‘Just Like Being Back in Ethiopia’: Gender, ethnicity, and belonging in Footscray
Overview
In this article, we examine the experience of migrant Ethiopian women in Footscray. Drawing on interviews with 14 Ethiopian women who have significant connections with Footscray, an inner city, gentrifying suburb in Melbourne, Australia, we elucidate their lived experience of navigating Footscray’s complex and layered public spaces. On one hand, the women experience a profound sense of belonging and comfort in central Footscray – feeling at home because of the Ethiopian population that spends time there, the Ethiopian shops, coffee houses, and through their use of shared public space. On the other, Ethiopian women experience insecurity and harassment in Footscray. Our paper demonstrates that the experience of ‘feeling comfortable’ is never settled and must continue to be negotiated in and through the experience of vulnerability and harassment.
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https://doi.org/10.1080/13552074.2024.2348394ISBN
1355-2074How to cite this resource
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