Let’s get Women of Steel into schools
Binged Succession and searching for viewing options? Try on Women of Steel, an award-winning documentary about the historic 14-year fought by women to gain the right to work at the Wollongong steelworks.
It’s premiering on ABC TV Plus on Sunday March 6th at 8.30pm. But there are other options for viewing now - including ways to get it into your school. Read on below!
Women of Steel is a fascinating, feisty, funny and inspiring story of extraordinary ‘ordinary’ people facing down discrimination and changing the world through their determination and solidarity.
After being told “there’s no jobs for women” at the local steelworks in 1980, a group of Australian and migrant women began a campaign against Australia’s most powerful company, AIS/BHP. Their political and legal battle for the right to work changed the rules for all Australians forever.
“We started to realise that discrimination wasn’t just a personal thing, it was a systemic thing,” says one of the ‘Gong pioneers.
Another says a slogan of the time was, “A woman’s place is everywhere”.
These were revolutionary concepts in a time where a woman still couldn’t get a loan or enter parts of a pub without a man.
The documentary sets out how ideas which emerged from the women’s liberation movement and anti-discrimination legislation informed the stalwarts who fought for equality in the male-dominated industry.
Completed in November 2020, the film has been awarded several history awards. It was a finalist in the ATOM (Australia Teachers of Media) Best Documentary Social Political and Best Documentary History category; winner of the History Council of NSW Macquarie PHA Applied History Award and is currently shortlisted for the NSW Premier Digital History Award.
The film’s makers are keen for you to watch Women of Steel, but they also want to get the documentary into schools and on to curricula.
“We have made an Education Study Guide to accompany the film and are keen for you to both watch Women of Steel and to get it to other teachers, schools and into the curriculum as soon as possible,” they say.
Some suggestions:
Include information about the film on your noticeboards and websites and in your newsletters
Seek to have the film used as part of your professional development
Put the film forward as a component of your school’s curriculum
If I miss the ABC screening, how do I watch Women of Steel?
· Schools: following the broadcast school libraries can access the film using their Screenrights license through services such as Click-view, TV4Education and infoRMIT. You can also purchase a DVD now https://womenofsteel.bigcartel.com
· Online: https://www.fanforcetv.com/programs/women-of-steel?categoryId=32196
· Create’ a screening in cinema or venue: https://fan-force.com/create-screening/
Here’s the trailer: https://youtu.be/-22E8ltWs-M
The Study Guide is available at the Education Shop: https://theeducationshop.com.au/downloads/women-of-steel-atom-study-guide/
Further information (including current screenings):
Website: http://www.womenofsteelfilm.com