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Sex And The City star dies aged 93

Sex And The City star Frances Sternhagen has died aged 93. The actress is known for her remarkable career, both on the stage and on-screen, with seven Tony Award nominations, passed away peacefully in her home on Monday night. Her representative, Sarah Fargo, announced the news to CNN on behalf of Sternhagen's family. “It is with great sadness we share the news that our dear mother, actress Frances Sternhagen, died peacefully of natural causes in New Rochelle, NY, on November 27, 2023 at the age of 93,” she told the publication. “She is survived by her six children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. “A celebration of her remarkable career and life is planned for mid-January, near her 94th birthday. We continue to be inspired by her love and life.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0OhBNduiXt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0OhBNduiXt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by John Carlin (@wassadamo)</a> </div> </blockquote> Sternhagen's son John Carlin took to Instagram to pay tribute to his late mum on Wednesday. “Frannie. Mom. Frances Sternhagen,” he began the post, with a series of pictures of the actress throughout her career. “On Monday night, Nov 27, she died peacefully at her home, a month and a half shy of her 94th birthday. I will post more soon but for now I just want to give thanks for the remarkable gift of an artist and human being that was Frances Sternhagen. “She was beloved by many. I’m very lucky I was able to call her my mom, my friend, my song and dance partner. “We were together last week, and we spoke Monday afternoon, said how much we loved and missed one another. “I was about to board a plane for London when I got the news, and am there now. “Set to perform some new songs (one of which was inspired by her) this weekend. She always encouraged my writing, and enjoyed my singing. I’ll fly back very early the next day. “Fly on, Frannie. The curtain goes down on a life so richly, passionately, humbly and generously lived. 🙏🏻❤️.” Sternhagen played the role of Bunny MacDougal, Trey's overbearing mother in Sex and The City, between 2000-2002. In the early 1990s she played Cliff Clavin’s mother Esther on Cheers, and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award twice, with the third being for her role as Bunny. Aside from her work on screen, the actress was also a decorated stage performer, making her debut on broadway in 1955 at just 25-years-old. Images: Instagram

Caring

All-girls Catholic school bans same-sex couples from formal

An all-girls Catholic school in the Sydney suburb of Kingsgrove has refused to let same sex couples attend the year 12 formal together, prompting widespread outrage. Students at St Ursula’s College have been vocal in their disapproval of the rule, banding together to form a petition to let same sex dates attend the end of year dance. The petition on <a href="https://www.change.org/p/allow-same-sex-couples-at-st-ursula-s-school-formal?source_location=petitions_browse">Change.org</a> has already racked up thousands of signatures in a matter of weeks, after being created by concerned student Abbie Frankland, who labelled the policy “discriminatory”. In her petition, Ms Frankland expressed the sentiments of the LGBTQ+ community at the school, voicing her concern for the exclusionary rule. “My girlfriend and I, along with many other students at St. Ursula’s in Kingsgrove NSW, Australia, have been eagerly awaiting the school formal for months,” she wrote. “We’ve purchased non-refundable tickets and outfits in anticipation of this event. However, we’ve recently discovered that the school does not allow same-sex couples to attend the formal together.” The policy also ignited a fire within the student body to push for change. “In Australia, 61.6 percent of people voted ‘Yes’ in a national survey on marriage equality, showing widespread support for LGBTQ+ rights across the country,” Ms Frankland added, referencing the Australian Bureau of Statistics. “Yet, despite this clear public sentiment towards inclusivity and acceptance, schools like St Ursula’s continue to uphold discriminatory policies.” The petition, which has racked up over 2,000 signatures so far, calls for the school to realign itself with the broader values of inclusivity and equality. It also calls on the college to allow all students, regardless of sexual orientation, to bring their chosen partner to the school formal at the end of the year. “By signing this petition, you’re standing up against discrimination and supporting equal rights for all students at St Ursula’s School in Kingsgrove, NSW, Australia,” Ms Frankland said. Some parents have also called for the ban to be lifted, noting that the harsh rule has put unnecessary stress on students as they are dealing with their HSC exams. “It’s totally taken the kids’ focus off the HSC,” a concerned mother told Ben Fordham Live on 2GB. The mother said her daughter planned to take another girl to the formal, saying that, “She automatically was upset - crying in the car,” when she found out about the ban. Fordham was quick to point out a flaw in the school’s policy, pointing out that the woman’s 18-year-old daughter could legally marry a woman but not take one to her formal. Another parent also called into the radio show, saying, “It’s 2023 – what’s going on?” Image credits: Google Maps

Legal

Chris Dawson's twin brother accused of underage sex

Paul Dawson, the twin sibling of Chris Dawson, who is both a convicted murderer and a perpetrator of child sexual abuse, is now facing allegations from several women claiming he engaged in sexual activity with them when they were minors during their time as students – per <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/wife-killer-chris-dawsons-twin-accused-by-four-women-of-underage-sex/8b9b9345-e1d6-4f3d-9bcc-d3f3d4c06603" target="_blank" rel="noopener">60 Minutes</a>. One of Paul Dawson's former students at Forest High School, Shelley Oates-Wilding, shared her experience on a 60 Minutes interview, detailing her time during the early 1980s when she was a teenager. Multiple women who attended schools in Sydney's Northern Beaches, where Paul Dawson taught, have also come forward, asserting that the now 75-year-old engaged in sexual relations with them when they were underage. Prior to their teaching careers, both Paul and Chris Dawson were prominent figures in the world of rugby league and modelling. However, their roles as educators have recently come under intense scrutiny as law enforcement reopened investigations into the suspected murder of Lynette Dawson. Although the focus had been primarily on Chris Dawson until now, serious questions now arise about Paul Dawson's behaviour. Shelley's public disclosure unveils disturbing details about how Paul Dawson targeted her. In an exclusive interview with 60 Minutes, Shelley revealed that she and Paul spent considerable time socialising with Chris and his young mistress, forming two couples of teachers and students. Shelley alleges that Paul engaged in sexual activity with her at various locations across Sydney's Northern Beaches. The experiences she recalls were intimate and occurred within settings like fitness classes, store rooms, and pools. At the time, the Dawson twins, popular and attractive, garnered admiration from their students, making any attention they showed highly flattering. Shelley reflects on the naivety of youth, sharing that as a 15- and 16-year-old, she lacked the awareness to recognise the grooming that was occurring. She was also a babysitter for Paul's children, which sometimes led to overnight stays. Given the legal framework of the time, the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) deemed it illegal for a teacher to engage in sexual activity with a female student under the age of 17. Shelley vividly remembers an encounter with Paul shortly before the news of Lyn Dawson's disappearance emerged. Paul expressed distress, telling her that something terrible had occurred, and he could no longer maintain their connection. Shelley recalls pondering the severity of the situation at the time. As news circulated about Chris Dawson's missing wife, Shelley sensed a darker narrative than Lyn simply running away. Her personal experiences led her to believe that there was more to the story. "At the beginning of school, I vividly remember going to see him," she said on the program. "He said to me with this extremely pained look on his face that something terrible has happened and he can't see me anymore. I remember thinking, what could be that terrible?" Decades have passed since Shelley's time as Paul Dawson's student. She has since relocated to Hawaii, distancing herself from the Northern Beaches environment where she grew up. While the scars of her childhood experiences can be lasting, Shelley Oates-Wilding channels her journey into positive efforts. She founded Ikaika Hawaii, where she implements holistic programs to guide young individuals toward understanding right from wrong, cultivating perseverance, and embracing respect. She has found the confidence to speak out on Paul Dawson because she knows there are other victims who are in a worse situation than her. Shelley maintains that Paul Dawson likely remains oblivious to any wrongdoing. She perceives a tendency for the Dawson twins to deceive effortlessly, suggesting that their self-perception is intertwined with the narratives they've woven. Images: Nine / 60 Minutes

Legal

Sickness or health: Healthy life split along gender, education lines

Australians are living and working longer than ever, but the number of healthy years they’re enjoying with this added longevity isn’t shared equally between the sexes, or by those who finished school before Year 12. <div class="copy"> A paper recently <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00129-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="URL" data-id="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00129-9">published</a> in The Lancet Public Health from the Ageing Futures Institute at the University of New South Wales shows an increase in longevity in Australia. Other data in the publication reveal detail about “healthy years”. Men, and those with higher levels of education, worked about 2 years longer in good health. For women and those with lower education, the years of healthy life expectancy have gone backwards. The report, led by statistician Dr Kim Kiely who is now based at The University of Wollongong, compared representative cohorts of people aged 50-100 who participated in the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey (HILDA). Those cohorts were measured over decade long periods – the first from 2001-2010 and the second from 2011-2020. Men added an extra 11 months of healthy life between the cohorts, while women lost a month. Similarly those of any gender who had completed year 12 added about 10 months to their healthy life expectancy, while the same amount of time was lost by those who hadn’t. “Everyone’s increasing their working life expectancy, so the years they’re expected to be working,” Kiely says. “What is different is how long they’re expected to be living in good health: women and people with low education didn’t have an improvement in healthy life expectancy. “Everyone’s also living longer than ever before, but for women, those extra years seem to be years of poor health. People with lower education – they end up going backwards, they’re losing years of healthy life.” Australia’s working life trends are similar to those in Europe and the UK, though this research suggests the Australian labour force works longer in poor health than their antipodean counterparts. Kiely says the findings are important considerations for policymakers pondering questions of retirement and pension ages: the demands of some labour may not be evenly spread when it comes to considering health implications. “We have a pension age that has been rising steadily over the past couple of decades – it’s not rising anymore – but there is a strong expectation for people to be working longer,” Kiely says. “And if that is the case, then we need opportunities for work for mature age, older adults, and those work opportunities have to be suitable for their capacity to work. “We do need to address things like age and gender discrimination in the workforce. And we need to think about how we support people who are unable to work before they reach the pension age.” Kiely is extending his research into how the nature of work in Australia influences these high-level findings. He hopes this can explain why gender and education influence healthy working years. Further drilling down into other subgroups is important, say Dr Marty Lynch and Dr Ross Wilkie from Keele University, UK. They investigated healthy working life expectancy as part of Britain’s Independent State Pension Age Review last year. They too found Briton were working longer, but not at a rate that keeps pace with the national pension age. In a Lancet editorial accompanying the Australian research, they point out that the HILDA data evaluation only shows changes in average ages on gender and education lines. “The extent of HWLE [Healthy Working Life Expectancy] inequalities between subpopulations with multiple specific characteristics are likely to be even wider and will also indicate targets and interventions to increase the number of years that people can be healthy and in work,” they say. The impact of socioeconomic status on life expectancy and disease burden was recently highlighted in a large-scale review of Australia’s 30-year health data. <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/society/australias-life-expectancy-is-up-but-healthy-years-are-a-different-story/">It found</a> while Australians have added 6 years to their life expectancy since 1990, those with lower socioeconomic backgrounds had a higher risk of death-causing disease. Image credits: Getty Images <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/society/sickness-or-health-healthy-life-split-along-gender-education-lines/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="null">Cosmos</a>. </div>

Retirement Life

Princess Mary's eldest son make surprising announcement about his future

The eldest son of Princess Mary and Prince Frederik has made a surprising announcement ahead of his 18th birthday. Denmark's Prince Christian has broken years of royal tradition, saying he has decided to forego his royal allowance and instead prioritise his education. One he turns 18 in October, Christian will be able to receive his royal allowance and government funding. However, he has decided to put his education first and postpone becoming a full-time royal until he turns 21. A statement posted on the Royal House’s Instagram page explained that his primary focus in the coming year will be completing his upper secondary education. The statement reads, "Prince Christian's main priority in the coming year will be completing high school education. Following this, the Royal House will orient Prince Christian's further youth and education course, when the time comes." "It has thus been agreed with the Ministry of State that support in the Danish Parliament for a law on annual pension will only be sought when the Prince turns 21 or by a possible change of the throne, if it takes place before." The statement further shared that Prince Christian intends to stay away from the spotlight for now, but he will eventually resume public appearances in an official capacity once he has completed his education. Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Australia’s richest schools revealed

Funding in education is a divisive topic at the best of times, but with new data from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority’s MySchool, the divide between public and private school has never been more apparent. With five years’ worth of financial data at its disposal, news.com.au ranked Australia’s schools by wealth in each state, and by combining each institution’s gross income across its fees, its government funding, and the likes of donation income. According to the study, the top five wealthiest schools in New South Wales were - from first to fifth - Wahroonga’s Knox Grammar School, Darlinghurst’s Sydney Grammar School, Hornsby’s Barker College, Bellevue Hill’s The Scots College, and Pymble’s Pymble Ladies’ College. The results also revealed that New South Wales’ wealthiest school - Knox Grammar School - has gained more money through fees, funding, and donations over the course of five years than the total economic output of five of Australia’s Pacific island neighbours. Non-government schools account for 56 of the state’s richest, with Cherrybrook Technology High School - a secondary school in northwest Sydney - the highest-earning public school. Victoria’s top five were Keysborough’s Haileybury College, Melbourne’s Wesley College, St Kilda East’s Caulfield Grammar School, Kew’s Carey Baptist Grammar School, and Ivanhoe’s Ivanhoe Grammar School. And Victoria’s richest - Haileybury College - has more money than the bottom 300 schools combined, according to new data, with a staggering five-year income of $677m. However, it has also been reported that many Victorian state schools receive more per student from the government than the top private schools. Similar to Victoria, Queensland’s top five made more money over a five year period than the bottom 300, prompting renewed calls for the state and federal governments to negotiate on school funding. And those top five were Brisbane’s Brisbane Grammar School, East Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School, Indooroopilly’s St Peters Lutheran College, Reedy Creek’s King’s Christian College, and Brisbane’s Brisbane Girls Grammar School. South Australia’s top five were St Peters’ St Peters’ College, Somerton Park’s Sacred Heart College, Marion’s Westminster School, Findon’s Nazareth Catholic College, and Kent Town’s Prince Alfred College. The findings revealed that some of the inner-city colleges were bringing in up to 100 times more than their country school counterparts, and that St Peter’s College could boast a five-year gross income of almost a quarter of a billion dollars. Meanwhile, at small town Port Neill Primary School on the Eyre Peninsula, the gross income for the same period came in at just over $2.5m. Tasmania’s top five were North Hobart’s The Friends’ School, Prospect Vale’s St Patrick’s College, Newstead’s Scotch Oakburn College, Sandy Bay’s The Hutchins School, and Launceston’s Launceston College. And Tasmania’s richest, The Friends’ School, was revealed to be raking in over $158.3m over five years, with an astounding average cost per student of $29,070. The Northern Territory’s top five wealthiest schools were The Garden’s Darwin High School, Humpty Doo’s Taminmin College, Howard Springs’ Good Shepherd Lutheran College, Wadeye’s Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Thamarrurr Catholic College, and Rapid Creek’s The Essington School. Darwin High School had a gross income of $118.1m, while the region’s second wealthiest - Taminmin College - had one just shy of the former’s at $118m. However, Tipperary Station School had the lowest gross income of any of the territory’s schools, bringing in just $2.1m. Western Australia’s top five were Claremont’s Christ Church Grammar School, Wembley Downs’ Hale School, Swanbourne’s Scotch College, Karrinyup’s St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, and Duncraig’s St Stephen’s School. And last but not least, the Australian Capital Territory’s five richest schools were Red Hill’s Canberra Grammar School, Bruce’s Radford College, Deakin’s Canberra Girls Grammar School, Isabella Plains’ St Mary MacKillop College, and Pearce’s Marist College Canberra. Images: Facebook

Money & Banking

“My sex statue is famous”: Larry Emdur reacts to X-rated home reveal

The Morning Show host Larry Emdur has been making a name for himself in the world of game show TV for a few years hosting The Chase Australia, but despite his success, he’s still had his sights set on one more goal: making an appearance on the Have You Been Paying Attention? series. And now, it seems like Larry’s dream has come true, though not exactly in the way he might have expected. The popular host and his wife, Sylvie, have had their hands full recently trying to sell their Kangaroo Valley retreat, better known as Sky Ridge. And while pictures of the property and its picturesque surrounds are available thanks to Belle Property, it wasn’t the property’s luxury four bedrooms or sweeping views that saw it get a mention on the Channel 10 game show. Instead, it was a statue situated in the home’s main living space that caught their attention, with Have You Been Paying Attention? host Tom Gleisner asking his panel if they knew why Larry’s holiday home had gone viral throughout the week. Ed Kavalee was quick to suggest that it was because “the price was right”, while Sam Pang asked if it was because “it has to do with the backyard, they found a shallow grave?” Kavalee eventually got to the right answer, revealing that “there was, like, a pornographic statue in there.” The statue in question could be found perched on top of Larry’s dining room table, and appeared to catch two people caught up in the moment having “X-rated raunchy sex”, as Larry himself put it. The HYBPA? audience found it hilarious, and thankfully, Larry was more than happy to see the funny side of it all, too. Taking to social media after learning about his unexpected cameo, Larry shared that he’d “always wanted to be on Have You Been Paying Attention? but not for a disgraceful reason like this.” “My sex statue is famous,” he added, before sharing details of the property and that “YES !!!! The Price is Right”. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CttOo9pByBy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CttOo9pByBy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by @larryemdur</a> </div> </blockquote> Larry’s fans raced to express their amusement, with dozens sharing laughing emojis, while others assured him that the feature piece was certainly “a work of art”. “Love a good conversation piece,” one user said. “It’s…… unique,” another added. “Can’t stand that show,” one confessed. “But at least this time they are talking about something interesting”. And one other agreed that it had been “so funny”, noting that it was also a “nice house”, but that most importantly, they were sorry you weren't nominated for a gold logie, you sure deserved it”. Images: realestate.com.au, Getty

Real Estate

How traditional Indigenous education helped four lost children survive 40 days in the Amazon jungle

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eliran-arazi-1447346">Eliran Arazi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/hebrew-university-of-jerusalem-855">Hebrew University of Jerusalem</a> The discovery and rescue of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/four-missing-colombian-children-found-alive-jungle-sources-2023-06-10/">four young Indigenous children</a>, 40 days after the aircraft they were travelling in crashed in the remote Colombian rainforest, was hailed in the international press as a “<a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/06/11/miracle-in-the-jungle-colombia-celebrates-rescue-of-children-lost-in-amazon-rainforest_6030840_4.html">miracle in the jungle</a>”. But as an anthropologist who has spent more than a year living among the Andoque people in the region, <a href="https://www.academia.edu/100474974/Amazonian_visions_of_Visi%C3%B3n_Amazon%C3%ADa_Indigenous_Peoples_perspectives_on_a_forest_conservation_and_climate_programme_in_the_Colombian_Amazon">conducting ethnographic fieldwork</a>, I cannot simply label this as a miraculous event. At least, not a miracle in the conventional sense of the word. Rather, the survival and discovery of these children can be attributed to the profound knowledge of the intricate forest and the adaptive skills passed down through generations by Indigenous people. During the search for the children, I was in contact with Raquel Andoque, an elder maloquera (owner of a ceremonial longhouse), the sister of the children’s great-grandmother. She repeatedly expressed her unwavering belief the children would be found alive, citing the autonomy, astuteness and physical resilience of children in the region. Even before starting elementary school, children in this area accompany their parents and elder relatives in various activities such as gardening, fishing, navigating rivers, hunting and gathering honey and wild fruits. In this way the children acquire practical skills and knowledge, such as those demonstrated by Lesly, Soleiny, Tien and Cristin during their 40-day ordeal. Indigenous children typically learn from an early age how to open paths through dense vegetation, how to tell edible from non-edible fruits. They know how to find potable water, build rain shelters and set animal traps. They can identify animal footprints and scents – and avoid predators such as jaguars and snakes lurking in the woods. Amazonian children typically lack access to the sort of commercialised toys and games that children in the cities grow up with. So they become adept tree climbers and engage in play that teaches them about adult tools made from natural materials, such as oars or axes. This nurtures their understanding of physical activities and helps them learn which plants serve specific purposes. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532019/original/file-20230614-31-hrdd5z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532019/original/file-20230614-31-hrdd5z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532019/original/file-20230614-31-hrdd5z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532019/original/file-20230614-31-hrdd5z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532019/original/file-20230614-31-hrdd5z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532019/original/file-20230614-31-hrdd5z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532019/original/file-20230614-31-hrdd5z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A youg girl holding up an insect as her family works alongside" /><figcaption>A local Indigenous girl on an excursion to gather edible larvae. Image courtesy of Eliran Arazi, Author provided</figcaption></figure> Activities that most western children would be shielded from – handling, skinning and butchering game animals, for example – provide invaluable zoology lessons and arguably foster emotional resilience. <h2>Survival skills</h2> When they accompany their parents and relatives on excursions in the jungle, Indigenous children learn how to navigate a forest’s dense vegetation by following the location of the sun in the sky. <figure class="align-left zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532012/original/file-20230614-29-ii5s0u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532012/original/file-20230614-29-ii5s0u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532012/original/file-20230614-29-ii5s0u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532012/original/file-20230614-29-ii5s0u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532012/original/file-20230614-29-ii5s0u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532012/original/file-20230614-29-ii5s0u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=692&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532012/original/file-20230614-29-ii5s0u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=692&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532012/original/file-20230614-29-ii5s0u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=692&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Map of the Middle Caqueta region of Colombia." /></a><figcaption>Map showing where in Colombia the four lost children are from. Gadiel Levi, Author provided</figcaption></figure> Since the large rivers in most parts of the Amazon flow in a direction opposite to that of the sun, people can orient themselves towards those main rivers. The trail of footprints and objects left by the four children revealed their general progression towards the Apaporis River, where they may have hoped to be spotted. The children would also have learned from their parents and elders about edible plans and flowers – where they can be found. And also the interrelationship between plants, so that where a certain tree is, you can find mushrooms, or small animals that can be trapped and eaten. <h2>Stories, songs and myths</h2> Knowledge embedded in mythic stories passed down by parents and grandparents is another invaluable resource for navigating the forest. These stories depict animals as fully sentient beings, engaging in seduction, mischief, providing sustenance, or even saving each other’s lives. While these episodes may seem incomprehensible to non-Indigenous audiences, they actually encapsulate the intricate interrelations among the forest’s countless non-human inhabitants. Indigenous knowledge focuses on the interrelationships between humans, plants and animals and how they can come together to preserve the environment and prevent irreversible ecological harm. This sophisticated knowledge has been developed over millennia during which Indigenous people not only adapted to their forest territories but actively shaped them. It is deeply ingrained knowledge that local indigenous people are taught from early childhood so that it becomes second nature to them. It has become part of the culture of cultivating and harvesting crops, something infants and children are introduced to, as well as knowledge of all sort of different food sources and types of bush meat. <h2>Looking after each other</h2> One of the aspects of this “miraculous” story that people in the west have marvelled over is how, after the death of the children’s mother, the 13-year-old Lesly managed to take care of her younger siblings, including Cristin, who was only 11 months old at the time the aircraft went down. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532007/original/file-20230614-19-7q92j0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532007/original/file-20230614-19-7q92j0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532007/original/file-20230614-19-7q92j0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532007/original/file-20230614-19-7q92j0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532007/original/file-20230614-19-7q92j0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532007/original/file-20230614-19-7q92j0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532007/original/file-20230614-19-7q92j0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Three Indigenous people in western clothes stood under trees in front of a wide building." /><figcaption>Iris Andoque Macuna with her brother Nestor Andoque and brother-in-law Faustino Fiagama after the two men returned from the search team. Iris Andoque Macuna., Author provided</figcaption></figure> But in Indigenous families, elder sisters are expected to act as surrogate mothers to their younger relatives from an early age. Iris Andoke Macuna, a distant relative of the family, told me: <blockquote> To some whites [non-Indigenous people], it seems like a bad thing that we take our children to work in the garden, and that we let girls carry their brothers and take care of them. But for us, it’s a good thing, our children are independent, this is why Lesly could take care of her brothers during all this time. It toughened her, and she learned what her brothers need. </blockquote> <h2>The spiritual side</h2> For 40 days and nights, while the four children were lost, elders and shamans performed rituals based on traditional beliefs that involve human relationships with entities known as dueños (owners) in Spanish and by various names in native languages (such as i'bo ño̰e, meaning “persons of there” in Andoque). These owners are believed to be the protective spirits of the plants and animals that live in the forests. Children are introduced to these powerful owners in name-giving ceremonies, which ensure that these spirits recognise and acknowledge relationship to the territory and their entitlement to prosper on it. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531997/original/file-20230614-15389-7c6oly.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531997/original/file-20230614-15389-7c6oly.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531997/original/file-20230614-15389-7c6oly.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531997/original/file-20230614-15389-7c6oly.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531997/original/file-20230614-15389-7c6oly.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531997/original/file-20230614-15389-7c6oly.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531997/original/file-20230614-15389-7c6oly.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Woman in pink t-shirt sat on chair inside." /><figcaption>Raquel Andoke, a relative of the missing children and friend of the author. Image courtesy of Eliran Arazi, Author provided</figcaption></figure> During the search for the missing children, elders conducted dialogues and negotiations with these entities in their ceremonial houses (malocas) throughout the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Middle-and-Lower-Caqueta-River-region-State-of-Amazonas-Colombia-Map-from_fig1_255580310">Middle Caquetá</a> and in other Indigenous communities that consider the crash site part of their ancestral territory. Raquel explained to me: <blockquote> The shamans communicate with the sacred sites. They offer coca and tobacco to the spirits and say: “Take this and give me my grandchildren back. They are mine, not yours.” </blockquote> These beliefs and practices hold significant meaning for my friends in the Middle Caquetá, who firmly attribute the children’s survival to these spiritual processes rather than the technological means employed by the Colombian army rescue teams. It may be challenging for non-Indigenous people to embrace these traditional ideas. But these beliefs would have instilled in the children the faith and emotional fortitude crucial for persevering in the struggle for survival. And it would have encouraged the Indigenous people searching for them not to give up hope. The children knew that their fate did not lie in dying in the forest, and that their grandparents and shamans would move heaven and earth to bring them back home alive. Regrettably, this traditional knowledge that has enabled Indigenous people to not only survive but thrive in the Amazon for millennia is under threat. Increasing land encroachment for agribusiness, mining, and illicit activities as well as state neglect and interventions without Indigenous consent have left these peoples vulnerable. It is jeopardising the very foundations of life where this knowledge is embedded, the territories that serve as its bedrock, and the people themselves who preserve, develop, and transmit this knowledge. Preserving this invaluable knowledge and the skills that bring miracles to life is imperative. We must not allow them to wither away.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207762/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eliran-arazi-1447346">Eliran Arazi</a>, PhD researcher in Anthropology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (Paris)., <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/hebrew-university-of-jerusalem-855">Hebrew University of Jerusalem</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-traditional-indigenous-education-helped-four-lost-children-survive-40-days-in-the-amazon-jungle-207762">original article</a>. Images: Getty

Caring

9 ways to exercise your brain

While many people can say they are dedicated to keeping their bodies in shape, exercising applies to more than just the muscles, bones and fat in our bodies. We should all be working out the neural pathways and connections in our brains too. So whether you’re trying to get your brain back into shape or you just want to keep it as strong as it is now, below are some top tips on how to help exercise your mind to good health. 1. Read as much as you can Whether it’s a newspaper, magazine or book, reading is a fantastic basic brain exercise. Remember, the more challenging the reading material is the more of a workout you are giving your brain. Like with any new exercise regime, start small and work your way up to a level that you find challenging. 2. Learn new words Increasing your vocabulary is a great way to exercise the language portion of your brain. A word-of-the day calendar is a great way to ensure you keep on top of this throughout the year. 3. Put pen to paper (not fingers to a keyboard) From fictional stories to keeping a journal, writing is a good workout for the brain, as it requires lots of thinking. A study published in the Human Brain Mapping journal found that both planning and writing a story by hand combines handwriting and cognitive writing processes, which are predominantly associated with memory and integrating information from diverse sources. 4. Do puzzles Easy to fit into your daily schedule, simple puzzles like crosswords and Sudoku help to get your brain doing some basic work, while more complex puzzles will give your brain a stronger workout. So although more complicated puzzles may take days to solve and complete, they’re worth the effort as these types of games can help keep you sharp, as well as slow memory loss and mental decline. 5. Switch to your non-dominant hand While this might sound like an odd one, switching to your non-dominant hand from time to time has been shown to stimulate the parts of the brain that control your muscles. Experts also say that using your other hand helps your brain to better integrate its two hemispheres. 6. Get talking For a basic brain workout, get chatting! Next time you catch up with family or friends try talking about more challenging topics (such as politics, religion etc.) where you engage in deep discussion – without arguing. It’s a great way to keep your mind active while having fun, get to know others better and to share your thoughts. 7. Back to school Education has obvious benefits and going back to school is a great way to get your brain working again, to challenge yourself and to do something satisfying. You don’t have to sign up for a whole degree, there are many free short courses as well as certificate courses that you can do online. 8. Eat well Just like with the body, when you exercise you need to give your brain the right fuel so it operates at optimal health. The Open Training Institute says, “Skipping breakfast can reduce thinking skills by 40 per cent, as your brain is starved of that much needed sugar hit”. Furthermore, certain foods are good for improving brain function like dark chocolate, which increases blood flow to the brain increasing alertness and clarity. “Blueberries for example pack a powerful punch of antioxidants and can improve memory, while green leafy veggies and fresh herbs are full of vitamin K, which improves cognitive function.” 9. Exercise Being active doesn’t only keep your body healthy it can also make you more alert. The Open Training Institute says, “Low-intensity exercise like yoga or walking can dramatically reduce sleepiness, amp up energy levels and attention span.” And the benefits of keeping active don’t stop there. “More intensity can even improve cognitive function by five to 10 per cent.” Image credit: Shutterstock For information about the Open Training Institute and the courses on offer, or to simply ask a question, call 1300 915 692.

Mind

Become a master record keeper

Whether you want to brush up your admin skills for your current job, seek new employment, or you’re simply keen to further your knowledge and become the master of your own personal admin, understanding the process of record keeping can be very rewarding. Take Over60 community member, Di Rieger, for example. “During my time [working and volunteering] I assisted with customer service, collection and data entry of statistics, brochure management, information research, ticket and retail sales, preparation of the volunteer roster, writing applications for grant funding and writing award submissions,” Di explains. From working in libraries to volunteering, her experience in research and administration tasks instilled her with the knowledge and know-how to start researching the genealogy of her family. An experience, which she says, changed her life. “Would you believe that while doing an Internet search for my husband’s great grandfather I found information that I did not already have – his parent’s birth and death dates and places, his siblings and all of their birth dates and places and quite a lot more information. One of my cousins had never seen a photograph of [our relative] Thomas Oscar Miller that I found. She is thrilled that I am able to send her a digital copy of the photo.” Whether you want to get a little more organised at home or take on a research project, learning the art of record keeping is a skill that is transferable to many fields. Here are some basic tips and tricks that will help get your personal affairs in order. 4 tips to become the master of your personal records 1. Divide and conquer Nearly all of your admin and financial papers can be divided into three categories: records that you need to keep only for the calendar year or less, papers that you need to save for seven years (according to the ATO), and papers that you should hang onto indefinitely. For example, you don’t really need to hang onto all of your ATM-withdrawal receipts, deposit slips or credit-card receipts do you? Once you’ve crosschecked receipts with your bank statement, you can throw them away. While it’s a good idea to keep receipts for major purchases, it isn’t necessary to hold onto sales receipts for minor purchases after you've satisfactorily used the item a few times or the warranty has expired. Shortly after the end of the calendar year, you should be able to throw out a slew of additional paper, including your monthly credit card and or other bank statements, utility bills (if they are not needed for business deductions), and monthly or quarterly reports for the previous year. 2. Paper place Designate a place – a desk, corner or room – as the place where you deal with paperwork. If you don’t have the space for this, a drawer, cabinet, or closet where you can store bills and current records, situated near a table on which you can write, will do. Stationery items such as manila folders will come in handy for filing the papers, as will a file cabinet or cardboard box to hold the records. Keep your will, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, property deeds, and other permanent records in a safe but accessible place near your other financial documents, so you and your heirs will always be able to get to them quickly, if they need to. 3. Organised systems Having a plan for how you process all records is key. A rudimentary filing system will do. The simplest method is to sort everything into categories – for example, tax related, financial or house. Each area should have it’s own folder or drawer. Then, when you sit down to either pay your bills or gather information, you'll have all the paperwork you need in one spot. 4. Stay in front Once you have a system in place, you’ll want to make sure you stay on top of things and don’t have a backlog of unsorted paperwork. Set aside a half an hour a day to sift through old papers, perhaps while watching the news or listening to music. You'll be amazed at the difference a little organisation makes. Interested in record keeping or looking into your family history, but not quite sure where to start? The Open Training Institute offers a <a href="https://www.opentraining.edu.au/courses/administration/cert-3-recordkeeping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Certificate III in Recordkeeping</a>. As well as teaching you the necessary proficiencies you could use to research your own family tree, the course can lead to employment as an assistant records clerk or an assistant registry officer. Visit their website to find out more. For information about the Open Training Institute and the courses on offer, or to simply ask a question, call 1300 915 692. Image credit: Shutterstock

Mind

Don’t blame women for low libido. Sexual sparks fly when partners do their share of chores – including calling the plumber

When a comic about “mental load” <a href="https://english.emmaclit.com/2017/05/20/you-shouldve-asked/">went viral in 2017</a>, it sparked conversations about the invisible workload women carry. Even when women are in paid employment, they remember their mother-in-law’s birthday, know what’s in the pantry and organise the plumber. This mental load often goes unnoticed. Women also <a href="https://theconversation.com/yet-again-the-census-shows-women-are-doing-more-housework-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-interventions-185488">continue to do more housework</a> and childcare than their male partners. This burden has been exacerbated over the recent pandemic (homeschooling anyone?), <a href="https://theconversation.com/planning-stress-and-worry-put-the-mental-load-on-mothers-will-2022-be-the-year-they-share-the-burden-172599">leaving women</a> feeling exhausted, anxious and resentful. As sexuality researchers, we wondered, with all this extra work, do women have any energy left for sex? We decided to explore how mental load affects intimate relationships. We focused on female sexual desire, as “low desire” affects <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1743609520307566">more than 50% of women</a> and is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091302217300079">difficult to treat</a>. Our study, published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2022.2079111">Journal of Sex Research</a>, shows women in equal relationships (in terms of housework and the mental load) are more satisfied with their relationships and, in turn, feel more sexual desire than those in unequal relationships. <h2>How do we define low desire?</h2> Low desire is tricky to explore. More than simply the motivation to have sex, women describe sexual desire as a state-of-being and a need for closeness. Adding to this complexity is the fluctuating nature of female desire that changes in response to life experiences and the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160630-the-enduring-enigma-of-female-desire">quality of relationships</a>. Relationships are especially important to female desire: relationship dissatisfaction is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18410300/">top risk factor</a> for low desire in women, even more than the physiological impacts of age and menopause. Clearly, relationship factors are critical to understanding female sexual desire. As a way of addressing the complexity of female desire, a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-018-1212-9">recent theory</a> proposed two different types of desire: dyadic desire is the sexual desire one feels for another, whereas solo desire is about individual feelings. Not surprisingly, dyadic desire is intertwined with the dynamics of the relationship, while solo desire is more amorphous and involves feeling good about yourself as a sexual being (feeling sexy), without needing validation from another. <h2>Assessing the link</h2> Our research acknowledged the nuances of women’s desire and its strong connection to relationship quality by exploring how fairness in relationships might affect desire. The research involved asking 299 Australian women aged 18 to 39 questions about desire and relationships. These questions included assessments of housework, mental load – such as who organised social activities and made financial arrangements – and who had more leisure time. We compared three groups: <ul> <li>relationships where women perceived the work as equally shared equal (the “equal work” group)</li> <li>when the woman felt she did more work (the “women’s work” group)</li> <li>when women thought that their partner contributed more (the “partner’s work” group).</li> </ul> We then explored how these differences in relationship equity impacted female sexual desire. <h2>What we found</h2> The findings were stark. Women who rated their relationships as equal also reported greater relationship satisfaction and higher dyadic desire (intertwined with the dynamics of the relationship) than other women in the study. Unfortunately (and perhaps, tellingly), the partner’s work group was too small to draw any substantial conclusions. However, for the women’s work group it was clear their dyadic desire was diminished. This group was also less satisfied in their relationships overall. We found something interesting when turning our attention to women’s solo desire. While it seems logical that relationship inequities might affect all aspects of women’s sexuality, our results showed that fairness did not significantly impact solo desire. This suggests women’s low desire isn’t an internal sexual problem to be treated with <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/yoni-eggs#:%7E:text=Yoni%20eggs%20are%20egg%2Dshaped,bacterial%20infections%20and%20intense%20pain.">mindfulness apps and jade eggs</a>, but rather one that needs effort from both partners. Other relationship factors are involved. We found children increased the workload for women, leading to lower relationship equity and consequently, lower sexual desire. Relationship length also played a role. Research shows long-term relationships are <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-018-1175-x">associated with</a> decreasing desire for women, and this is often attributed to the tedium of over-familiarity (think of the bored, sexless <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBq-Nyo0lQg">wives in 90s sitcoms</a>). However our research indicates relationship boredom is not the reason, with the increasing inequity over the course of a relationship often the cause of women’s disinterest in sex. The longer some relationships continue, the more unfair they become, lowering women’s desire. This may be because women take on managing their partner’s relationships, as well as their own (“It’s time we had your best friend over for dinner”). And while domestic housework may start as equally shared, over time, women <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/women-spent-more-time-men-unpaid-work-may">tend to do more</a> household tasks. <h2>What about same-sex couples?</h2> Same-sex couples have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/fare.12293">more equitable relationships</a>. However, we found the same link between equity and desire for women in same-sex relationships, although it was much stronger for heteronormative couples. A sense of fairness within a relationship is fundamental to all women’s satisfaction and sexual desire. <h2>What happens next?</h2> Our findings suggest one response to low desire in women could be to address the amount of work women have to take on in relationships. The link between relationship satisfaction and female sexual desire has been firmly established in <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-018-1175-x">previous research</a> but our findings explain how this dynamic works: women’s sense of fairness within a relationship forecasts their contentment, which has repercussions on their desire for their partner. To translate our results into clinical practice, we could run trials to confirm if lowering women’s mental load results in greater sexual desire. We could have a “housework and mental load ban” for a sample of women reporting low sexual desire and record if there are changes in their reported levels of desire. Or perhaps women’s sexual partners could do the dishes tonight and see what happens. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-blame-women-for-low-libido-sexual-sparks-fly-when-partners-do-their-share-of-chores-including-calling-the-plumber-185401" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Relationships

Why study is the key to keeping your brain healthy as you age

Two Over60 community members talk about studying later in life, how it keeps their mind healthy and why they keep going back for more. The word study for many people conjures up memories of restless school days, strict teachers and homework you had to force yourself to complete. However, education isn’t just limited to schools – if you think about our everyday lives, we are constantly learning new things. Whether it’s trying out a new recipe, learning about historic events through a film or attempting to remember algebra so we can help our grandkids, it’s clear learning is a lifelong process. Research consistently shows that keeping your mind active has many health benefits. For over-60s, it helps to keep your mind stimulated and mental faculties in top condition as well as improving your overall wellbeing. It is why there are increasingly more seniors who are seeking to study later in life – and they’re finding they not only love it, but that it’s rewarding in so many ways. For Bernard Macdougall, 73, from Maryborough, Queensland, taking courses and learning new things has been crucial in keeping his mind astute. It was after searching online that Bernard stumbled across the free Open2Study courses. “A couple of year ago I was starting to get a bit anxious about whether I had any brain damage. I had a bit of numbness on the right side of my body and I felt I had a slight impediment in my speech,” he reveals, continuing, “but when I found I could get high marks in these courses I thought well I don’t have to worry, my brain is working, there hasn’t been any deterioration.” Bernard found there was a great variety in courses offered and the option of short one-month timeframes could be easily managed. He ended up taking three courses through Open2Study and another online course through Charles Darwin University. It was a similar case for Peter Keyes, 78, from Albion Park Rail, New South Wales, who has completed four courses through Open2Study. Peter has worked in education all his life so when retirement came around he wasn’t about to stop learning. “You can’t sit around in retirement and twiddle your thumbs,” he laughs, adding, “I live in a retirement village and I encourage all of [the residents] to do some study rather than sit around and watch TV all day! It keeps the brain kicking.” As well as keeping him busy, Peter also found the courses were helpful and informative. “During my career in education I ended up being an administrator looking after buildings so I was interested in one of the courses ‘Project Management’. It gave me a further insight into the processes that I used in setting up the buildings of school buildings,” he explains, continuing, “In [my] retirement village, management occasionally ask me to go into planning meetings and talk about what things [to consider] in terms of buildings and older people.” Studying is not only about learning new things but as Bernard found, it can be personally fulfilling too. “Back in the 70s, I did an arts degree with major studies in anthropology. I saw that Open2Study had a course called ‘<a href="https://www.open2study.com/courses/becoming-human-anthropology-090913%20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Becoming Human</a>’. I thought, ‘Right I will have a go at that’,” explains Bernard. He soon found he was not only learning about new theories but about what it means to become human. “I was very emotionally involved as it was about human evolution,” he says. Both Bernard and Peter found the online courses easy to manage – all that was needed was a computer and an internet connection to access the course that you could do in the convenience and comfort of your own home. Lectures were presented through short videos, which Peter found convenient: “You can stop it at any time, make a note and then catch up,” he explains. And for those who are worried that studying means taking exams or doing assessments again, Peter advises you not to worry. “When people hear that they’ve got exams or test or assessment to do, they get a bit frightened. But you teach them there’s nothing to it, you can always stop and go back and have another read,” says Peter. While there are assessments – mainly multiple choice – throughout most courses, it’s not about being competitive but having a barometer for your individual progress. It is simply there so you know how much knowledge you have learnt during the course. Bernard found that although he felt apprehensive sometimes, there was a greatly fulfilling feeling of not only accomplishing the assessment but gaining some high marks. “I put a lot of work into study and when you have to press the final submit button, sometimes I was extremely apprehensive because I was anxious to get good marks,” Bernard explains, adding, “I think one has to devote time to it but it’s time I’m happy to spend.” Both Peter and Bernard are quick to reveal that they are not going to stop studying anytime soon. Peter has just signed up to Open2Study’s ‘Innovation for Powerful Outcomes’ course while Bernard is still half way through the ‘User Experience for the Web’ course. “The course is self-paced so I can start again and there’s no deadline for me, thank goodness,” Bernard smiles. After each completing a number of courses, they can’t speak highly enough about how beneficial studying has been for them. “It keeps the little grey cells going,” states Peter, because as he know only too well, “the pool of knowledge, skill, understanding and wisdom is enormous” in the over-60 community. “For me it is very, very important to keep learning as you age. Partly so that I know my brain is still good and not fading away,” Bernard chuckles, continuing, “it is also just a matter of curiosity. I’m just interested in learning new topics.” Images: Getty

Mind

School principal forced out after parents complain statue of David is too rude

Hope Carrasquilla, a US charter school principal, has been forced to resign from her position after a parent decreed an art lesson to be “pornographic”. Carrasquilla was given an ultimatum - either she stepped down, or she would face termination from the Tallahassee Classical School - according to the Tallahassee Democrat. “It saddens me that my time here had to end this way,” she told the publication. Carrasquilla also explained that she had been informed of her options by the school’s board chair, Barney Bishop. While Bishop has confirmed that he did hand down the ultimatum, he did not expand on why. However, Carrasquilla believes a Renaissance art lesson to be the main contributing factor. The lesson in question saw students study Michelgangelo’s classic David, as well as his Creation of Adam fresco painting, and Boticelli’s Birth of Venus. Apparently, the school is required to educate students about Renaissance art in their 6th grade. But for three parents this wasn’t reason enough, with each of them voicing their concerns about the lesson plan, while claiming that it had caused their children upset. Two of the parents simply wanted to have been notified about the content before it reached their children, but one had stronger feelings, branding the situation “pornographic”. Carrasquilla said that one of them was “point-blank upset”, and “felt her child should not be viewing those pieces.” But as she informed HuffPost, things were “a little more complicated than that”, before sharing that the school’s usual protocol would be to inform parents before their children are presented with classical art, such as David. According to the now-former principal, a “breakdown in communication” between herself, the direction of operations, and the art teacher has brought upon a kind of administrative oversight, and the parents had never received a letter about the lesson. This came after a new rule was passed in February, with the school board mandating that parents must be notified a fortnight before any “potentially controversial” was taught to students. Parents would also be presented with the option to review their child’s curriculum, as well as any related media, with a reminder to be sent a week ahead. “Parental rights are supreme,” Bishop explained, “and that means protecting the interests of all parents, whether it’s one, 10, 20, or 50.” As her story began to circulate around the globe, Carrasquilla went on to explain in a statement that for a year, Bishop had “expressed his displeasure with my leadership when parents became upset about policies or procedures not being followed to the T. “He was more concerned about litigation and appeasing a small minority of parents, rather than trusting my expertise as an educator for more than 25 years.” Images: Getty

Art

A rare glimpse into the Depression-era

Yale University recently released 170,000 historic photos of the Great Depression to the public. These photos were commissioned by the US government in the 1930s to capture America “at her most vulnerable”. Shot over a 10 year period from 1935 to 1945, these pictures offer a rare and fascinating glimpse into the daily life of ordinary people simply trying to get by. A selection of some of the most captivating images are in the gallery above, but if you’re interested in browsing all the photos, <a href="http://photogrammar.yale.edu/" target="_blank">head over to their interactive website here. </a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/15-things-kids-of-today-are-missing-out-on/">15 things kids of today are missing out on</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/inside-a-1950s-tea-factory/">Inside a tea factory from the 50s</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/5-types-of-grandparents/">There are 5 different types of grandparents – which one are you?</a>

Family & Pets

Top politicians not so calculated after all

New South Wales Education Minister Sarah Mitchell and her counterpart in the opposition, Prue Car, were put to the test while appearing live on 2GB. The two were chatting to radio host Ben Fordham after a pre-election debate when he presented them with a challenge: a problem from the Year 7 NAPLAN test’s Numeracy section. NAPLAN tests typically consist of multiple choice questions and ones where students must write their answers in the spaces provided. While calculators are permitted outside of the short non-calculator sections, they were far from the hands of Sarah and Prue as Ben sprung his test upon them. Ben opened by explaining to the two that they had to solve the question without the use of the handy devices, and that they had room to show their working, just as any Year 7 would when faced with the same test. “Pears cost $4 per kilogram,” Ben explained, reading from the question posed to the ministers, “Ben buys 4.15 kilograms of pears. How much does Ben pay for the pears?” The two wasted no time in putting pen to paper and getting started, with Ben chuckling that they were “busily working away.” Prue finished working first, cradling her chin in her hand as Ben asked if she wanted to hand in her sheet, before he explained to Sarah when to fill in her answer. “Just like the students do,” he said, “this is a test environment. Your Year 7 students in New South Wales have got to face these questions.” “You’ve outdone yourself with this today, Ben,” Prue remarked, while Sarah continued her calculations. After roughly one minute, both sheets were in Ben’s hands, and he was ready to announce the results. Prue, despite finishing first, got her answer wrong. Upon hearing the news, the minister burst into laughter, with an amused Sarah piping up that she “might be too, Prue.” Ben went on to repeat the question, and shared Prue’s answer of $4.15. “The minister Sarah Mitchell,” he continued, “has got this one right!” The correct answer to the problem? $16.60. “Can I just say, English was my strong suit,” Prue declared in light of her defeat. And to the great amusement of both Prue and Ben, Sarah announced, “so was mine, Prue!” Images: 2GB

News

Sex and the City star’s family heartbreak

Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall has taken to social media to announce that she has lost her mother. She revealed to fans with a touching series of throwback images on Instagram that Shane Cattrall has died at an amazing 93 years of age. Cattrall, 66, shared the heartfelt post along with the caption: "Shane Cattrall 1929 - 2022. Rest in peace Mum." The photos included selfies of Shane and Kim together, and a sweet photo of the pair together on Kim's graduation day. There were also some older black-and-white photos of Shane, and a sweet one of a school-aged Kim with her mum. Plenty of friends and fans have shared their condolences, including British talk show host Alan Carr. Kim, who appears on the TV show Queer As Folk, also saw her show co-stars send their love. So far Kim's Sex and the City castmates Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker are yet to comment. It's unlikely Parker will comment given she and Kim's falling out over the years, and how Cattrall reacted the last time Parker tried to reach out to her after a family tragedy. In 2018, after Kim's brother Chris was found dead after going missing, Parker reached out privately to her, but Kim wasn't so thrilled about the support. The actress took to social media to share a damning response to Parker: "I don't need your love or support at this tragic time @sarahjessicaparker," she wrote. It was followed by an even more fiery caption, which even referenced her late mum: "My Mom asked me today 'When will that @sarahjessicaparker, that hypocrite, leave you alone?'," Kim wrote in the caption. "Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now. "Let me make this VERY clear. (If I haven't already) You are not my family. You are not my friend. So I'm writing to tell you one last time to stop exploiting our tragedy in order to restore your 'nice girl' persona." Parker never responded to the post, later telling Harper's Bazaar, "So there was no fight; it was completely fabricated because I actually never responded. And I won't, because she needed to say what she needed to say, and that is her privilege." Image: Instagram

Caring

Aussie travellers warned over strict new sex law

Indonesia has introduced a new law that could see many Aussies and other tourists thrown into jail. The predominately Muslim country announced that the government has approved legislation that would outlaw premarital sex. The news has been met with outrage with many saying it is setting the country back and taking away from people’s freedoms. This new law will also affect Bali, an extremely popular holiday destination and far more liberal than the rest of the country. Bambang Wuryanto, the head of the parliamentary commission in charge of revising the code, told politicians that the old rule is no longer relevant. "The old code belongs to Dutch heritage … and is no longer relevant now." Yasonna Laoly, the Minister of Law and Human Rights said it was time to leave the “colonial criminal code” behind. “We have tried our best to accommodate the important issues and different opinions which were debated,” he said. “However, it is time for us to make a historical decision on the penal code amendment and to leave the colonial criminal code we inherited behind.” The new law is not just applied for tourists, but also citizens with acts of premarital and extramarital sex could only be reported by a spouse, parents or children. Anyone found guilty of premarital and extramarital sex will face a year in jail. Despite the law passing, it is clear that it won’t be applied immediately as it will take time to transition from the old code to the new one. The new code is expected to be implemented within the next three years. Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Is your partner a man-child? No wonder you don’t feel like sex

A man sits on the couch, watching TV. His partner, a woman, prepares dinner, while mentally ticking off her to-do list. That includes returning her partner’s shirts she’d ordered online for him last week, and booking a GP appointment for their youngest child. He walks in and asks her “what’s for dinner?”, then goes back to the TV. Later that night, he’s surprised she’s not interested in sex. The people in this scenario are a woman and a man. But it could be a woman and her child. The dynamics are very similar – one person providing instrumental and emotional care, and the other receiving that care while showing little acknowledgement, gratitude or reciprocation. You’re reading about a man who depends on his partner for everyday tasks that he is actually capable of. Some people call this the “<a href="https://www.instyle.com/lifestyle/hump-day/what-is-a-man-child" target="_blank" rel="noopener">man-child</a>” phenomenon. Maybe you’ve lived it. Our <a href="https://t.co/zDWcUZYsVn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a> shows it’s real. <h2>The man-child is real</h2> The <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-021-02100-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">man-child phenomenon</a> (or perceiving a partner as dependent, as we call it) describes the blurring of roles between a partner and a child. You may hear women describe their male partners as their “dependent” or one of their children. When a partner starts to feel like they have a dependent child, it’s not surprising if that affects a woman’s sexual desire for him. We set out to explore whether this might explain why many women partnered with men <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11930-014-0027-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> low sexual desire. Surprisingly, until our study, there were no studies that had tried to directly measure the impact of the man-child phenomenon on women’s sexual desire. <h2>What we did</h2> We conducted <a href="https://t.co/zDWcUZYsVn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two studies</a> with more than 1,000 women from around the world, in relationships with men. All our participants had children under the age of 12. We asked the women to rate their agreement with statements like, “Sometimes I feel as though my partner is like an extra child I need to look after.” We also asked them about the division of household labour in their relationship, and their level of sexual desire for their partner. We found consistent evidence that: <ul> <li> when women performed more household labour than their partner, they were more likely to perceive their partner as dependents (that is, the man-child phenomenon) </li> <li> perceiving a partner as a dependent was associated with lower sexual desire for that partner. </li> </ul> When taken together, you could say women’s partners were taking on an unsexy role – that of a child. There could be other explanations. For instance, women who perceive their partners as dependents may be more likely to do more around the house. Alternatively, low desire for a partner may lead to the partner being perceived as a dependent. So we need more research to confirm. Our research highlights a pretty bleak snapshot of what people’s relationships can involve. And while the man-child phenomenon may not exist for you, it reflects broader gendered inequities in relationships. <h2>Is there a man-child equivalent in same-sex relationships?</h2> Our research was solely about relationships between women and men, with children. But it would be interesting to explore if the man-child phenomenon exists in same-sex or gender-diverse relationships, and what the impact might be on sexual desire. One possibility is that, in relationships between two women, men, or non-binary people, household labour is more <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10894160.2016.1142350?casa_token=Qz37Pcn3THYAAAAA%3AD81uS-d6AQ5ZaV41IXTIXIsE2RmsUqIOIkoQqBC8ThSMyfYhs8GAjy4uLEP6bkxTXARWpSfeI-wRMAE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">equitably negotiated</a>. As a result, the mother-child dynamic may be less likely to emerge. But no-one has studied that yet. Another possibility is that one person in the relationship (regardless of gender identity) takes on a more feminine role. This may include more of the mothering, nurturing labour than their partner(s). If that was the case, we might see the man-child phenomenon in a broader range of relationships. Again, no-one has studied this. Perhaps, anyone could be the “man-child” in their relationship. <h2>What else don’t we know?</h2> Such future research may help explore different types of relationship dynamics more broadly. This may help us understand what sexual desire might look like in relationships where roles are equitably negotiated, chosen, and renegotiated as needed. We might learn what happens when household labour is valued like paid labour. Or what happens when both partners support each other and can count on each other for daily and life needs. Women might be less likely to experience their partners as dependents and feel more sexual desire for them. In other words, the closer we are to equity in actively caring for each other, the closer we might be to equity in the capacity for feeling sexual desire with our partner. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-your-partner-a-man-child-no-wonder-you-dont-feel-like-sex-194913" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Relationships

Maddie McCann suspect charged with sex offences

Christian Brueckner, the only suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, has been charged with several sex offences. The 45-year-old, who is already in jail for raping a 72-year-old American woman in the Portuguese resort of Praia de Luz in 2005, is the only suspect in the Maddie McCann case. The Braunschweig prosecutor's office said Brueckner has been charged with several sex offences he committed in Portugal between December 28, 2000, and June 11, 2017. “The accused is the same person against whom charges were brought in connection with the disappearance of the then three-year-old British girl Madeleine Beth McCann,” they said in a statement. "Specifically, the accused is charged with three offences of aggravated rape and two offences of sexual abuse of children.” Police are however continuing their investigation into the disappearance of the then three-year-old who vanished in May 2007 from her bedroom in the Algarve apartment where her family were staying. "The investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann continues." "In view of the ongoing investigation, it is not possible to provide any further information on the results of the investigation so far." Brueckner, who was first named as a suspect in the case in April 2022, has denied any involvement in the disappearance of Maddie. Images: Getty

Legal

Peppa Pig has introduced a pair of lesbian polar bears, but Aussie kids’ TV has been leading the way in queer representation

Peppa Pig’s first same-sex couple, a pair of lesbian polar bears, were recently introduced after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/sep/08/peppa-pig-introduces-its-first-same-sex-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a petition to include a same-sex family</a> received nearly 24,000 signatures. Children’s television has often been a place to push the boundaries of diverse representations onscreen. In particular, Australian children’s TV has been a global leader in screen diversity, including gender and queer representation. Emmy-winning Australian series <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10614090/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">First Day</a> (2020-22) tells the story of a transgender girl starting high school. Another Emmy-winner, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8747140/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hardball</a> (2019-21) includes gay dads for one of the lead characters. Even recent updates to The Wiggles’ line-up has placed a greater emphasis on gender diversity, including <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/the-wiggles-announces-four-new-band-members-with-focus-on-diversity-gender-equality/news-story/dbc914965a83332c857e7665b3639ba0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adding a non-binary unicorn</a>. <h2>Diverse representation</h2> Children’s TV is often less risk averse than programming aimed at adults. The ABC is <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1329878X16687400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">empowered</a> to take risks with representations of gender and sexuality in children’s programming because of its publicly funded role. But such progressive portrayals can sometimes chafe with outdated expectations of children’s television. In 2004, Play School <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07380560802314128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced controversy</a> for showing lesbian mothers. As social acceptance has progressed, Australian children’s TV has been able to achieve more queer representations. Talking to the Queering Australian Screens <a href="https://djomeara.com/phd-research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research project</a>, television professionals often praised the genre for its openness to new ideas, representations and bringing in new talent. Tony Ayres, Creator of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowhere_Boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nowhere Boys</a> (2013-18), observed those who commission children’s TV are “generally very open to diverse representation”. This representation happens behind the scenes, too, with Ayres describing how these shows often give new talent their first credit. David Hannam, who has written for several kids’ TV shows including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_Academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dance Academy</a> (2010-13), said children’s television “has led the way”. Speaking of his time at the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, Hannam noted the foundation had an “almost charter responsibility” to show diversity on screen, “with great caution and responsibility”. Julie Kalceff created First Day, which starred a young trans actor, Evie McDonald, as a trans girl starting high school. When she was developing the show, Kalceff shared that she was initially concerned about what would be allowed on children’s TV: There were no trans people on television. There were no TV shows with trans actors in the lead role. I thought there’s no way the ABC is going to do this. And there’s no way they’re going to do it with kids’ TV. But to their credit, the ABC was so supportive, and was so behind the project from the beginning. <h2>What audiences want</h2> It is not only TV producers who are eager to widen representation in children’s television. Audiences are also seeking out more inclusive content. Just like Peppa Pig in the UK, there have been calls in Australia for more diversity in animated hit Bluey, with the show adding its <a href="https://10play.com.au/theproject/articles/bluey-introduces-first-auslan-signing-character-in-a-new-special-episode/tpa220616bswgm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first Auslan signing character</a> in June. One of our research projects, Australian Children’s Television Cultures’ <a href="https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/2022/05/new-research-shows-the-way-families-watch-TV-is-changing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 survey</a> found 90% of Australian parents believe diverse representation is an important element of children’s TV. As one father explained: <blockquote> Diversity on screen helps children learn about people with different upbringings from their own, expanding their empathy for and curiosity about other people. </blockquote> In contrast to the controversy Play School received nearly 20 years ago for its inclusion of same-sex parents, a mother praised the show for “doing a fantastic job” of depicting diversity in relationships. Not everyone believes Australian television is doing enough. One survey respondent praised the way shows like Bluey reflect Australian culture, but said he would “love to see more LGBT representation […] It would be nice as a kid to know you’re valid.” <h2>Uncertain futures</h2> The streaming era has changed how families and children watch TV. This raises concerns about the future of Australian children’s content. The recent <a href="https://theconversation.com/cheese-n-crackers-concerns-deepen-for-the-future-of-australian-childrens-television-147183" target="_blank" rel="noopener">removal of quotas</a> for Australian networks to air a minimum number of hours of children’s television, alongside the absence of quotas on streaming services, has led to <a href="https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/09/producers-slam-hypocritical-networks-as-australian-childrens-tv-plummets.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a reduction</a> in the production of local kids’ TV. From Play School to Bluey, children’s TV has reflected the richness of Australian cultural life. There is a risk that if Australian child audiences need to rely on international content, future generations will not see themselves on screen. With the loss of local voices, Australian kids’ TV may also lose its ability to push boundaries of diversity and inclusion. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/peppa-pig-has-introduced-a-pair-of-lesbian-polar-bears-but-aussie-kids-tv-has-been-leading-the-way-in-queer-representation-190648" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Peppa Pig

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Sex And The City star dies aged 93

All-girls Catholic school bans same-sex couples from formal

Chris Dawson's twin brother accused of underage sex

Sickness or health: Healthy life split along gender, education lines

Princess Mary's eldest son make surprising announcement about his future

Australia’s richest schools revealed

“My sex statue is famous”: Larry Emdur reacts to X-rated home reveal

How traditional Indigenous education helped four lost children survive 40 days in the Amazon jungle

9 ways to exercise your brain

Become a master record keeper

Don’t blame women for low libido. Sexual sparks fly when partners do their share of chores – including calling the plumber

Why study is the key to keeping your brain healthy as you age

School principal forced out after parents complain statue of David is too rude

A rare glimpse into the Depression-era

Top politicians not so calculated after all

Sex and the City star’s family heartbreak

Aussie travellers warned over strict new sex law

Is your partner a man-child? No wonder you don’t feel like sex

Maddie McCann suspect charged with sex offences

Peppa Pig has introduced a pair of lesbian polar bears, but Aussie kids’ TV has been leading the way in queer representation

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Is your partner a man-child? No wonder you don’t feel like sex

Maddie McCann suspect charged with sex offences

Peppa Pig has introduced a pair of lesbian polar bears, but Aussie kids’ TV has been leading the way in queer representation

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