Intersectional Feminism in Dunedin: From Suffrage to Today - Exhibition and Publication

The Story of the Otago Pioneer Women’s Memorial Association Hall – An Interview with Rachael Francis, Historian in Residence The hall today The hall as it appeared in 1925 Suffrage in this country was undoubtedly a major achievement, with New Zealand being the first nation in the world to achieve this step towards gender parity. However, progress in terms of gender equality after 1893 was halting in many respects – the suffrage movement dissipated and not much changed in terms of legislation or cultural attitudes towards women. In fact, 50 years after suffrage in New Zealand women still couldn’t sign off on renting a public hall in Dunedin but had to have their husband do this for them. Thus began the story of the Otago Pioneer Women’s Memorial Association hall. - In 1936 preparations had begun for New Zealand’s centennial in 1940, which would include various memorials to New Zealand’s early settlers and pioneers. The Otago Women’s Centennial Counci

'Triangle Meeting', Around the Block on Tenterhooks, 2012, Emma Chalmers SUMMARY  A two-week long travelling exhibition and publication to commemorate the 125th anniversary of suffrage in New Zealand. This project will examine the story of suffrage in Dunedin and track the subsequent history of feminism in this city from 1893 to today. We will be considering this history through an intersectional feminist framework, taking into account how issues of class, race, disability and sexuality intersect with feminism and how this has been recognised in Dunedin, or not. The project will identify intersectional feminism as the avant-garde of feminism today and the most progressive descendent of suffrage, as it includes and recognises a diverse array of perspectives and experiences which feminism has previously failed to take into account. It will also honour the work of activist women and men who have paved the way for greater equality in Dunedin and identify the issues we a

Earlier this month Kari did an interview with Rachel Ashby and Theo Macdonald about 'Intersectional Feminism in Dunedin: Exhibition and Publication'. You can listen to this discussion here: http://95bfm.com/bcast/i-v-kari-schmidt 

This blog is the online component of a two week long exhibition and publication in Dunedin, New Zealand in September 2018 which aims to examine the story of suffrage in Dunedin and track the subsequent history of feminism in this city from 1893 to today. We will be considering this history through an intersectional feminist framework, taking into account how issues of class, race, disability and sexuality intersect with feminism and how this has been recognised in Dunedin, or not. The project will identify intersectional feminism as the avant-garde of feminism today and the most progressive descendent of suffrage, as it includes and recognises a diverse array of perspectives and experiences which feminism has previously failed to take into account. It will also honour the work of activist women and men who have paved the way for greater equality in Dunedin, as well as identify where we are today and how far we have to go.  In our publication, we will consider the suffrage story