BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE
HOBART — Feminists and socialists have opposed the appointment of a male women's officer at Tasmania University's Launceston campus, calling it a step backwards for women.
"Whichever way you look at it, having a man as women's officer does not help women's liberation", the Democratic Socialist Party's Kamala Emanuel said of Nick Corney's election as Launceston Student Association's women's officer. Emanuel is an organiser of many feminist actions in Tasmania, including International Women's Day.
Corney nominated for the position in a second round after nobody nominated in the first round, and was elected unopposed.
"Women's officer positions were created in recognition of the additional barriers women students had to overcome to gain a place in and complete tertiary education", Emanuel told Green Left Weekly. "The position is a form of affirmative action that student organisations can take to promote the interests of women students. An affirmative action position for women should be filled by a woman.
"If the women's liberation movement is to succeed, it needs to be organised and led by women. There are a lot of ways that men can support and participate in the women's liberation movement, but running for women's officer is not one of them."
Emanuel ridiculed Corney's reported plan to turn the position into a "gender equity" officer. "The only reason there is 'gender inequity' in the first place is because women are oppressed. Any attempt to shift the political focus of the position away from women and winning women's liberation is a step backwards, regardless of the motivations of the man involved."
The Student Association has enforced a rule specifying that only the president may speak to the media, preventing Corney and the current women's officer, Sue Conway, from making any public comment. The association will consider a motion at its November meeting to ban men from standing for the position in future years.