Yarra Council passes motion for more ‘green lady’ pedestrian signals to promote gender equality

A MELBOURNE councillor wants “green lady” signs installed at inner-city crossings to promote gender equity.

‘Why should men tell us whether to walk’

A YARRA councillor wants to see more ‘green and red lady’ pedestrian signals installed across the inner city to promote gender equality.

Yarra Council and VicRoads announced yesterday the silhouette of a woman would be installed at a new pedestrian crossing in Richmond.

The council last night passed a motion that at new signalised pedestrian crossings, the ‘green and red lady’ be installed in place of the illuminated man, subject to VicRoads approval.

Greens Cr Misha Coleman said the initiative was a “unique and rare” way to display gender equity and she would like to see Yarra known for its ‘green lady’ signals.

“I’m a mother of two young children and we always talk about waiting for the ‘green man’,” Cr Coleman said.

“From when kids are young enough to walk they are given an instruction by a man and it has never occurred to any of us that that is inherently so bias.”

The ‘green lady’ is a silhouette of Mary Rogers, the first female elected to local government in Victoria.

She was elected to the City of Richmond Council in 1920 and was also just the second woman in Australia elected to local government.

After attending several International Women’s Day functions, Cr Coleman said women were “blown away” by the ‘green lady’ initiative.

“I think the main reason was because ‘why didn’t we think of that before and why have we accepted the man tells us whether to walk or not’,” she said.

Anne Crehan, the co-winner of this year’s Inspirational Women of Yarra Award, said the traffic signal would help bring awareness to women’s rights.

Yarra Mayor Roberto Colanzi said the Australian-first initiative was the ideal way to commemorate an important woman with a strong connection to the area’s local history.

VicRoads Director of Metropolitan Projects Central Brendan Pauwels said the unique signals were a great example of local and state governments working together.

The signal is expected to be unveiled in early May at the intersection of Bridge Rd and Bosisto St.

The Mary Rogers silhouette will be in place at the site for a 12-month commemorative period.