Our feminism will challenge and shatter everything oppressive that we’ve accepted as normal. To us, feminism is decolonized, Indigenous, intersectional, complex, brave, anti-capitalist. Our feminism meets people where they are, it is dynamic and transforming. Our feminism is not business as usual – it is about challenging existing oppressive ideas, norms and structures, and shifting paradigms, power and knowledge systems. Our feminism is about hearing and amplifying different voices, radical voices, voices that do not fit within a capitalist, patriarchal, colonial system. Our feminism will prioritize progressive voices that have been historically silenced and those that don’t conform. Feminism has a problematic and exclusionary history – feminism continues to be problematic today. Our feminism will be kind. Our feminism will be brave. Our feminism will be feminine. Our feminism will be fierce. Our feminism will challenge us at our roots. Our feminism will make us uncomfortable. Our feminism will make us stronger.
VIDEA brings a feminist lens, and a gender justice approach to our organisation. Our work strives to support and inspire others, especially Indigenous, and underrepresented youth, to better understand global issues, and issues of oppression, discrimination and systemic racism, and to use their power and voice, towards more just and sustainable communities. Gender justice is a human right, it is the systemic redistribution of power, opportunities and access for marginalized people, womxn and girls.
Gender justice happens through the dismantling of racist and sexist systems and institutions that oppress, and through the dismantling of patriarchy. Gender justice is intersectional and centers the needs experiences and leadership of those most impacted by discrimination and oppression.
VIDEA recognizes that sexist, racist, and colonial systems, policies, and norms have historically silenced the voices of womxn and girls, especially those who identify as Indigenous, LGBTQI2+, transgender and racialized. We believe that one of our roles as a feminist organisation is to ensure that these voices are heard more. In order to do this, other voices will be heard less. We are not just a feminist organisation, we are a womxn’s organisation. It is our role as a feminist, womxn’s organisation to create the conditions where the voices of womxn and girls are brought to the centre of conversations.
Power is a central construct of leadership. We do not seek to eliminate power from our organisation, we seek to understand power better, and to ensure that those who have historically been disempowered, are supported and resourced to exercise their power. We will continually challenge and rethink our organisation. We recognise that Indigenous womxn, and womxn of colour have not always felt powerful within womxn’s movements. It is the responsibility of white womxn to acknowledge their privilege, to understand how they benefit from racist and colonial systems of oppression, to understand the harm caused by white feminism, and to create the space necessary for Indigenous womxn and womxn of colour to rise.
As a feminist organisation we also intentionally and specifically advocate for free, accessible and confidential sexual and reproductive health rights for womxn and girls everywhere. We believe that all womxn and girls should have the support necessary to exercise full control over their own bodies. We believe that communities thrive when womxn and girls are able to access a range of free and effective contraceptive options, and free, safe, and confidential abortion services.
We believe that we will only be successful as a feminist organisation if all womxn within our organisation are well supported to balance their work and personal/family lives. We recognize that multiple oppressions impact the lives of womxn and girls, not limited to the unequal distribution of household and care-giving responsibilities, systemic sexism and racism, gender-based violence, and violence against the land. We will fight all forms of oppression while holding firm to gender justice as a priority.
