JENI O’DOWD: Self-serving LinkedIn posts and hashtags won’t save women from violence

Every year, as International Women’s Day rolls around, my social media feeds fill with self-congratulatory posts.

People I know — smart, accomplished women — post glossy images of themselves with captions about empowerment.

Corporations flood LinkedIn with messages about supporting women, while quietly continuing to underpay them, overlook them for promotions, or fail to create workplaces that accommodate the realities of women’s lives.

And inevitably, someone posts that overused line: “I wish brilliant women had the confidence of mediocre men.”

It all feels so hollow. This is not because celebrating women is a bad thing, but because this day should be about real action.

International Women’s Day has become a marketing exercise, a chance for companies and individuals to showcase themselves rather than back women meaningfully.

And then there are the women who don’t have time for self-congratulatory breakfasts or morning teas.

The ones at home, wrangling screaming toddlers, packing school lunches, managing endless piles of laundry, and keeping households running — often without complaint.

They don’t get recognition, LinkedIn tributes, or empowerment hashtags. Every year, they are overlooked, even though their unpaid labour keeps families and workplaces afloat.

A young woman named Em Rose, founder and CEO of The Social Media Coach, said it best on LinkedIn: Real support means backing women, not just showcasing them.

She said that means paying women what they’re worth, hiring them in leadership roles, and creating workplaces that genuinely support flexibility and career progression.

It also means addressing the gender pay gap realistically, not just paying lip service every March 8.

Then there’s the fact that we never hear about International Men’s Day. Although it exists on November 19, this date barely registers in public conversation.

Maybe that’s because men assume they don’t need a dedicated day. But they do. Men’s mental health, suicide rates, and health issues like prostate cancer deserve real attention — just as much as women.

Recognising these disparities should be part of the broader gender equality conversation, rather than treating IWD as a standalone event.

And even if the thousands of vomit-inducing corporate tributes about women were sincere, there’s a more urgent issue that should be at the centre of IWD: domestic violence.

In Australia, one woman a week is killed by a current or former partner. Thousands more live in fear, trying to escape violent relationships with little support.

Women’s refuges are chronically underfunded. Crisis lines are overwhelmed. Too many women seeking safety are turned away because there simply aren’t enough resources.

The Federal Government has pledged funding to combat domestic violence, with $1.7 billion committed over six years as part of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children.

More recently, additional funding was announced for crisis accommodation and frontline services.

But despite these efforts, some women’s refuges are forced to turn away those in need due to a lack of resources, and too many women stay in dangerous situations. If funding truly meets the need, why are so many women still left without a safe way out?

The cycle of violence continues, not because we don’t know the statistics, but because as a society, we haven’t prioritised real, lasting change.

And I can bet you these women were not posting on social media about supporting each other and back-patting — they were just trying to stay alive.

Imagine if, instead of spending money on IWD breakfast events or corporate panels that do little beyond making attendees feel good, companies and individuals directed their attention — and their dollars — towards better supporting victims of domestic violence.

What if businesses pledged to offer meaningful paid domestic violence leave instead of posting LinkedIn platitudes?

What if governments used IWD as a moment to introduce fundamental reforms, such as stronger protections, better funding for crisis services, or tougher penalties for perpetrators?

We don’t need another panel discussion telling women to “lean in” or yet another breakfast with a so-called inspirational speaker to make us feel better.

What we need is a commitment to ensuring women can leave violent situations safely.

I’m not saying International Women’s Day should be scrapped altogether. But if we set aside a day to talk about women’s progress, let’s start by addressing the most pressing issue: that too many women in this country don’t live long enough to see equality.

If you want to celebrate women, support them where it truly matters, not with hashtags or empowerment slogans, but with action that could save a life.