monumental moves on ‘women’s issues’ are still faulty

The government is making a monumental effort to appeal to women voters in this year’s budget — though struggles to separate women’s issues from problems that affect families, and frames reducing cancer rates as a win for a single sex rather than of a win for society. 

The 2021 Women’s Budget Statement — this time released at the same time as the budget and in the same formatting, unlike last year’s women’s economic security statement — outlines advancements in women’s health, domestic violence, and family planning. 

But framing many of these initiatives as addressing women’s issues is at best patronising and at worst horribly sexist. Women make up the slight majority of Australians — women’s healthcare should not be an anomoly and childcare should not be our sole burden. Pregnancy is largely a joint venture and support for families leads to support for both men and women.