Cultural Times ISSUE 12 Aug 2023

I S S U E 1 2 | A U G 2 0 2 3

W H E R E

D I V E R S I T Y

T H R I V E S

CULTURAL TIMES

The need for greater media

diversity - Europe is leading

A Case Study

What sets them apart

from their predecessors?

Cultural resonance and leadership brilliance

I S S U E 1 2 | A U G 2 0 2 3

C O N T E N T S

02

06

FEATURED

Unveiling the aspirations of

Gen Y and Gen Z

More than 'Model Minorities'

with emotion and inadequacy

02

Cover Story

Unveiling the

aspirations of

Gen Z and

Gen Y

14 Unveiling Emotional

Intelligence in Egypt's Gold

Mining Industry: Cultural

Resonance and Leadership

Brilliance Case study

20

18

10

23

The need for greater media

diveristy

A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

News Around the World

GENERAL

Trans people aren't new and

neither is their oppression -

madness, medicalisation and

criminalisation

A long and fishy tail - Ancient

Wisdom from the deep

06 - 09

More than

'Model

Minorities' with

emotion and

inadequacy

20 - 22

Greater Media

Diversity

"System-Not-Fit-

For-Purpose".

How Europe is

leading the way?

27

05

16

Did you know?

U P C O M I N G

Diversity and Inclusion

Summit 2023

Conscious Ageing Retreat -

Transitioning through the

stages of life with

awareness, ease and joy

23 - 26

Unveiling

Emotional

Intelligence in

Egyspt's Mining

Industry

A case study

Tanya Finnie

Letter from the Editor

We are already approaching the last quarter of the year rapidly. Personally, I've

been doing a lot of self-reflection and reinventing in the previous month or two. If

you are reading this magazine we would love your feedback. What do you like or

not? What would you like to see here? Any feedback is always appreciated. We are

also happy to take a phone call if you prefer. Part of my self-reflection is a new topic

of conscious ageing that I first heard mentioned by Dr. Tom Verghese a year or two

ago. In fact, I am so interested in this topic, that I signed up for an upcoming

retreat. If you are a constant learner like myself and need a reflective, learning

holiday, check out p.16 about the upcoming conscious ageing retreat.

Our feature article covers younger generations in the workplace and adaptations

organisations should consider for Generations Y and Z. This is followed by emotions

of Asian migrants that are often stereotyped and misinterpreted. It also refers to

some new TV shows you may want to watch. I am personally delighted to see more

diversity on our TV screens lately. We have a case study of tailored training in the

gold mining industry crossing cultural barriers, followed by a deeper look a the

history of trans people, media diversity and ultimately mermaids.

Enjoy the read!

Tanya Finnie

Editor in Chief and Content

Director

Khushi Multani

Sub Editor and Layout

Miri Stewart

Editorial team

We support young people in media and marketing because it simply makes good sense. We

set up young editors by providing opportunities for interns through a work-integrated

learning program to assist with articles, layout, editing and design.

Want to get in touch?

Have an amazing story to tell?

Write to us at editor@cultural-times.com

C U L T U R A L T I M E S | A U G 2 0 2 3

| 1 |

Unveiling the Aspirations of

Gen Y and Gen Z

Dr Tanya Finnie

The modern workplace is witnessing a dynamic shift as it welcomes two

generations that are redefining professional norms: Generation Z and Generation Y,

often referred to as Millennials. Born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, these

cohorts bring fresh perspectives, digital fluency, and unique expectations to the

table, setting them apart from their predecessors.

Gen Z and Gen Y share a quest for a purpose

beyond a paycheck. They seek workplaces

that resonate with their values and provide

avenues for personal and professional

growth. Unlike previous generations, who

often prioritised stability and tenure, these

groups value flexibility, authenticity, and

opportunities to make a meaningful impact.

The digital age has moulded them into techsavvy

multitaskers, driving them to yearn for

roles that harness their tech prowess and

allow them to contribute meaningfully to

society. It is important to understand one

can’t make sweeping statements about any

generation as a whole, but the data certainly

shows preferences in each generation that

are shared by the majority in that generation.

It is time that we, the older generations take

note of Gen Z and Gen Y. They are now most

employers in our organisations and the

number will continue to increase. Ageism is

alive and kicking and our older generations

bring a lifetime of knowledge and experience

that should not be dismissed, but this article

is not about them.

Authenticity is paramount to

both Gen Z and Gen Y.

They demand workplaces that

uphold transparency,

inclusivity, and diversity.

These generations are unafraid to

voice their opinions and expect their

ideas to be considered, irrespective

of their hierarchical position.

Companies must cultivate open

communication channels and foster a

culture where all voices are heard,

fostering innovation and synergy.

This seems obvious to all

generations, but the younger

generations demands this and will

leave if we don’t consider how to

incorporate this collaborative,

inclusive approach into our value

systems and everyday culture. A fine

example is the fifteen women

Spanish football players who all

threatened to resign in light of the

inappropriate behaviour of the coach

if he did not resign.

| 2 |

Flexible work arrangements

take precedence for

these cohorts.

Remote work, freelancing, and gig

economy opportunities are more than just

perks; they represent a work style that

harmonises with their digital lifestyles. As

such, organisations need to adapt by

embracing technology that enables

seamless remote collaboration while

ensuring the well-being of their dispersed

workforce. Organisations may also need

to rethink how they communicate with

staff as the younger generation tends to

prefer communication via technology and

uses technology differently than their

predecessors.

Mentorship and continuous

learning are key ingredients

for retaining Gen Z and

Gen Y talent.

They actively seek out mentorship

relationships that provide guidance and

insights to help them navigate the

complexities of their careers. Moreover,

these generations are avid learners,

valuing ongoing professional

development. Employers should invest in

robust learning platforms and growth

opportunities to ensure they stay engaged

and fulfilled.

Career progression is also more important

for gen Z and Gen Y according to a recent

study from McCrindle 38% of Gen Z and

29% of Gen Y believe that career

progression is of significant importance.

This data demonstrates a generational

change towards more productive career

development as only 11% of Gen X and 4%

of Baby Boomers were interested in

career progression.

Contrasting previous generations, loyalty

to a single employer has waned among

Gen Z and Gen Y. They are more willing to

switch jobs to gain diverse experiences

and grow their skill sets. Organisations

must respond by fostering a work

environment that nurtures their ambition,

providing opportunities for crossfunctional

exposure and skill acquisition.

In conclusion, Gen Z and Gen Y represent

a paradigm shift in the workplace. Their

emphasis on purpose, flexibility,

authenticity, and continuous growth

redefines the employer-employee

relationship. Organisations that align with

their values and offer platforms for

personal and professional development

will not only attract but also retain the

best talent these generations have to

offer. To thrive in the evolving landscape,

companies must acknowledge and adapt

to the distinctive needs and aspirations of

these vibrant cohorts.

| 3 |

"Did you know that humans

share 99.9% of their DNA with

each other? So even though

we come in different shapes,

sizes, and colours, we're more

alike than we are different!

It's like we're all part of the

same big family but with a lot

of quirky cousins."

Kris Clelland

2 0 2 3

Diversity and

2023

Inclusion Summit

We are stronger together

Join us for the inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Summit

7-8 September 2023

Perth, Western Australia

To secure your tickets

Scan the QR code

Group Ticket (10)

Early Bird

Standard Ticket

To find out more and get involved, visit:

diversityandinclusionsummit.com.au

| 5 |

MORE THAN

‘MODEL MINORITIES’

ORIGINALLY POSTED IN

IN NETFLIX’S BEEF, ASIAN MIGRANTS ARE

ALLOWED TO HAVE REAL EMOTIONS...

If you ever watched the

Korean-Canadian television

show Kim’s Convenience or

the Taiwanese-American

Fresh off the Boat, you would

have felt seemingly content

with the progress of Asian

diasporic representation on

mainstream screens.

These drama series may

have been occasionally

peppered with stereotypes,

but at least they centred on

migrant stories. Both shows

were subsequently criticised

for the lack of diversity

behind the scenes,

particularly in the writers’

rooms.


More recently, there has been

growing interest in the

representation of cultural

diversity on our screens and

more broadly in our cultural

institutions in the wake of

#OscarsSoWhite and the Black

Lives Matter movement.

Despite controversy and some

limitations, the Netflix series

Beef is more complex and

nuanced than many other

onscreen renderings of first

and second-generation

migrants in the Global North.

This success can be

attributed to the fact that it

humanises migrants by

focusing on their inner lives

and not just on their cultural

difference. It also helps that

most of its directing and

writing crew have lived

experience of being othered.

| 6 |

More than Model Minorities

New migrant tales In 2023,

Asian-American-themed

content and creators have

become even more central to

the most powerful media

industry, with the film

Everything Everywhere All at

Once sweeping several Oscars

at the 95th Academy Awards.

Then, in April of this year,

came a dark comedy called

Beef produced by Netflix and

A24, and starring Asian-

American talent like Ali Wong

and Steven Yeun in leading

roles. What is new about these

migrant tales is that their lead

characters are as flawed, and

have as much agency as those

in an average drama series or

psychological thriller with a

majority white cast.


Why is the emotional

heft of the series a

talking point for both

white and non-white

audiences across the

globe? Research on

racial minorities and

emotions suggests that

those seen as socially

less powerful are rarely

allowed to be angry in

the public domain.

Beef breaks this stigma by

basing the fued between

Yeun and Wong’s characters

on a road rage incident in a

parking lot in Southern

California. As the anger

escalates, it ruins their lives,

but also serves as a valve

for their repressed emotions

as children of migrants who

worked hard and were told

not to complain.

| 7 |

EMOTION & INADEQUACY

What is also specific to the Asian-American condition, as writer Cathy Park Hong explores

in her book of essays, Minor Feelings, is being seen as “emotionless functionaries” and

having persistent feelings of inadequacy.

This is largely due to Asian-Americans and other racialised groups being cast as “model

minorities” and often internalising this characterisation. Justifying immigration for

economic reasons in most immigrant nations also drives a wedge between groups such

as Asian-Americans and African-Americans.

The undercurrent of anger in Beef is shame that both Amy (Wong) and Danny (Yeun)

have experienced since their respective childhoods due to personal and systemic

circumstances. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying rise in

anti-Asian racism in countries like the US and Australia, anxiety in these diverse

communities has amplified and ally-ship initiatives with Black Lives Matter organisers

have also come about.

In the creative realm, we have seen the desire for self-expression to resist racism and

hate. While there is ample interest in anger, fear and hate in relation to race, politics and

representation, my own work explores more ambivalent and complex emotions like

empathy, aspiration and belonging in relation to migration.

It is in the exploration of these grey zones that Beef excels, showing us what is both

universal and culturally specific about intergenerational trauma. There is now some

recognition that migrants who move from the Global South to the Global North for

economic reasons aspire for more than just social mobility.

However, we see very little of their underlying emotions and how they shift over

time in most screen drama.

C U L T U R A L T I M E S | A U G 2 0 2 3 | 8 |

Emotion & Inadequacy

In Beef, when Amy visits her parents after a

fight with her Japanese-American husband, her

mother is both reticent to talk about the past

and enjoying her present life of travelling.

Danny undoes racial and masculine typecasting

in one powerful scene where he breaks down in

the middle of Korean church choir.

EMPATHY, ASPIRATION & BELONGING

Amy and Danny belong to starkly

different social milieus, with the

latter working as a contractor and

struggling to save for a house for

his parents and the former owning

a lifestyle small business on the

verge of a multi-million dollar

acquisition deal.

This small detail itself is noteworthy as it depicts the vast range of Asian-American

class experiences, including Amy’s husband’s family who have cultural capital,

hailing from the art world. This means that the characters’ economic aspirations

look very different from one another and often mask a deeper desire for belonging.

A DESIRE FOR BELONGING

Without giving away the final episode that is part

surrealism and part culturally attuned therapy session,

what is clear is that Beef gives permission to its feuding

central characters and racial minority audience members

to feel. These are feelings of wanting to be at home, to be

loved unconditionally, to not be bullied, and ultimately to

belong to wherever they happen to have been planted.

The overwhelming desire for belonging explored in Beef may resonate

more with the children of migrants, or the second generation as they are

sometimes referred to, but is has proven to be cathartic for a surprisingly

broad range of viewers.

It works because it is a contemporary yet specific take on anger as an

outlet for other emotions. It neither exoticises anger, nor does it render

belonging colour-blind.


| 9 |

TRANS PEOPLE AREN’T NEW

AND NEITHER IS THEIR OPPRESSION

Portrait of De Lacy Evans and his wife (1870) State Library Victoria

Anti-transgender hatred is

on the rise. Driven by

pseudoscience and backed

by well-funded far-right

pressure groups, part of the

premise of the anti-trans

“gender critical” movement

is that trans people are new

and unnatural. History

shows us this is not the

case.

BY ROBIN EAMES

ORIGINALL POSTED IN

T

he “trans” prefix emerged in

1910 with Magnus Hirschfeld’s

research on “transvestism”

(initially a medical term).

Hirschfeld was a gay German Jewish

doctor whose research centre, the

Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, has

been called the world’s first trans clinic.

The institute was destroyed by Nazis in

1933. You might be familiar with this

image of Nazi book-burning – the

books in question were Hirschfeld’s

research.

C U L T U R A L T I M E S | A U G 2 0 2 3 | 1 0 |

Trans people aren't new

In the 1800s, people who crossed

gender categories were not

understood to be “transvestites”

or transgender, but were

referred to as “masqueraders”,

“impersonators”, “men-women”

and “freaks”. As such, I consider

my research to be a work of

shared queer and trans history,

but not necessarily a history of

trans people. I am not interested

in how people in the past might

have identified today, but in how

they lived and how their

communities responded to them.

Gender variance

in First Nations

communities

ar from being new, gender

variance on this continent

predates Europeans’ arrival in

FAustralia.

Several Aboriginal nations have

traditions of culturally specific gender

categories. In 2015 the organisation

Sisters and Brothers NT noted the terms

“Kwarte Kwarte” in Arrernte, “Kungka

Kungka” in Pitjantjatjara and Luritja,

“Yimpininni” in Tiwi, and “Karnta Pia” in

Warlpiri, which can be interpreted as

“like a girl”, while “Kungka Wati” in

Pintipi and “Girriji Kati” in Waramungu

literally mean “woman/man”.

Sandy O’Sullivan, a Wiradjuri trans scholar

and professor, notes that the imposition of

European gender norms on First Nations

peoples was part of a broader colonial

project that sought to eliminate

Indigenous cultures and kinship systems.

Gender transgression in

Colonial Australia

In colonial Australia, gender transgression

was structurally managed

via carceral systems such as lunatic

asylums, police and prisons. Although

there was no formal legislation against

cross-dressing or gender-crossing,

people were often charged with

vagrancy, fraud, sodomy, impersonation

or indecent behaviour.

A lot of Australian legislation was

inherited from or influenced by British

legislation, including the 1533 Buggery

Act and the 1885 Criminal Law

Amendment Act, also known as “An Act

to make further provision for the

Protection of Women and Girls”, which

strengthened existing legislation against

homosexuality and sex work.

In the 19th century there was no formal

or medical process for gender transition.

When people crossed gender categories,

they did so socially, sometimes for their

entire lifetimes. On a local level, gender

crossers were frequently accepted in

their communities if they met certain

conditions. People were more likely to be

accepted if they were white,

transmasculine, and contributing to the

productive workforce. People who were

socially marginalised or lacking in

support from family and friends were

more likely to have hostile interactions

with the law and with medicine.



Madness,

Medicalisation &

Criminalisation

ender transgression over

years or decades was

often interpreted as

Gevidence of insanity.

There were cases such as Tom Hurly,

institutionalised in Parramatta Lunatic

Asylum in 1861, and Edward de Lacy

Evans, institutionalised in Bendigo

Hospital and Kew Asylum in 1879.

Edward Moate – referred to in the

press as “another De Lacy Evans” –

was institutionalised in Beechworth

Asylum in 1884.

Portrait of De Lacy Evans and his wife (1870) State Library

Victoria

The lunatic asylum was a structure

that maintained and restored the

colonial order. To be discharged and

re-enter the community, patients had

to demonstrate that their insanity had

been “cured”, which for gender

transgressors generally meant being

forced to detransition.

Edward de Lacy Evans was made to return to dressing as a woman and was

discharged only a few months after his admission. Edward Moate, on the other

hand, refused to provide a female name or reassume a female gender

expression, and died in the asylum three years later, still under the name

Edward Moate.

Vagrancy charges were the most common way of criminalising gender crossing.

This was frequently applied to people who lived as women, who were more

likely to be seen as dangerously deviant than tolerably eccentric. In 1863, Ellen

Maguire was charged with vagrancy in Melbourne for “personating a woman”.

Officially, the vagrancy charge was one of “having no visible means of support”,

despite most of the court trial focusing on her employment as a sex worker and

her supposed deception of her male clients. She was eventually convicted of

sodomy and died in prison after six years.



Sometimes the twin modes of

medicalisation and criminalisation

were applied simultaneously. In

1896, the Warengesda Aborigines’

Mission reported an Aboriginal

(probably Wiradjuri) youth named H

Paroo for “masquerading in the garb

of a man”.

Paroo was ordered to leave the

station, but refused to comply. The

station wrote a letter to the

Aborigines’ Protection Board asking

if Paroo could be removed, either by

being “given in charge as a vagrant”

or “as not fit to be at large” (that is,

as a “wandering lunatic”).

Portrait of Edward De Lacy Evans (1870) State

Library Victoria

Full and authentic lives

Not everyone who was exposed in the press was vilified or

incarcerated as a result. Some people lived full lives in

their chosen gender categories, and were only outed after

their deaths. In 1893, a farmer named Jack Jorgensen

died in Elmore, near Bendigo, and was promptly exposed in the

press as yet “another De Lacy Evans”. Jorgensen had suffered an

injury at work but refused to go to Bendigo Hospital. He signed his

will as Johann Martin Jorgensen, and died at home under the care

of his housemates, who knew about his gender but kept the secret

until after his death.

These stories are important because they show that the

criminalisation and pathologisation of gender transgression is not a

new phenomenon. Medicine and the justice system have a long

history of being weaponised against trans people and anyone

trespassing from the gendered status quo. If we are to work

towards trans liberation in the present, we must reckon with these

histories and address their structural legacies.


A Case Study

Unveiling Emotional Intelligence

in Egypt's Gold Mining Industry:

Cultural Resonance and Leadership Brilliance

Future Institute is a Western Australian-based Registered Training

Organisation, delivering critical skills training in leadership and

development, to companies all over Australia and some countries

overseas.

For the last three years, they have

provided leadership training in

Egypt, to Sukari Gold Mine and

have found this to be an interesting

and culturally enlightening

experience. As they worked with

Sukari to customise their training

program, and engaged with

participants in their training

sessions, they were truly impressed

by the remarkably high level of

emotional intelligence displayed by

the staff and participants. It

became evident that this aspect of

emotional intelligence is deeply

woven into the cultural fabric of the

Egyptian people.

Sukari Gold Mine, a Centamin company,

is a long-life, bulk tonnage open pit and

underground operation. They began

production in 2009 and were the first

large-scale modern gold mine in Egypt,

as well as one of the world’s largest

producing mines, forecast to produce

more than 400,000 ounces per annum

with a 12-year life of mine. As a first

mover within Egypt, Centamin recognises

the business and societal importance of

building a responsible culture that values

and supports people, creating

opportunity through jobs, infrastructure,

and education, as well as developing

their assets and delivering strong

shareholder returns.

Chief Executive Martin Horgan says,

“Centamin aimed to develop and create opportunities for its local

workforce and Future Institute of Australia’s extensive leadership

training experience, combined with their deep understanding of the

gold mining industry, made them the preferred partner and we look

forward to working with them on this important and exciting

initiative”.


Cultural Resonance and Leadership Brilliance

In collaboration with Sukari Gold Mine, Future Institute designed, developed, and

facilitated three customised leadership programs for over 100 Sukari employees:

BSB50420 Diploma of Leadership and Management (for managers),

BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management (for superintendents), and

Non-accredited Leadership Program (for leading hands and supervisors).

To support the training program, additional one-on-one coaching sessions were added

for the managers and superintendent’s program, between each of the training

workshops. This enabled them to follow up after the session and make sure that the

training was well-received and effectively applied by the leaders in their respective

roles.

As this program was being delivered in Egypt, before each session, their customisation

team and facilitator met virtually with Sukari representatives. They would work through

the content and activities to customise the training and assessment materials to Sukari’s

specific processes and procedures and ensure a cultural understanding and

appreciation.

Sukari Gold Mine had 11 cohorts with Future Institute over three years, and they are

currently issuing the relevant Australian Nationally Recognised qualifications. The

partnership has been an invaluable learning experience for Future Institute, enabling

them to integrate the newfound knowledge into their upcoming projects seamlessly.

Islam El-Hoseiny, MSc, Senior Exploration Geologist at SUKARI GOLD MINES|

Centamin PLC says:

“I have successfully completed the Leadership and Management program at the esteemed Future

Institute of Australia! Over the past 13 months, this comprehensive program has provided me with

invaluable knowledge, skills, and experiences that have empowered me to excel in various aspects of

leadership and management. I'm immensely proud to have fulfilled all the modules, each of which

has contributed to my personal and professional growth. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the

incredible instructors, mentors, and fellow learners at Future Institute of Australia for making this

journey unforgettable. Your support and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping my

growth and success.

Thanks, Centamin PLC, SUKARI GOLD MINES, HR Team, and Exploration Team for all your support”.


| 1 5 |

Conscious Ageing Retreat

Transitioning through the stages of life

with awareness, ease and joy

One cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s morning; for what was

great in the morning will be of little importance in the evening, and what in the morning was

true will at evening become a lie ~ C. G. Jung

Ageing is the process of getting older. Conscious is being aware and responsive to

one’s surroundings. Conscious ageing is the awareness of transitioning through the

stages of life and engaging with it in a positive and active manner.

Like the opportunity to engage in collective dialogue, movement and exploration of

what it means to age consciously?

with Dr Tom Verghese and Fiona Hyde

Tuesday 2 April – Sunday 7 April 2024

@ Wybalena Organic Farm, Northern Rivers Retreat Centre, NSW

Tom and Fiona are delighted to be offering this deep dive into the topic of ageing and how to

make this a more conscious and empowering experience through conversation, self-inquiry,

movement, breathwork and meditation.

During this five-day residential retreat, you will explore various themes related to ageing,

including challenges and joys of ageing, elderhood and wisdom, feelings around death, dying

and loss, the importance of self-compassion, as well as physical, mental, emotional and

spiritual wellbeing.

Tom and Fiona have collaborated on various projects over the last three decades and both

bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and extensive facilitation skills. Both are passionate

about this topic and are keen to learn more themselves, as they are getting older!

Wybalena Organic Farm is a purpose-built retreat centre with architecturally designed

accommodation set amongst private serene countryside. For more information about the

venue, please visit: www.wybalenaorganicfarm.com.au

More details coming soon.

Expressions of interest now being taken – contact: fionahyde1@gmail.com


| 1 6 |

Diversity | Inclusion| Unconscious Bias |

Culture | Leadership

GROWING INNOVATIVE LEADERS

BUILDING RAPPORT WITH DIVERSE CLIENTS AND

INCREASING THE CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE OF INDIVIDUALS

RedHead Communications is a boutique management

consulting firm specialising in building cultural capacity of

individuals and organisations to grow situational awareness,

innovation and in-house culture.

Reach out if you would like to book a speaker.

Contact us today to book a virtual cath-up.

info@redheadcommunications.com

+61 8 9321 3072

www.redheadcommunications.com

News

Around

the World

AUSTRALIA

ADF captain's choice to wear female army

uniform overhauls gender-diverse policy

Captain Noble's boss gave immediate interim

approval to wear the female uniform, and the

request was then escalated up the chain of

command.

In April, the forces command issued a new

directive stipulating that gender-fluid, nonbinary

and intersex people could choose the

uniform, grooming, physical standards and

accommodation that best aligned with their

gender identity.

AUSTRALIA

Australia sends first-ever women's blind

cricket team to Britain for world games

Until now, the only chance for blind and visionimpaired

women to compete at an elite level of

cricket had been to compete with men.Blind

cricket is also being played for the first time at

the IBSA games, and this is the first time

Australia has sent a women's team to an

international competition.

It is estimated close to half a million Australians

experience blindness and low vision, according

to Vision Australia, and Ashby said sport was a

key way of building community and support for

all affected.

CHINA

China crackdown pushes LGBT groups

into the shadows

The country's largest Pride event has been

suspended since 2021. People taking part in

political protests in China often face

punishment, so instead of holding parades,

ShanghaiPride organised dance parties,

community runs and film screenings in the

city.

Daxue Consulting, a China-focused market

research firm, estimates that in 2019, there

were 75 million people in China who identified

as LGBT - making up around 5% of the total

population.

LGBT groups have campaigned on a number

of issues including same-sex marriage, which

remains unrecognised in the country.

"There is very limited space for advocacy right

now but we shouldn't stop trying."

GLOBAL

‘Barbie’ Largely Praised For Feminist

Themes—But Draws Anger From The

Anti-Woke

Many reviewers singling out the feminist

themes as a highlight, though right-wing

media have called out Barbie’s feminist

angle as “woke” and criticize what they say

is a “man-hating” portrayal of Ryan Gosling’s

Ken.

INDIA

Education in regional languages will

foster inclusivity

Firstly, embracing regional languages

fosters inclusivity and makes the Right to

Education under Article 21A a ‘substantive

right’. Secondly, learning in one’s mother

tongue has a profound impact on a child’s

cognitive development. Furthermore,

learning regional languages early on

enhances a child’s overall language

proficiency. In conclusion, we must

implement LEAP — Language Enrichment

for Advancing Progress.


GLOBAL NEWS

SINGAPORE

Singapore has overtaken Japan as the

world's most powerful passport — but

where does Australia rank?

It used to be Japan, which held the top spot for

five years. It's now been dethroned by

Singapore, with its passport holders enjoying

visa-free access to 192 countries.

Australia has climbed up the rankings from 8th

to 6th - Passport holders can travel to 186

destinations without a visa, or where they're

able to obtain a visa, visitor's permit, or an

electronic travel authority (ETA) upon arrival.

UNITED KINGDOM

Wimbledon's latest change: Women will

be allowed to wear dark underwear

Wimbledon has embraced change with the

arrival of the new century, making format and

infrastructure changes and also pushing for

greater equality at the prestigious tennis

tournament.

The latest development is that female players

will now be permitted to wear non-white

underwear under their skirts or shorts for the

first time, due to the players' concerns about

menstruation.

SPAIN

Spanish football team steps up and

threatens to resign if current leadership

rem team

President Luis Rubiales, 46, was

provisionally suspended by FIFA for 90 days

on Saturday and the Spanish government are

aiming to issue their own measures after he

kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips

(non-consensual) at the Women’s World Cup

final on the 20th of August in Sydney.

UKRAINE

Ukraine’s top fencer granted place at

Olympics after disqualification for Russia

handshake snub

The Ukrainian fencing champion banned

from the world championships in Italy for

refusing to shake hands with a Russian

opponent has been readmitted to the

tournament and given an automatic place at

next year’s Paris Olympics. An athlete’s

refusal to shake hands after a contest results

in a black card and expulsion, according to

International Fencing Federation rules.

UNITED KINGDOM

Female soccer players earn 25 cents to

the dollar of men at World Cup

An improvement: last time, in 2019, it was

less than eight cents per dollar, according to

data provided by world governing body FIFA

and global players’ union FIFPRO. FIFA is

embarking on a “historic journey for

women’s football and for equality,” adding

that the aim was equality in payments for the

men’s and women’s World Cups in 2026 and

2027 respectively.

UNITED STATES

Disney’s governing district in Florida

slashes all DEI programs

In the ongoing battle between Walt Disney

World and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,

Disney’s governing district – whose current

board was hand-picked by DeSantis and

took control of the district in February –

abolished all of its diversity, equity and

inclusion programs.


| 1 9 |

Billionaire stoush over alleged media

bias highlights the need for greater

media diversity.

THIS STORY WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN

Tim Dwyer

The recent stoush between mining magnate Andrew

“Twiggy” Forrest and media mogul Kerry Stokes are just the

latest flashing neon sign above the parlous state of media

diversity in Australia. Laws protecting media diversity in

Australia has been gradually dismantled in recent decades.

Because of this, their objective of preventing a select few

media owners or voices from having too much influence

over public opinion and the political agenda has been

placed at risk. But traditional approaches to protecting

media diversity may be less effective as the role of online

news – now curated for us using algorithms – becomes ever

more prominent in our news diets. This could require a new

approach.

Misuse of media power?

Stokes’ Seven West Media owns the West Australian

Newspaper, the only major daily paper in Perth. Stokes also

has a controlling interest in the mining equipment company

WesTrac, which supplies Caterpillar mining machinery.

Forrest’s Fortescue Metals previously had a supply

arrangement with WesTrac. But he then placed an order to

purchase 120 emission-free, hauling trucks from the

German Liebherr company, putting him in direct

competition with WesTrac.


Greater media diversity

MEDIA DIVERSITY

Forrest claims this move was met with

“biased, inflammatory and inaccurate”

coverage of his company in Seven West

Media. In a complaint to Communications

Minister Michelle Rowland, Mark

Hutchinson, the chief executive of

Fortescue Future Industries, described what

he calls “the misuse of the West Australian

newspaper to pursue commercial interests”.

He added, according to the ABC:

"The West’s coverage has gone far beyond

fair scrutiny and is clearly driven by fossil

fuel interests with the aim of damaging

Fortescue’s green energy mission"

“System not fit-for-purpose”

Hutchinson says the issue points to a wider

problem: the lack of media diversity in Perth,

which has only one major daily newspaper for

a city of two million. That Seven West Media is

one of only three major commercial

corporations owning the bulk of Australian

media – alongside News Corp and Nine

Entertainment – is a sad indictment of-thestate

of our media ownership laws. With such

a highly concentrated media ownership, the

partisanship of big news brands has become

the norm.

The Senate inquiry into media diversity has

investigated a litany of problems

associated with this, deeming Australian

media regulation a “system not fit for

purpose”.

For example, Australia’s relationship with

China, its largest trading partner, is

typically cast in hyperbolic “war drums”

language by the Murdoch media. And

during the pandemic, News Corp’s online

tabloids were especially keen to link COVID

with China. China scholar David Brophy

documented in his book, China Panic, how

Sky News seized on a “dodgy-dossier”

linking COVID to a laboratory in the city of

Wuhan.

More recently, News Corp is at it again,

this time airing an hour-long special

advocating for a doubling of Australia’s

military spending to protect the country

against imminent and “inevitable” Chinese

invasion. In its final report, the media

diversity inquiry commented,

'It is noteworthy that the

overwhelming majority of the

evidence to this inquiry relates to

one dominant media organisation,

News Corp.'

C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 2 3


| 2 1 |

MEDIA DIVERSITY

How Europe is leading the way?

To counter unaccountable media power and a lack of transparency in media ownership, the

European Commission has recently proposed a new regulatory framework: The European Media

Freedom Act (EMFA).

Introducing the new framework, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton said,

"It contains common safeguards at the EU level to guarantee a plurality of voices and that our

media are able to operate without any interference, be it private or public."

He said a new European watchdog would be set up to ensure transparency in media ownership.

Another key feature will require EU member states to test the impact of media market

concentrations on media pluralism and editorial independence. At a recent EU parliament

hearing, a media freedom expert, Elda Brogi, explained how the new measures benefit the

public as well as regulators: it helps media users to understand how ownership may influence the

[news] content.

A better method for measuring media diversity?

The Australian government and its principal

media regulator, the Australian

Communications and Media Authority (ACMA),

have recently released a discussion paper

seeking comments on developing a

sophisticated new way to monitor media

diversity in Australia.

This is the second phase of a process that

began in 2020. The goal is to assess how

Australians actually consume online news,

including personalised news delivered to them

through social media, search engines and

news aggregators.

The current media diversity rules are based on

an assessment of the ownership and control of

traditional media outlets.

However, as ACMA says, this misses the

volume of news being published and

consumed online. This omission is “notable”,

the agency says, given 81% of Australians

access news content online.

The current media diversity rules are based on

an assessment of the ownership and control of

traditional media outlets. However, as ACMA

says, this misses the volume of news being

published and consumed online. This omission

is “notable”, the agency says, given 81% of

Australians access news content online.

This news measurement model will be able to

track the level of connection of stories (news

connected to localities), the extent of

originality (unique news stories), and the level

of civic journalism (news of public

significance).

This kind of internationally informed and

evidenced-based approach is urgently needed

to truly gauge the level of media

concentration in Australia and determine its

impact on public interest journalism and the

news people read.

Only then can we put in place new regulations

that will have a real impact.


| 2 2 |

A long and

fishy tail

Louise Pryke

before Disney’s Little Mermaid, these creatures

existed in mythologies from around the world

ermaids are multi-cultural mythical figures,

reflecting the continuing human fascination

with the sea in stories echoing thousands

of years into the past. MMermaids are found in cultures across the globe.

In Australia, special water spirits appear in the rock and

bark art of First Nations people in Arnhem Land. Across the

continent of Africa, mermaid-like water deities such as Yemaya

and Mami Wata reflect the powerful connection between

human communities and their environment.

Among the most well-known mermaid narratives is Hans

Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, now a liveaction

film from Disney.

By the time of its publication in 1837, The Little Mermaid

was already a relative latecomer to the genre. Indeed,

Hans Christian Andersen himself was raised with much

earlier stories involving mermaids. His childhood

bedtime reading included the works of

Shakespeare and the Tales of the Arabian Nights.

Shakespeare’s mermaids from A Midsummer

Night’s Dream are noted for their song.

Oberon observes beautiful mermaid

melodies could calm the sea and draw

down the stars:

Since once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a

mermaid on a dolphin’s back Uttering such dulcet

and harmonious breath That the rude sea grew civil

at her song And certain stars shot madly from their

spheres, To hear the sea-maid’s music.

Mami Wata sculpture from the Ewe people from Ghana, c. 20th

century. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA


| 2 3 |

Ancient Wisdom

Andersen’s other bedtime book, the Arabian

Nights, is a collection of Indian and Persian

stories assembled over many centuries. Among

these are narratives about merfolk, some of

whom live in wonderful undersea palaces. In

one story, a human fisherman visits his merman

friend under the sea. There he finds

communities of Jewish, Christian and Muslim

merfolk, before their friendship ends over

religious differences.

Ancient wisdom

from the deep!

Images of human-fish hybrid creatures

can be found from the third millennium

BCE in ancient Mesopotamia, a

geographical area relating roughly to

modern day Iraq.

Apkallu figure: male with a fish-skin hood,

Assyrian, c. 9th–8th century BCE. The Metropolitan

Museum of Art

As human-fish hybrids, the Apkallu were wellequipped

to survive the flood and carry

forward their wisdom traditions. According to

Mesopotamian literature, the useful information

given to humanity by the Apkallu included

knowledge of medicine and building cities.

Abdullah the Fisherman and Abdullah

the Merman illustrated by Albert

Letchford, 1897. Wikimedia Commons

The Apkallu, or the seven divine sages

of Mesopotamian myth can take the

shape of human-fish hybrids. This is

particularly interesting due to their

connection to ancient wisdom

traditions predating the Great Flood. In

Mesopotamian literature, as in the

Bible, a great flood event destroys

most of humanity.

Woodcut of Noah’s Ark from Anton Koberger’s

Nuremberg Bible of 1483. University of Edinburgh, CC

BY


The connection of mermaids to

wisdom and medicine extends to

other ancient traditions. In Southern

Africa, mermaids play a complex role

in ages-old healing rituals. The

ancient Near Eastern connection

between mermaids and Flood

traditions can be seen in the

illustrated Nuremberg Bible of 1483,

where merfolk are depicted swimming

around the ark with their merdog.

| 2 4 |

Ancient Wisdom

Seafaring friends!

Across the world and across

traditions, mermaids have been

accompanied by many different

creatures. Their close connection

to the sea extends to animals who

share their home.

As in the Nuremberg Bible,

mermaids and seadogs are said to

swim together in Inuit mythology

from North America. In folklore

from the Orkney Islands in

Scotland merfolk are instead

accompanied by seals, and are

described milking whales.

Havets Moder (‘Mother of the Sea’), a granite

sculpture by Greenlandic artist Aka Høegh, on the

Nuuk coast, Greenland. Gray Geezer

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, mermaids are

accompanied by dolphins. In myths from East Asia

and South America, they are friendly with turtles.

Hwang Ok Princess mermaid

statue on the rocks by the sea at

Dongbaek Island, Haeundae,

South Korea. Shutterstock

Similarities with the Danish fairy tale can be found

in a famous story from South Korean folklore,

dating to the 13th century CE. In the story, the

mermaid Princess Hwang-Ok (also known as

Topaz) marries a prince and becomes more

human. The princess is homesick for her

underwater life, so her turtle companion helps her

to use the moon to turn back into a mermaid and

regain her well-being. Turtles and whales appear with mermaids as helpers to the

Mesoamerican storm deity Tezcatlipoca. The myth is an aetiological tale about the

creation of music in the world.

Captivating creatures of song

Another theme shared by many mermaid myths is that of music. The powerful and

persuasive song is a feature of numerous folkloric tales containing mermaids, including

varieties of the Little Mermaid tale and Shakespeare.


Captivating creatures of song

In his fairy tale, Andersen’s mermaid uses her special abilities with music to win a

contest in the royal court. In a disturbing scene, the voiceless mermaid participates in

a song and dance contest against decoratively attired enslaved women, all competing

for the prince’s attention. In 1989, the animated Disney film’s soundtrack won both a

Grammy award and two Oscars.

In Shakespeare, mermaids are sometimes conflated with the Sirens of Greek myth by

the poet. The two mythical figures were commonly viewed as interchangeable from

the medieval times.

Sirens in ancient epics such as Homer’s Odyssey were known for their

ability to lure people to their death with their sweet-sounding songs – and

their promise to share secret wisdom with their listeners. Sirens, like

merfolk, are known as hybrid creatures with powerful voices, but are

usually depicted with bird-like, rather than fish-like, qualities.

The power of merfolk to seduce with their charms

may reflect the ability of the sea to capture the

hearts of seafarers, and keep them away from their

homes on land – by accident or design.

Greek Vase in the Form of a Siren,

c. 540 BCE. Walters Art Museum

Mysterious depths

The dynamic nature of mermaid mythology contributes to their continuing popularity

in the 21st century.

Mermaids build bridges between land and water (at times in Southeast Asian and

South American myths, quite literally), between human and animal, and between

wilderness and civilisation, giving a human face to the mysteries of the deep.

Mermaids have become a cultural phenomenon, and clashes about mermaids and race

have spilled out into the open.

“Mermaid stories have been told throughout the African continent for

millenniums. Mermaids are not just part of the imagination, either, but a

part of the living culture.”

Nonetheless, contemporary culture is pushing back. Mermaids have, in recent years,

become a popular subject in literature, film and fashion. In many cases, their

depictions reflect contemporary culture: They appear as Black and brown, as sexually

fluid and as harbingers of the climate crisis.

We are fascinated by the recent surge of mermaid literature that remixes African

folklore and connects the transatlantic slave trade to mermaid tales.


"Did you know that

penguins have a unique

way of showing diversity

in their relationships?

Some species of penguins

mate for life, while others

are serially monogamous or

engage in "extra-pair

copulations." So even in the

animal kingdom, there's a

lot of diversity in how

individuals form and

maintain relationships.

Penguins are just like us, in

their own unique way!"

Kris Clelland

"We are all different, which is great

because we are all unique. Without

diversity life would be very boring."

Catherine Pulsifer


Cultural Times ISSUE 12 Aug 2023

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