Amazing females wanted

Council is calling on females who contribute to the local Bayside community to have their portraits taken as part of a unique project highlighting the role of women and girls in our community.

The portraits are part of a groundbreaking gender equity campaign, funded by VicHealth, entitled Changing Faces: Reframing Women in Local Democracy.

Bayside Mayor, Cr Michael Heffernan said the under-representation of females on Council, both in the past and present, needs to be addressed.

“Only 11 female mayors out of 175 have represented Bayside. Only one of Bayside’s current councillors is female,” he said.

“We want women and girls to illustrate how they are influential, successful and make a positive contribution to the community, and show how females can be decision and policy makers.”

Renowned photographic artist Ponch Hawkes will photograph the successful nominees, asking them to wear fake moustaches and beards to confront stereotypes of men being more capable leaders in politics and at work.

“The moustaches and beards is not aimed at pretending women need facial hair to be considered equal,” Ponch said.

“The idea is to reinforce how unfortunate, and silly, that women are still so underrepresented.

“The facial hair will look quite fake, some of it stuck on, some held in front of the face or held up on little sticks.

“It will make them feel they aren’t being judged by their looks, but instead they are participating in a serious project in a humorous way - making history.”

Children and youth from local schools, women and children with a disability, sports teams, Australia Day award recipients, new Bayside citizens, international students and relatives of current and past Mayors will also be asked to participate to ensure the project has a wide range of female community members.

 Selection is based on Council achieving a cross section of women, not on merit.

Read more about the project or how to nominate yourself or another amazing female.