Until recently I regularly browsed the Twitter stream of an organisation known as the Australian Gender Equality Council. Well I did until I was blocked after posting a benign response to one of their tweets. This occurred without any warning or explanation. I’ve since sought details from them, but have yet to receive the courtesy of a response.
Their twitter stream (@ausgenderequal) was of interest due to the topics covered and as new tweets were added daily, despite the fact that their members never appeared to respond. But despite their name, their pro-feminist bias was ongoing and pervasive. Calling themselves a ‘gender equality’ council is just absurd. I don’t recall a single instance of a tweet being issued that had a supportive, or even sympathetic, stance on any issue negatively affecting men and boys. Take a look too at their website … I can’t see any reference to men & boys.
They define themselves as a national not-for-profit organisation – here is their ACNC entry. I’m not sure about what public funding they currently receive, but a report lodged in December 2017 stated that they did not receive any grants “from the federal, state or local governments” (source). The last financial report available online is 2021/22, again showing no government income.
“AGEC’s vision is simple – to achieve gender equality in Australia. Through high profile national awareness campaigns, advocacy and research, it aims to drive a cultural shift in Australia so that women and men have the same rights and opportunities across all sectors of the community. We believe that gender equality will be achieved when the different behaviours, aspirations and needs of women and men are equally valued, respected and are manifest in Australian society.
AGEC’s founding members collectively represent over 500,000 women and girls.”
They have just one male board member and very few male ordinary members.
Their two current projects are listed as a National Gender Equality program for high schools, and modelling the gender pay gap and superannuation outcomes for women.
I will add to this page as and when I locate additional information.
Update April 2019: I just tweeted Victoria Weekes (Board Chairman) to enquire about my ongoing blockage from their twitter stream. On this occasion I simply wanted to alert the AusGender folks to this rather interesting piece from Suzanne Venker.
Update February 2022: I’m still blocked and will now write to the Council to enquire as to why this remains the case. Oh, and by the way, their motto is ‘working for balance’.
Update November 2023: I’m still blocked, and I haven’t received the courtesy of a response to my queries. Pathetic, just pathetic