From would-be bricklayer to social justice campaigner

Dr Karen O’Connell, an Associate Professor in the UTS Faculty of Law, has been awarded one of the state’s top accolades for teaching excellence by the Women Lawyers Association of New South Wales: Legal Academic of the Year.

The 2021 NSW Women Lawyers Achievement Awards recognised Dr O’Connell as a leading international and national expert in sexual harassment and discrimination law, with more than twenty years’ experience in law reform, research, policy and practice.

Dr. O’Connell, what research are you working on currently?

I’m working on how our laws and workplace policies can better address intersectional sexual harassment. People are more likely to experience sexual harassment because of their race, disability, sexuality, age and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status but our laws and policies to date have completely failed to address these compound forms of harassment.

It’s frustrating that people in my field keep pointing out that people who are discriminated against because of multiple factors fall between the cracks in the system, without anything substantial being done to change that. It’s time to tackle it and make some evidence-based changes.

You’ve described working in gender equality and sex discrimination law as a ‘hard slog’ at times. Who inspired you to become an educator in this field? 

Feminist writers changed my internal world as a teenager, and that changed everything. I read all the feminist classics from within a working-class family where women had no real power. If they worked or owned something, it was because their husbands said they could. My mum left school at 14 and worked in a factory and she thought that being educated was an almost magical source of power. So, I feel very much a part of those two legacies: a feminist tradition that is fearless and powerful, and a sadder legacy of generations of women being subject to violence and inequality.

What have been your most rewarding moments or achievements?

This award [NSW Legal Academic of the Year] was a highlight. Also, when I found out I was successful in my ARC Discovery grant in 2015, I screamed so loudly and happily that my daughters came running. One said: “did we win the lottery?’ and I said “yes, we kind of did!”

What has surprised you the most about your teaching experience?

It has surprised me how anxious students are about their work. Anxiety kills curiosity, which is the bedrock of research and learning. Law is a high-pressure discipline, but I wish we could do more to make students read out of curiosity, not compulsion.

What advice would you give students who are seeking a career trying to tackle social injustice?

Many students are chasing impressive sounding achievements for their resumes. I’d suggest that they engage with real communities where there are social justice issues that need addressing. Volunteer if they can afford to, start small, build collaborative relationships and then apply their professional knowledge in service to those.

If you weren’t an academic, what other career might you have chosen?

I come from a family of tradies, and when I was younger I wanted to be a bricklayer. Before he died, my uncle told me he was leaving me all his bricklaying tools, and I did a course so that I’d know how to use them.

Do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?

No, I don’t. I don’t even want to! I want to be entirely with my kids when I can, and then throw myself entirely into work projects when I can. If I sleep less, so be it. Stress is a very gendered concept. I don’t need to go to a spa or have a massage. I do need my caring responsibilities to be accepted and accommodated without question, and that has been my experience at UTS.

Have you found any silver linings during the global pandemic?

Absolutely. I’ve loved being locked down with my kids. They’re teenagers, so wouldn’t have been at home so much if the situation hadn’t required it! I have also made much stronger international connections professionally while the geographical barriers have been removed.