Equal Crossings: Child leads female pedestrian light push in Yarra

A five-year-old girl has reignited a push for female pedestrian lights. And her public campaign — which includes posters and stickers plastered across Fitzroy North and the Edinburgh Gardens — has become a Yarra council election issue.

In 2017 Melbourne lights featuring a female figure were unveiled at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets. Picture: Jason Edwards

A five-year-old is leading the campaign to change pedestrian lights in Yarra to include the walking woman.

Equal Crossings aims to create a 50/50 split between pedestrian light figures in dresses and pants within council and later across the state.

This comes after council proposed a $30,000 idea last month to fund two “green lady” pedestrian lights to honour Victoria’s first female councillor Mary Rogers.

A tribute to Ms Rogers featuring an illuminated female figure already operates in Bridge Rd, Richmond, but the council wants two more such crossings installed in Smith St, Collingwood, and St Georges Rd, Fitzroy.

The group led by Imogen, her mum Kat and aunty Andreana are asking locals to sign the petition and to vote for a candidate listed on the website as endorsing gender equality at pedestrian lights.

“My name is Imogen, and I’m five years old. In my suburb all the pedestrian lights are men, men, men, men – only men.”

The renewed push has quickly become an election issue with posters and stickers plastered across Fitzroy North and the Edinburgh Gardens.

There is a renewed push across Yarra council to install gender equal crossing signs.

There are 37 candidates up for election in Yarra and 62 per cent of them have pledged to sign the petition, push VicRoads and state government for changes and to work towards the 50/50 split by the end of their term, if elected.

Candidate for Langridge ward Gabrielle de Vietri said gender bias started at a young age and needed to be addressed.

“Gender equality means not taking for granted the symbols that we use to represent people. Imogen’s campaign has shown us that from a very young age, kids are still being taught that this is a man’s world,” she said.

Female traffic light signals were installed at the intersection of Swanston and Flinders streets on March 7, 2017.

The cost of the changes proposed by the group will come from a mix of donations and taxpayer funds with Equal Crossings suggesting a gradual rollout with figures updated with they are broken to keep costs down.

In 2017 there was a 12 month CBD trial replacing male crossing figures to women organised by a 120 community groups and businesses seeking equal gender representation.

Local council candidates who have not signed the public pledge were contacted for comment but were able to meet the editorial deadline.

To find out more about the proposed changes visit equalcrossings.org

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