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D'Aprano, Zelda Fay (1928 - )

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Feminist, Trade unionist, Writer and Dental nurse
Born: 24 January 1928  Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

D'Aprano was an active unionist and an activist in the women's movement. She chained herself across the doors of the Commonwealth Building and later the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission in Melbourne in protest against the inadequacy of the decision on the Equal Pay case in 1969. D'Aprano was one of the initiators of the Women's Action Committee in 1970, and the Women's Liberation Movement in Melbourne in 1971. She is a current member of the Australian Women's Party and was a member of the Communist Party of Australia from 1950-1971.


Career Highlights
Doctor of Laws honoris causa, Macquarie University, 2000. Left school aged 14. Married at 16. Resumed study aged 37, and completed the Leaving Certificate in 1963. Worked as a machininst in the clothing trade. Qualified as a dental nurse in 1961 and worked in this capacity at Larundel Psychiatric Hospital for 15 years. Qualified in Chiropody in 1967. Employed as a clerk in the Meat Industry Union, and as a mail sorter at the General Post Office. D'Aprano was involved in campaigns around Equal Pay for women, the gender-bar at public bars, the Miss Teenage Quest, entitlements of pregnant workers and women's participation in left-wing and workers' movements. D'Aprano was also involved in establishing the Women's Liberation Centre in Little Latrobe St, Melbourne, and was a representative of the Women's Liberation Movement on the International Women's Year committee, 1975. She self-published an autobiography, 'Zelda: the Becoming of a Woman' in 1977; republished by Spinifex Press as 'Zelda' in 1995; Spinifex also published D'Aprano's 'Kath Williams - The Unions and the Fight for Equal Pay,' in 2001. D'Aprano has spoken in numerous forums around Melbourne, as well as on radio and at conferences and has written many articles for magazines, particularly the Women's Liberation Newsletter. In 1995 she received a Special Mention Award from the Centre for Australian Cultural Studies (Canberra) for 'An Outstanding Contribution to Australian Culture'.
 
Sources used to compile this entry: http://workers.labor.net.au/25/c_tradeshall_dee.html.
 
Related Entries for D'Aprano, Zelda Fay

Founded

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Published Resources

Books

  • Zelda D'Aprano, Zelda : the becoming of a woman, Z. D'Aprano, North Carlton, Vic., 1977, 213 pp. [ Details... ]
  • Zelda D'Aprano, Zelda, Spinifex Press, North Melbourne, 1995, 408 pp. [ Details... ]
  • Zelda D'Aprano, Kath Williams : the unions and the fight for equal pay, Spinifex Press, North Melbourne, 2001, 295 pp. [ Details... ]
  • Zelda D'Aprano, Australian Union of Students. Women's Dept. , Conference on Women and Health (1975 : University of Queensland), Human sexuality, Z. D'Aprano?, Melbourne?, 1975?, 12 pp. [ Details... ]

Book Sections

  • D'Aprano, Zelda, 'Williams, Katherine Mary Isabel (1895-1975)', in Ritchie, John and Langmore, Diane (eds), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Victoria, 2002, pp. 553-554. [ Details... ]

Videos

  • Robin Hughes and Linda Kruger, Zelda D'Aprano, Film Australia, Lindfield, N.S.W., 1996. [ Details... ]

Online Resources

See also

  • Caine, Barbara (ed.), Australian Feminism: A Companion, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1998, 607 pp. [ Details... ]

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Structure based on ISAAR(CPF) - click here for an explanation of the fields.Prepared by: Clare Land
Created: 16 August 2001
Modified: 19 October 2005

Published by National Foundation for Australian Women on Australian Women's Archives Project Web Site
Comments, questions, corrections and additions: awap@womenaustralia.info
Prepared by: Acknowledgements
Updated: 19 June 2008
http://womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0107b.htm

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