DR SUSAN CARLAND
Dr Susan Carland is an academic, author and social commentator. She has a PHD from Monash University’s School of Political and Social Inquiry, works with UNICEF and is, as her Instagram and Twitter profiles attest, “hijabulous”.
WOMEN ARE FACING A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, from the most personal to the global. But at the heart of nearly all of them is inequality. That’s what we need to keep tackling.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO SEE AS OUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. Our leaders in every sphere – political, business, the media – have a role, but we as the everyday person, the everyday woman, also have a role.
WHAT FRIGHTENS ME when I look at our modern political discourse is that the world is going in a direction that’s very difficult to come back from. A world of alternate facts and fake news and everyone being in their own silos and the truth not mattering. It terrifies me because I don’t know how we stop it.
I DON’T WANT TO LIVE A LIFE OF DESPAIR, so I choose a life of hope. I choose to be hopeful that things can change.
I’VE BEEN MARRIED [TO WALEED ALY] FOR 15 YEARS. We got married when we were ridiculously young... I guess I assumed you love each other when you get married and then as you get older you kind of tolerate each other, but it’s been the opposite. It’s moved from love to adoration and that’s been a beautiful surprise.
I GRAPPLE WITH SELF-DOUBT. Many women do. Society makes us doubt ourselves in subtle ways. I’ve been given opportunities that I felt were far beyond my capabilities. But I heard this great piece of advice: if the person who knows thinks you can do it, you can probably do it.
THE WORLD IS FULL OF CRITICS and if you listen to every one, you would never get out there. Then there’d be someone criticising you for not getting out there. Decide which opinions matter and block the rest.
SO OFTEN WOMEN ARE MADE TO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO APOLOGISE FOR EXISTING.
Stop. Claim your place at the table because a lot of people will try to convince you that you don’t deserve to be there, and you absolutely do.
Fighting Hislam ($29.99, Melbourne University Press) is out now