Category: Women Healthcare
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Surrogacy in Tasmania and the National Push for Abolition: Our Voice in the ALRC Review
Tasmania’s Surrogacy Act 2012 was designed with the best interests of the child in mind. It permits only altruistic (non-commercial) gestational surrogacy, requires written agreements, judicial oversight through parentage orders, and residency rules for both surrogates and intended parents. Yet even this tightly regulated framework cannot eliminate the inherent risks of physical, psychological and economic…
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Tasmania’s Mental Health Strategy Must Put Women and Girls First
The Tasmanian Government is currently developing its new mental health strategy, Rethink and Beyond 2026–2031 — an opportunity to build a system that is genuinely trauma-informed, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of vulnerable Tasmanians. Women Speak Tasmania has made a formal submission to the consultation process, focusing specifically on the mental health needs of…
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The Hidden Dangers of Breast Binding for Young Girls
Recently, Women Speak Tasmania uncovered concerning information within a teacher training program delivered in Tasmanian schools, including the promotion of so-called “safe binding”—the practice of compressing female students’ breasts with tight garments to create a flatter chest. This practice, has become increasingly common among young girls exploring gender identity. While it may offer temporary relief…
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Is Terry White Pharmacy Excluding Mothers?
In June 2023, a catalogue from Terry White Chemmart (covering items on sale from 1–20 June) included a page titled “A family affair” promoting vaccination. The text stated: “The birthing parent is the most important person in the family to be vaccinated.” This wording replaces the clear and widely understood term “mother” with a clinical…