Khadija Gbla on autism visibility, breaking generational trauma, and refusing to stay silent
Khadija Gbla is an absolute force to be reckoned with - and we've been closely following her work for a long time.If she's not on your radar already - Khadija is a leading human rights activist and writer, amongst many other things. She was born in Sierra Leone, spent her youth in Gambia, and, as a teenager, moved to Australia. She is a leading voice and campaigner on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Australia. In the new anthology Someone Like Me, Khadija reflects on her autism diagnosis, fighting for the rights of her son, and breaking intergenerational trauma. Edited by Clem Bastow and Jo Case, the collection of stories in Someline Like Me features twenty-five Autistic women and gender-diverse writers who share their personal stories and challenge these stereotypes. This is a deeply moving conversation and it was an honour to have Khadija join us for this chat with Soaliha.
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34:16
Fiona Wright on 'Someone like Me: An anthology of non-fiction by Autistic writers'
It goes without saying that due to misrepresentations of Autism in media and popular culture, many Autistic people miss out on seeing themselves, their unique experiences and their triumphs, platformed or seen. In the new anthology Someone Like Me, award-winning author Fiona Wright reflects on her experience of anorexia – with the unique perspective of an autism diagnosis in her mid-thirties, and the knowledge as many as half of all people with anorexia may be autistic.Edited by Clem Bastow and Jo Case, the collection of stories features twenty-five Autistic women and gender-diverse writers who share their personal stories and challenge these stereotypes. This groundbreaking anthology covers a wide range of topics, from relationships and spontaneous dance parties to the natural world, eating disorders, intense passions, and religion. We'll be interviewing another contributor - leading activist Khadija Gbla - so watch this space, and be sure to grab a copy. Just a disclaimer - Fiona's story includes discussion of anorexia, so listen with care.
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31:02
Dr Vanessa Pirotta on 'Humpback Highway'
Acclaimed wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta has been mugged by whales, touched by a baby whale and covered in whale snot (just casually - as you do). Pirotta’s enthusiasm and deep knowledge of whales shine through in her book Humpback Highway as she explores a variety of timely topics – from why whale snot and poo are important for us and the ocean to the life cycle of whales, the challenges humans present to these marine giants, and new technologies - so we can see where they swim, listen to them talk and even spy on them underwater.This week at Missing Perspectives, we're keen to platform leading women in STEM - and we couldn't of a better person to interview. This episode was proudly sponsored by NewSouth Books.
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31:32
Samah Sabawai on 'Cactus Pear For My Beloved'
Hello, friends - we're back with a really special episode! Soaliha Iqbal got to sit down with Samah Sabawi to discuss Samah's book Cactus Pear For My Beloved. It's a really moving conversation.Samah shares the story of her parents, and many like them, who were born while their parents were being forced to leave their homelands. Cactus Pear For My Beloved is a narrative memoir of her own family's story from before the Nakba in 1978 until now - and draws on Samah's PhD in post memory within the context of generational trauma and exile.As you can imagine, this book is more timely than ever - and absolutely a must-read.
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27:20
Dr Kate Fitz-Gibbon on 'Our National Crisis'
TW: Discussion of violence against womenWe are only 41 weeks into the year — which means we have surpassed the much-quoted statistic of one woman being killed every week in Australia. By the time this podcast is edited and published, it’s probable that another woman will have been killed by an intimate partner. Around the world, a woman is killed every 11 minutes.It was with this heavy heart that Soaliha Iqbal spoke to Kate Fitz-Gibbon, a Professor at Monash University, who has dedicated her life to researching the causes of (and solutions to) violence against women in Australia.“2024 has been a horrific year on top of horrific decades for women's safety. But this year does feel particularly challenging,” she tells Missing Perspectives.Fitz-Gibbon is an internationally recognised expert in domestic and family violence, femicide, perpetrator interventions, and the impacts of policy and practice reform in Australia and internationally. She is the chair of Respect Victoria, and also a published author. Her most recent book, Our National Crisis: Violence Against Women and Children, highlights the alarming reality of domestic violence in Australia, where we haven’t made nearly as much progress as we should have in the fight against men’s violence.This is a really important and timely episode - have a listen and let us know what you think.
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