Breaking gender bias is the theme for IWD 2022.

Imagine a gender-equal world. A world is free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality.

Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

If you're queer, a woman of colour, a woman with a disability, ageism may be low on the list of concerns. In this 1 hour conversation, we speak to women who live at the intersection of racism, sexism, and ageism.

Meet our Speakers

MC: Kathryn Toohey from Luminous/GlobalWoman

Kathryn is the founder of GlobalWoman.com, a global community centered around lunar cycles because time is a feminist issue.

Ayya Yeshe

Ayye is a 45-year-old Queer Buddhist nun of 21 years and the director of Bodhicitta Foundation, a charity to help empower Indian women and disadvantaged children in Central India.

Ayya teaches internationally and is also a published author and sacred chants artist.

Ayya is also the Abbess of Bodhicitta Dakini Monastery in Unesco protected World heritage Forest in Tasmania where she enjoys being a contemplative and occasional feminist /human rights activist!

Natalie Yan-Chatonsky

Natalie is a social impact entrepreneur. Collaborating with organisations to meet their customers’ unmet needs while adapting to disruption has been a recurring theme throughout her career. She has had an extensive career as a product innovator and plays an active role in driving the diversity and inclusion agenda in Australia.

Inspired by conversations with her baby-boomer parents on how to make a smooth transition from their full-time paid work to full-time living, Natalie co-founded Full-Time Lives.

With women leading longer, healthier lives than our elders, we need to prepare for different challenges. As an ‘ideas’ person, she sparks up whenever she’s able to inspire a woman on the cusp of change, to kickstart a new meaningful, healthy, and connected chapter of their life.

Natalie is also active in driving the diversity and inclusion agenda in financial services as the Deputy Chair of FINSIA’s Diversity Advisory Council.

Sista Zai Zanda

Sista Zai Zanda is a storyteller, educator, and curator of the Pan Afrikan Poets Cafe – an Afro-Literary matinée of beats, performance, and poetry.

Since 2015, Zai has spoiled audiences in Melbourne and Sydney with over 100 performances by African and First Nations storytellers including feature performances by renowned international artists Mahogany L Browne (NYC, Nuyorican Poets Cafe), Inua Ellams (Nigeria/UK), Kat François (Trinidad/UK) and Jive Poetic (NYC).

Amongst career highlights, Zai has co-produced a sold-out Pan Afrikan Poets Cafe event at Arts Centre Melbourne (#BlackGirlMagic), worked as a Youth Zone consultant for one of Africa’s top 10 international arts festivals, hosted the 2018 Melbourne Writers Festival Opening Night Gala, curated and produced live radio broadcasts of the Pan Afrikan Poets Cafe and is currently engaged as an Artistic Associate with Melbourne’s Due West Festival.