FINDING HER

Australia’s first interactive state-wide digital map spotlighting women’s commemoration, FINDINGHER at HerPlace Museum has recently been launched at Her Place Women’s Museum.

A ground-breaking project, Finding Her is a virtual and physical tour using QR codes and an interactive map directing you to names and places of outstanding women.

You’ll discover the stories behind the names, including videos and photographs of women activists, pioneers of industry and significant contributors to Victorian public life.

Finding Her is just one part of Put Her Name On It, a project aimed at making women’s stories, lives and achievements visible.

A collaboration between HerPlace Women’s Museum, Gender Equity Victoria, Just Gold and the Victorian Government’s Geographic Names Victoria, Finding Her enables people living in and visiting Victoria to follow the Finding Her Trail of statues, significant places and public art installations that celebrate the achievements of Victorian women.

“Women and gender diverse people have made a significant contribution to Victoria, in politics, science, community, the arts, business and sport.

But it’s not always been easy to find a street name or a statue that records the achievements of women.  Now, with the launch of Finding Her, we’re changing all of that,” said the Honourable Mary Delahunty, Chair of HerPlace Women’s Museum.

Finding Her includes directions to the new Stella Young Remembered Statue, a seat for suffragist Vida Goldstein in Portland, a statue for philanthropist Dame Elisabeth Murdoch at Frankston Art Centre and a statue for Kurnai matriarch of Gippsland, Kitty Johnson (also known as Youwali or Kitty of Cunningham).

These are just a few of the stories of the 60-plus women identified across 35 sites.

“Increasing gender equal representation and recognition is an important part of our work to create safe and respectful spaces for all. Finding Her is about making visible the full diversity of our society in our public spaces. It’s a project for gender equity and reminds everyone that our community is shaped by people of all genders.,” said Julie Kun, Chair of GENVIC.

Finding Her has been supported with dedicated funding and commitment to gender equity and commemorative justice by Geographic Names Victoria and the Victorian Government.

“We are lucky to have a Gender Equality Act in Victoria, making projects like this possible,” said Ms Delahunty, “We can get out and visit sites in our hometowns, and tourists can be drawn to another innovative trail of significant historic, cultural and public art sites.

We also invite schools to use this map in history classes.”

This is just the beginning.

The digital map is designed to be updated as new sites of significance are created. Community groups, local councils, historical societies and anyone with an interesting story to share of women’s achievements in Victoria can apply for inclusion on the Finding Her Map through the website.

THE FINDING HER LAUNCH

On March 28, 2023 Her Place Women’s Museum Hosted  the launch of the first phase of www.findingher.org.au

Our guests included valued Government Partners, families and descendants, authors, researchers, advocates and organisations working together to Honour Victorian Women’s Stories.

We invite you to scroll through some gorgeous moments from the Finding Her Launch captured by Damien Vincenzi

Left to Right – Barbara Burns, The Hon. Sonya Kilkenny, The Hon. Mary Delahunty G.A.I.C.D Her Place Chair

If you wish to assist this project and other Her Place projects that give visibility and voice to those who most need it, every small contribution is appreciated:

https://www.givenow.com.au/hervoice

FINDING HER COMMEMORATIVE DIGITAL TOUR

Michelle Sheppard

Radio Personality

““I ended up hosting the show I came in to be interviewed on.” ^[1]

Michelle Sheppard, affectionately known as “Mama” mish is a highly respected presenter, advocate, and trainer in the gender equity space.  As a transgender woman, she appreciates the difficulties within the grey created by the gender divide, traverses them herself, and willingly takes others on the ride with her.

As a radio presenter and gender equality and transgender advocate Michelle has created and hosted productions including Transpositions, Family Matters, and Trans POV (Transgender point of view)

Michelle brings her lived experience of being a trans woman into her work, running diversity, equity, and inclusion training, mentoring colleagues, and providing extra support to anyone transitioning or affirming their gender.

Michelle lays out the sobering statistics around violence and discrimination against transgender people, unemployment, financial troubles, and mental health issues but mixes them with anecdotes and funny stories from her life.

She embodies dignity, grace, and the change needed to make a positive difference in others’ lives, empowers women and challenges barriers to inclusion, discrimination, and harassment.

Her productions carve space for meaningful conversations, breaking down barriers and successfully bringing Transgender stories, voices, and issues to the fore of national discussions.

Michelle’s radio show Transpositions has been translated into podcast form, immortalising transgender voices and issues of our time for future generations.  Family Matters remains one of the most listened-to programs on JOY94.9.

Michelle sees her work, and its success, as a culmination of self and community discovery that radio has facilitated for her.

Michelle has also moved her digital work into more analog forms through her provision of diversity and inclusion guidance, public speaking appearances, and consulting work.

Finding Her, Australia’s first statewide women’s commemorative tour starts here but will only end when the past is complete and the stories of people of all genders are equally told in public places and celebrated in every corner of what’s now known as Victoria.

Commemorative places provide an important link between present and past generations and are a permanent marker to recognise the people, events and stories that make this place what it is.

In the narrative of Victoria, permanent markers of women and gender-diverse people’s impact are scarce and more so for First Nations women who went largely unseen in Australia, and due to the silencing of their stories many have not been preserved. But hidden amongst the public landscapes of Victoria, a hint of their contributions and achievements can be found.

Finding Her shines a light on women and gender-diverse people and the places where their life and times have been commemorated. These sites provide inspiration for what was and what can be. They remind us of the power of public place naming, truth-telling and commemoration in creating equitable, respectful and creative spaces for future generations. Finding Her is a catalyst for visitation, conversation and activation. Our aim is to see Victoria adorned with the stories and achievements of people of all genders immortalised in public places from Mildura to Melton and Mallacoota to Millicent and everywhere in between.

Finding Her is just the start. Our hope is that by shining a light on the existing commemorations, more will emerge. More statues, more public art, more place naming, new policy and improved practice. You can help. Come journey with us, find her, talk about her, identify more sites and start your own advocacy and projects. There’s something for everyone to help Put Her Name on It.

Her Place Museum is a not-for-profit organisation that celebrates the social, civic and entrepreneurial achievements of all Australian women and their role in shaping our nation.

The vision for Her Place is to create a public space that honours the achievements of women, through exhibitions, public programs, education resources and an archive.