Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet KellyBelenky et al (1973) suggested that connected models helped women embracetheir own community, power and integrity and take action.These feminists also identified that many women valued ‘real learning’ gainedthrough relationships, life crises and community involvement rather thanthrough academic learning and interactions. They surmised that maledominated perspectives, visions, theories, history and values were biased anddid not reflect women’s preferred ways of interacting, understanding andlearning. The strong Western emphasis on rationalism and objectivity (similarto Habermas’s technical and rational interests) underpinning mostmethodologies, theories and disciplines devalued emotional, intuitive andpersonalised thinking (Belenky et al. 1973). These findings are mirrored in theNational Women’s Health Strategy (Commonwealth Department of HealthHousing Local Government and Community Services 1989) that emphasisedthe importance of women centred action and health care.These concepts about knowledge, power and collaborative action described byFreire and Belenky and colleagues highlight important aspects needed foreffective collaboration in Aboriginal women’s health care. Healthprofessionals are reminded to work with Aboriginal community women asequals, sharing knowledge in respectful Ganma type exchanges. Wherepossible, health professionals can take the role of Dialogical, Midwife orConnected teacher, supporting and encouraging women to trust and grow theirown knowledge about what is best for them. These forms of interaction arefound within community development, partnerships and comprehensiveprimary health care approaches that take action to collaboratively addressissues.Addressing IssuesThere are two main aspects of addressing issues explored in this thesis. Thefirst involves addressing issues related to colonisation, discrimination andexclusionary issues as discussed in Chapter Two. The second involvesaddressing issues related to health care access for Aboriginal women that stemfrom particular polices and practices as discussed in Chapter Three. I argue thetwo are inextricably intertwined. In Australia today, the impacts of colonisation97