Accent of Women

Today on Accent of Women, we speak to author, Lora Inak. Her latest book is a culturally specific story, in the young adult fiction genre, about cultural conflict. It's called Unspoken Rules, and is being released on the 17 September.

This week's Accent of Women looks at apostasy – the practice of changing or leaving your religion.Apostasy is a critical demand for the international workers movement – it goes to the heart of collective consciousness, especially working class consciousness. It is about breaking the chains of religion that suppress and oppress, particularly women.But it is also an extremely difficult conversation to have, in this political climate. Atheism and the rejection of religion entirely, arises with scientific and technological development – and these two things are often conflated with western progress. So then, the conversation about apostasy is often appropriated by liberals, right-wing feminists, and quite frankly, racists.And yet, apostasy is a critical demand of the international workers movement.Accent of Women attempts to have this conversation. There are progressives right across the world, challenging the hold of religion on their lives, their societies, and their struggles for liberation. They live in places like Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia. These socialists, these progressive, require our solidarity. In exactly the same way, that Muslims under atttack in Australia, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, France, need our solidarity in defence of their right to practice their religion.

On today’s Accent of Women, we conclude our exploration of early Japanese communist women.Shomi Yoon is member of the International Socialist Organisation in Aeteoroa/New Zealand.  Shomi herself is from Japanese origins, and was a keynote speaker at the Marxism conference held in 2014.

On today’s Accent of Women, we take a step back into history and look at early Japanese communist women.Shomi Yoon is member of the International Socialist Organisation in Aeteoroa/New Zealand. Shomi herself is from Japanese origins, and was a keynote speaker at the Marxism conference held in 2014.

********LANGUAGE WARNING******** On June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed the constitutional right to abortion. With tthis decision, an estimated 25 US states are expected to pass laws that restrict abortion. Thirteen already have because of their “trigger laws” in place in anticipation of the decision. Many of these anti abortion laws involve total abortion bans, including in cases of rape.This is the culmination of years of campaigning by the American right, targeted at restricting the rights of women. The reactionary justices have also indicated that the right to contraception, to same sex marriage and the overturning of laws that forbid same-sex consensual relations are also in their firing line.Today on the show, we bring you audio from the protests outside US Supreme Court following the leaking of the draft decision back in May.

On today’s program we look at the role of education under capitalism. This is a speech delivered by socialist and teacher activist, Manolya Moustafa at the annual Marxism Conference held in Melbourne every year, organised by Socialist Alternative.

On today’s program we examine the recent violence in Jerusalem for the commemoration of Jerusalem Day. Palestinians were banned from the holy city on that day and there was a considerable alt-right Israeli rally. We speak with Palestinian and Socialist activist, Reem Yunis.But first up on today’s show, we speak with Elisabeth Araujo, Country Organiser in East Timor, for APHEDA – Community Aid Abroad. She joins me to discuss the recent East Timor elections.

As of broadcasting, polling has closed in the Philippines Presidential election campaign, and Ferdinand ‘Bongbong” Marcos has a healthy lead. No doubt he will win by a landslide, as has been predicted.  In the coming weeks and months on Accent of Women, we will cover the impact and consequences of this election win on democracy, workers rights, the rights of women and young people, climate justice and of course the broader civil rights movement. But for today, I will play our show from the 15th March when we spoke to  Kristine Lawrence, the Secretary of Gabriela Australia, about the situation in the Philippines for women, and the broader politics surrounding this election campaign.