Opinion – Why we need a women’s lens on legislation

If you are in a car crash, did you know that you are more likely to die or be injured if you are a woman because safety testing is based on men’s bodies?

Ever looked around an office and seen women with blankets while men wear short sleeves? A recent study revealed that offices are on average, five degrees too cold for women because the temperature is set based on the average man’s metabolic rate.

How about smart phones that are way to big to fit in the pockets of most women’s jeans?

From the annoying to the uncomfortable to the down right dangerous, the truth is that we live in a world designed for men.

It is not conscious bias so much as a default setting. It is a one-size-fits-men approach to the way we organise our public spaces, our technology, our workplaces, our health system and our public policy.

No one thought to ask the question of whether women might have different needs and experiences.

Historically, this happened because planning, design and governance were dominated by men.

Today, we have the benefit of many more women involved in public and professional life. But habits are hard to break, and those unconscious biases still exist. Changing them will take conscious effort.

That is why government legislation should be scrutinised explicitly to consider its impact on women.

We need to identify the myriad ways that government policy can have unintended consequences that affect the health, safety and economic wellbeing of women.

For example, how do our state’s planning and development laws help women to feel safe in public spaces or ensure that women fleeing domestic violence have access to affordable housing?

Amid the current health care crisis, how does it impact women (who are far more likely to be carers) when the person they care for cannot get a hospital bed when they need it?

And what are we doing about the pay gap?

If elected to the Legislative Council as the Member for Nelson, I commit to assessing every piece of legislation firstly on its merits for the entire Tasmanian community and secondly with a women’s lens.

I will analyse the impact specifically on Tasmanian women and make recommendations for how it could be improved to help create a more equitable society.

I will publicly share and discuss my analysis and will bring the results into Parliamentary discussion and debate.

I will apply my many years of experience working in the social services sector. But most importantly, I will confer with the many excellent services, programs and individuals working in Tasmania to support women and equity.

We have a strong history of collaboration among women in this state. We should build on that to create an equity network that continues to challenge “the way we have always done things”.

I want to be clear that this is not about favouring women over men or cutting services for men.

It is about minimising the historical disadvantage still experienced by women every day in big and small ways.

It is about helping to build a Tasmania that is an exemplar of equity, safety and opportunity for women.

Ultimately, a more equitable society will benefit all Tasmanians.

Meg Webb | Mercury Newspaper | April 26, 2019