Deep, inspiring, powerful conversations challenging societal norms and perception
March 05, 2021
Engaging in powerful conversations can challenge perceptions and help forge positive change across society.
Suzanne Grayson is an Australia-based photographer and videographer. She creates for herself and she creates for you - every piece is an adventure. Her photography and videos showcase some of the beautiful, profound, careful, and colourful bits of the world - and she captures what speaks the loudest or the softest in each.
In keeping with the IWD 2021 theme of #ChooseToChallenge, Suzanne has been working with with nine brilliant women creating a photo series to represent different stereotypes that modern women face. Alongside the photo series, Suzanne recorded a conversation on specific topics to help create a dialogue around them - and to mark International Women's Day, Suzanne launched one of her video coversations each day in the lead up to, and for, International Women's Day.
Enjoy and be inspired by Suzanne's powerful conversations.
#ChooseToChallenge being child-free
As it becomes increasingly common for women to be childfree or childless in our society, how are we treating these women as other-than and what can we do to challenge these behaviours, unconscious biases and recognise that these circumstances or choices don't define these women.
#ChooseToChallenge victimisation
noun: victimisation the action of singling someone out for cruel or unjust treatment. This is a word that has become a point of shame for victims more than the people who are treating them this way - we need to change that. While the numbers of women who have been abused (physically or emotionally) are staggering, women are not defined by the things that have happened to them. Hear Chloe's story and her path beyond the emotionally abusive relationship she experienced, in this conversation. Note to self, as someone who usually is behind the camera: don't trust auto-focus, sorry about the second camera everyone!
#ChooseToChallenge leadership
Equal female leadership is one of the biggest steps we can take towards equality for all women - representation is so important! But in this conversation, we discuss more than that. We discuss the assumptions made about women who are in leadership, some of the barriers women face in getting into leadership roles, and the everyday acts of leadership we can do whether we want to climb the ladder structure laid or out not.
#ChooseToChallenge motherhood
There are so many different ways to be a mother and endless opinions on what it takes to do this job in society. This conversation hears Claire talk about her experiences, some of the expectations and prejudices she has been confronted with, as well as discussing hopes and ways of challenging the future of society to not only make it easier for women and mothers but to help them in the incredibly important responsibility of raising humans.
#ChooseToChallenge Aboriginality
If you're Australia, you know the terrible history of our country, but for Aboriginal women, it was even worse because once upon a time.... they were already equal and this has since been stripped. Hear Kalli talk about her growth and rediscovery of her culture as a proud First Nations woman.
#ChooseToChallenge S*xuality
Lara is the Founder of Elixir Play and has spent far more time than most people thinking openly about women's s*xuality and pleasure. In this video hear her thoughts on where we can improve on the prejudices help against women for being in touch with their s*xuality and how we can improve our pleasure.
#ChooseToChallenge body physique
Tiana is a CrossFit athlete an speaks about her experience as a physically strong woman. There are many assumptions made about women who are strong from CrossFit which Tiana has/does face but continues through the world doing what she loves and inspiring little girls every day.
#ChooseToChallenge age discrimination
Sandra knows that age is just a number and discusses a range of topics from appearance to s*xuality, money, tradition, and more.