Silence is Consent

I see journalism, global communication and international forums as a way to be involved in the conversation. To help shape the content and spread the conversation globally. I arrived at Voices of Our Future through a website that discussed user generated content in the media, a concept that excites me due to its intrinsic democratic values. The Voices of Our Future opens up the conversation, it empowers women globally and it was the opportunity not just to watch but to be pushed to contribute alongside such strong powerful women that inspired me. The concept in itself has inspired me to speak up, to develop my contacts and networks to make changes for the better through open and positive dialogue. After giving up on journalism as a field in which I felt unable to compete I studied general sciences and now feel inspired and sufficiently confident to contribute to shaping and enhancing the story. My enthusiasm for balanced communication has been encouraged by World Pulse and I feel much stronger for it.
I am driven by the concept of bringing the silent injustices to the fore. To changing the language and nature of communication so as to bring change into people’s mindsets. To halt the mistreatment of so many stories in the media.
In Australia the media is run on the idea of providing balance, and equal time to two opposing debates without fear or favour. But as noted by so many others this debate is administrated by men, So although equal time may be dedicated to both sides of a story it is the stories that are not told, and that never get to be put into the public arena for debate that are what concerns me.
One of my journalism heroes is Annabell Crabb, of the ABC, she is witty, insightful and sharply intelligent, but so often seems to be a voice on her own. I want to develop the confidence to get more broadly involved in the conversation and to bring conversation about inequities to the fore. The comments after her articles often revolve around insulting her based on her sex, as do the insults levelled at our first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The way women, and women’s stories, are treated in the media is so often shameful or debilitating because the stories are not told at all. I believe through the encouragement of online communities knowledge, hope and understanding can be shared and spread beyond borders.
I am excited to bring the passion and humanity to journalism, and revitalise the hope that is missing in so many discussions. Women, children and those who live outside the norm all deserve a better more balanced representation in the media, and I could not stand by while through my lack of engagement I consented to these inequities taking place.