Friday 18th October 2019
3:00pm – 6:00pm
YMCA to host Women’s Suffrage celebration
YMCA South Australia in conjunction with the Office for Women and Holdfast Bay city Council will host a celebration in honour of the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in South Australia on Friday, 18 October.
The free event will run from 3pm to 6pm at The Old Gum Tree Reserve in Glenelg, with formalities starting at 4pm.
YMCA South Australia Community Strengthening Manager Marion Modra said that the event was a great way to acknowledge the impact of the state’s trailblazing women who worked tirelessly to achieve equality.
“The event will focus on starting meaningful conversations about women’s suffrage and how getting the vote has impacted on women in the past up to the present day and in to the future,” she said.
It will be an interactive event and pay homage to the importance of key suffragettes such as Susan Grace Benny, Mary Lee and Rosetta Birks. South Australia was the first state in Australia to give women the vote and we believe that is worth celebrating.
December 2019 marks the 125th anniversary of landmark legislation that enabled women in South Australia to vote in general elections and to stand as members of Parliament.
This achievement was the culmination of years of campaigning, letter writing, signature gathering and lobbying by men and women in the South Australian community that put their passion into action. Gaining the vote was a huge step towards gender equality in South Australia.
The event will feature three inspirational guest speakers including Amanda Wilson (Holdfast Bay City Mayor), Sarah Bray PhD (ROSA Project Manager & Consumer Engagement Officer) and Renee Andrews (Reconciliation Action Plan Officer for SAHMRI).
For more information contact Holdfast Bay Community Centre on 8298 7422.
For further information contact:
Marion Modra
YMCA SA Manager Community Strengthening
T: 0408 113 191
E: marion.modra@ymca.org.au