Samantha Stosur becomes first Australian woman to win US Open since 1973

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Samantha Stosur finally gave Australian women a spot in a special place at the US Open. An engraved metal panel in the Court of Champions leading toward the tournament’s main arena lists every singles winner since the event moved to the National Tennis Center in New York in 1978. Until yesterday, no Australian woman had made the list. Stosur, a native of Brisbane in Queensland state, defeated three-time champion Serena Williams of the U.S. 6-2, 6-3 to become the first woman from her homeland to win the title since Margaret Court in 1973.

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First ambassador for women calls on Australia to lead change

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An avalanche of emails heralded Penny Williams’ appointment yesterday as Australia’s first global ambassador for women and girls, with the sex discrimination commissioner, aid and affirmative action groups welcoming the move. A career diplomat and mother of four from Tasmania, Ms Williams will tackle gender inequality in the Asia Pacific, focus governments’ attention on the needs of women after wars and conflict, and ensure Australia’s aid dollars are helping to tackle maternal deaths and domestic violence. Her roaming diplomatic role kicks off this week, as the 47-year-old travels to San Francisco at the invitation of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

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‘Real’ magazines to get tick of approval

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Bring on the real women photo spreads: Australia’s glossiest images can now vie for the federal Government’s Positive Body Image Awards. In an echo of the Australian Heart Foundation’s tick campaign, winners of the new awards will be able to use a Body Image Award Winner’ symbol on their products — which will include magazines, websites and advertising campaigns. ‘‘I certainly believe that companies would want that symbol,’’ said Australian Women’s Weekly editor Helen McCabe, who will chair the award panel. ‘‘There’s a growing  requirement from our clients, our readers, our audience for more transparency. Women are now very aware of pictures that have been overly photoshopped or digitally altered.’’

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Cisco exec shatters glass ceiling

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Karen McFadzen, Cisco’s VP Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China Technical Services, has just been announced as one of only two Australian women to be invited to participate in the International Women’s Forum Fellow Program for 2011/2012. This outcome is the first time in the 30-year history of the prestigious group Australian representatives have been asked to take part in the program. The other Australian representative is Stephanie Charles, a director with investment bank Credit Suisse.

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Women scientists need true grit

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Top women chemists have issued some tough-minded advice about establishing and maintaining a scientific career.`You need three things: a good boss, a good husband and a good mother,’ Australian Research Council chief executive Margaret Sheil summarises. Professor Sheil also advises cultivating a great deal of persistence, and so do Australian Academy of Science president, Suzanne Cory and Carol Robinson, an Australian who is the first female professor of chemistry at Oxford and 2010 winner of The Royal Society Davy Medal. The trio were talking about their careers to a theatre full of schoolgirls and their teachers at Parliament House this week, in honour of the International Year of Chemistry.

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Girl-power pioneers

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Australians have made heroes of bushranger Ned Kelly, mutineer Fletcher Christian and cricketer Shane Warne but their female equivalents have failed to imprint themselves on the national psyche in the same way. Kay Saunders has picked her subjects from early settlement (prisoner Mary Bryant, bushranger Mary Cockerill, freedom fighter Walyer), through the 19th century (shipwreck survivor Eliza Fraser, good-time girl Lola Montez, transvestite Ellen Tremayne) to the 20th century (including author Pamela Travers, designer Florence Broadhurst, crime boss Tilly Devine and journalist Lillian Roxon) and they are a diverse bunch.

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Kylie represents aural Australia

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A Kylie Minogue song, a calling of the Melbourne Cup and the first recordings from the Torres Strait have been added to the Sounds of Australia registry. Federal Arts Minister Simon Crean added 10 new sounds to the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia yesterday, including them in the collection of sounds which make up Australia’s official audio heritage.

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Raelene Boyle, A Brave New Chapter

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Many of us have had someone close to us diagnosed with breast cancer; our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, friends… One in eleven Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. It is a harrowing journey for sufferers and those close to them and can leave permanent scars, outside and in. Two women who have been through this experience themselves are Suzanne Mullen and Raelene Boyle. They’re involved in an event taking place in Newcastle this coming Saturday, it’s a free breast cancer forum called ‘The Next Chapter …what can you do?

 

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