would love to run the film Miss Representation in my local Byron Bay area. Do you know if this is possible or how to proceed??
I think the film would be well received here.
I also run groups for girls 10-15 and their mothers addressing self esteem, sisterhood, cultural gender issues, and women’s innate wisdom. Some days it feels there are so few women willing to notice what seems so obvious, and the collective silencing has been handed down like a roll of duct tape through the generations. Your blog is another inspiring reminder that I am not alone in this. Together women will weave a web of life force stronger than the forces who would have it destroyed.
Gracias
Cuidate
Moana Pearl
http://www.moanapearl.wordpress.com
An absolute pleasure to meet you – you sound amazing! What you’re doing is simply fantastic.
And ‘Miss Representation’ is exactly what you need to show. It’s wonderful.
Just email ellen@missrepresentation.org and she walks you through it. The license is about $750.
Good luck and keep me posted on how it goes!
Un beso (where are you from?)
Paula ๐ x
PS Following you now. Melinda Tankard-Reist came to my screening! It was so exciting to meet her! ๐
Hello i just came across this video and a couple more recently why is there such disgusting and degrading videos about women everwhere it makes me sick i watched this and was very upset at the message its sending people joke or no joke its not funny to me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuSF_5HmgTI&sns=em
This is pure filth. The worst part is that I reckon most young men would watch this and think it’s funny.
…and they’re the ones who will be out there with our daughters.
Filth.
PS – The only part I liked to hear wass that apparently girls aren’t ‘putting out’ as much. Hope that’s true.
x
http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/is-this-photo-grounds-for-death-20130325-2gpi2.html
I love Clementine Ford. Thank you for passing on this article. I love the part that reads:
“A woman’s naked body has always been the instrument of the patriarchy,” she says, “they use it in the sex industry, the fashion industry, advertising, always in men’s hands. We realised the key was to give the naked body back to its rightful owner, to women, and give a new interpretation of nudity … I’m proud of the fact that today naked women are not just posing on the cover of Playboy, but can be at an action, angry, and can irritate people.”
One day…
Thank you! x
Hi Paula, fantastic blog! This is so inspirational for me as a young feminist and I’m really enjoying working my way through your archives of posts. I have just started a blog with a similar – ish format where I ask and answer questions which I feel are important feminist and gender equality issues. Thank you so much for writing x
AWESOME, Elli!! Fantastic! It warms my soul to hear young women leading the way through their minds – but still enjoy all the fabulousness of being female – which looks like is what you’re doing with your blog.
Thank you for your kind words. ๐
Paula x
Thank you! Keep all the good work up x
This is the first time i visited your blog,. really excellent stuff and quite inspirational too,. thank you.
Thank you so much!!!
Your kind words mean a lot to me. ๐
Why don’t you bother checking copyright? Are you saying it is OK to take other people’s work until they personally you have done so. You wouldn’t have to make such a statement if you carefully read licensing agreements. This is a major issue in society as well.
I’m not sure of what you’re saying. Your second sentence seems to be missing a word (maybe) and your point is unclear.
Happy to hear your thoughts.
Yes, it was missing the word realised. In the sense that you shouldn’t be relying on image makersrights holders checking your site to highlight copyright breaches, rather you need to be proactive and operate within the law. My bad. The issue is still about your attitude to borrowing images off the net. Copyright is simple. The originators/owners either grant people the rights to use their image or they don’t. If you haven’t been given permission (by the licence) then you don’t have a right to use the images. It is not enought to rely on the originator coming across your site and then taking the image down. If you are using images without carefully checking the licence and making sure you have permission that is stealing. If you are doing everything properly you shouldn’t need the disclaimer above.
Where appropriate you should be citing the source of your images.
Thank you.
FUCK COPYRIGHT
Why?
OK got it.
Hi Paula – I’m Daniel, a journalist in Sydney. I’ve sent an email to your address and keen to speak to you about your blog. Can you return ASAP? thanks a lot.
Thank you so much for speaking with me, Daniel.
I feel very humbled to have been given the opportunity to speak.
Paula
Hey Paula
Firstly, can I please say thank you for your Wicked campaign; it has inspired me to take my campaign further and wondered if I could ask for your help in doing so…
I am a UK citizen but live in New Zealand where I came across the campervan company called Juicy. I found their marketing and imagery offensive so wrote a letter to them a few months back. Obviously they never replied. Have you heard of Juicy? They are AustralAsian and I have see their vans on the east coast of Australia before.
Do you have an email address I can send my letter to for you to read? To see what you think? Essentially Juicy use a provocatively dressed curvaceous cartoon woman wearing a bright green dress blowing a kiss or winking at passers by as they drive.
Again, thank you for this inspiring campaign; it’s incredible to know there are other woman who realise that this is no longer something we should be expected to “laugh off”; and in the case of Wicked, is completely offensive ad dangerous.
Zoรซ
petralunga@hotmail.com
No worries! Thank you for your support.
Hi Paula,
Thanks for bringing this into the light, I have signed the petition today and asked my community of parents to sign it as well. We will be the powerhouse to bring this man to his knees and show him we will not tolerate this as a society. I’d like to share my petition if that’s ok:
____________________________________________________
I have an 8 year old daughter who can now read, she would attempt to read this because it is written on the back of a van in ‘funny’ writing because she’d want to know what it is. What kind of message is this sending to boys who will be men and girls to be women. This particular message is saying to boys “it’s ok to treat a girl like a slut” – it’s like they have been given ‘permission’ to do this, so they will think it’s common practice and do it! It’s not about not being able to take a joke, we can all see the funny side in statements, but not like this. This is being freely advertised across the country to EVERYBODY.
John Webb, get your bloody fingers out of your ears, and start listening to the people. We may not be the target audience, but we are still AN AUDIENCE. We are forced to witness this disrespectful and disgusting advertising while we are out on the road with our kids, taking them to school, doing the shopping, going on holidays. Why do you think we should tolerate and accept this, just because it is your business. I am all for business making their mark, branding and getting their business scene, that is what I coach with my clients, but this is not marketing, this is an offensive attitude of a misogynist man using his business to say it is ok to exploit women.
You don’t have to be a feminist or a parent to find this disturbing, just a human being that cares about other people in general. We have the collective RIGHT to stand up and demand the right to a society where this is not acceptable by any means. An advertising company would not be allowed to put this on a Billboard or in a TV advert, then why the hell do you have the right to sprawl his hideous and very disturbing mindset and garbage across what is basically a billboard that travels and forces it on the public audience.
You can have a WICKED business without the misogynistic and degrading slogans and imagery, you just have to hire the right company to give you the right campaign and brand to go with it. Be a man, suck it up and make it right! Stop this shit today!
We will fight til it’s gone, or your gone, one or the other!
Petition By Heather James, Inspiring Mums๏ปฟยฎ
____________________________________________________
We can’t and won’t stand still until we are heard. I’m appalled that it has taken this long for someone to stand up and say something and change it!
Thanks for bringing this to our attention and be the power of change with a positive outcome for everyone, even his business.
good luck x
Heather
Don’t waste your time with that nest of retired politicians, lurk merchants, overpaid bludgers and rent-seekers called the Human Rights Commission.
But there are a number of other possibilities here. The Wicked Campers organisation and the swaggering types who rent their pathetic vehicles are egotists, and as such are highly reluctant to appear as complete fools. (They are, but canโt see it, but that is another story.) So I suggest you:
1. Go to their Wicked Campers website and give them a serve.
2. Go to their Wicked Campers website and make a false booking or twoโฆ hundred, along with phoney email addresses.
3. Go to somewhere like Repco and buy a (cheap) tyre valve core removal screwdriver. Remove one or more valves from the tyres of the offending parked van with the hirers inside asleep or away. Stand by while the tyres gently but quickly go flat. Keep the valves for souvenirs. (Removing a valve core is easier than screwing the lid off a Vegemite jar. If you are unsure, try it out on the spare your own car first, preferably while the car is standing by the air compressor at a service station. Take the valve out and screw it back in a few times till you have got the hang of it.)
4. Even better: using a battery powered electric drill or an eggbeater drill fitted with a small diameter drill bit (say 1-2mm) drill a hole into the rubber valve stem of the tyre (between where the air hose is applied and the wheel rim). Coming up: four flat hard-to-repair tyres, and only one spare. Go figure.
5. Get a paint pot of your own and add to the signage as you choose. Leftover paint can always be used to paint out the existing signage (as if it was a Rolf Harris mural). Also, external lights at night can disrupt the occupants’ sleep. So do them a favour and white-out or black-out the windscreen. Quick-drying paint is most effective. Coordinate colours to harmonise well with the existing paintwork. Keep it all in good taste.
6. If the van was covered with racist graffiti, any member of a targeted race would have no worries with doing any or all of the above, from the community at large or from the law. Why should sexist bilge like that displayed be given any different treatment, ie no treatment?
The time to hit this sort of crap on the head is as soon as possible after it first appears. Any epiemiologist or other medical professional will agree.
Thanks Captain Marvel (love the name!)
We’ve actually started moving on a number of different avenues and are progressing well.
Thanks for your comment.
Hi Paula
We are trying o connect with you about a response a number of women in brisbane have instigated against Wicked Campers. We staged a picket last weekend and have a Facebook page called Wicked Picket that we would love for you to join.
thanks
Eleesa
Hellooo Eleesa,
I apologise profusely for not answering sooner – I have to say that life took on a crazy whirlwind after the campaign and saw me present at the International Women’s Liberation Summit just over a month ago. I’ve barely written on the blog either.
I’m starting to ask people on my Facebook blog page to send me any images of inappropriate vans that are still on the road. It’s just been over three months and I’ve had a few shockers come through, but for the most part it seems like there’s a bit of improvement.
I’m not sure because not many people have responded as yet.
If you or your friends see any degrading or misogynistic slogans, please take a photo (including the number plate – that’s important) and send it to me, as I’m starting a collection to present to Wicked Campers. They still have just over two months to fulfil their promise, which I hope they do.
If you have Facebook – my blog page is ‘Questions for Us’ and that’s where I keep most people up to date with varying issues.
Thanks for your message.
Paula ๐
PS How did the picket go?
Hi there, just wondering if you had any updates on the Wicked Camper situation? We’re a group in Byron who want these vans gone. I know there’s a huge background on it, just wondering if we can help?
Hi Sarah. If you’re on Facebook, I run the Boycott Wicked Campers page. I post everything to do with this issue there and there’s a lot of info.
I spoke to the gentleman in Byron who sprayed over the slogan today and it seems like there is going to be a good fight starting (has already started) there. I’m so happy to see this momentum finally start to build up again – it’s been a long 20 months.
With what’s going on in NZ, as well as a friend, Christine King, has a meeting with the QLD Attorney-General next week about Wicked, to ask for legislation changes – I think we’re really starting to finally get somewhere.
But definitely check out the page – lots of info and peeved people there.
Thanks for writing! ๐ x