Changing identities
Some things change. Some stay the same
What’s your identity?
A strange thing happened when I moved to Asia from Australia in 2014.
In Australia there were dates and events that were celebrated and special. They were part of being “Australian”. Over the time I have lived in Asia these dates became less and less important, but only partly because I was in Asia.
The first one was Melbourne Cup. Growing up, Melbourne Cup was something that my parents always celebrated. Despite them having a 7-day-a-week business, they always took off that first Tuesday in November to get “gussied up” and attend a Melbourne Cup function. This always involved frocks, hats and fascinators for the women and dapper suits for the men. As I entered the workforce wherever I worked we always stopped work to watch the cup on TV, and have a glass of bubbles. It’s referred to the race that stops the nation.
My first year in Singapore I didn’t attend an event because I was new in my job. The second year and most subsequent years I did. But over this time, it has become less and less acceptable to support the cup. While I understood the reasons, which are due to animal welfare concerns, I have found it hard to let go of something that was such a part of being Australian.
The second date was Australia Day, which is today 26th January, a national public holiday. Australians love a public holiday, and this one marks the end of the summer break, and when kids go back to school. It’s usually celebrated by beach trips or backyard BBQ’s with friends, as you count down the Triple J hottest 100.
Australia day is like Singapore’s National day, but with a lot more alcohol. Officially Australia marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port Jackson in New South Wales.
During the time I have been in Singapore there has been a growing awareness that the reasons Australian’s celebrate Australia day, is well not that great for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The day is now being referred to as invasion day. This is when the white British people took over Australia and colonised it. There is a great article below on this.
Why am I writing about this? I guess because these two things are part of my upbringing and my identity in being Australian. When we talk about diversity, we refer to peoples identify. We talk to the things that shaped the person and made them who they are. Some of these are visible and many are not.
And when things change that were an important part of your identify, how should we deal with them? Maybe a little mourning and grief? But maybe with some optimism that things shouldn’t stay the same and some things need to change to be respectful and to be inclusive to all.
Lisa xx
Want to learn more?
Anaiwan writer Nick Harvey-Doyle reflects on the importance of loudly denouncing Australia Day as a day of “celebration” and explores why allyship needs to exist beyond transient social and political climates.
If you have been working in D&I in Asia in the last 18 months you would know that D&I jobs are not just booming in the US and Canada, as detailed in this report but here in Asia too. And supply is limited
No matter where you are in your career journey, it's essential that you help others grow, even as you are growing yourself. LOVE this TED video from Amber Hikes.