G.D Anderson Wikipedia Bio
Who is G.D Anderson?
Coming up to International Women’s Day on the 8th of March 2020, there is no better way to support strong women than to celebrate the achievements and journey of our very own female warrior G.D Anderson.
G.D Anderson is the pseudonym for Geena Dunne (born 1993), an Australian feminist writer and founder of Australian charity, The Cova Project.
Personal Life
Dunne grew up in Sydney, Australia with her younger sister Caillie (born 1996). Her first trip to Africa was on a family safari in 2006 where she inherited her father’s love of wildlife and developed the ambition of becoming a wildlife veterinarian.
In 2009 Dunne began suffering from an unknown debilitating illness which came with seemingly endless rounds of excruciating tests and futile treatments. She described those years as:
“a grueling time where my education was traded for blood tests and doctors appointments”.
The disease changed the course of Dunne’s life, with her only graduating year 12 Art and not receiving a completed high school education. She was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2015.
In 2015 Dunne, along with her sister Caillie, embarked on her second trip to Africa on a two-week volunteer program in Namibia, assisting a medical clinic that provided free healthcare to the San Bushman community. It was during this trip that Dunne stumbled into a local store and saw that female sanitation items were sold separately and generally speaking women could not afford to buy more than one pad throughout the duration of their periods. This sparked her passion for ending period poverty, which would lead to her future career.
Writing
In 2013 Dunne began work on a novel under the pseudonym ‘G.D Anderson’ and quickly fell into essay writing. She published an essay in which she wrote:
“Feminism isn’t about making women stronger, women are already strong, it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength”.
This powerful statement went viral on International Women’s Day 2014, after being quoted on websites like Vogue UK, Harper's Bazaar, Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Grazia, Marie Claire and more.
The quote was also used by Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima via Instagram, to defend herself after fans accused her of being the reason her ex, Matt Harvey, was suspended from the Mets. Three time WNBA champions, the LA Sparks, used Anderson’s quote in their statement video to critics of the WNBA. The players danced to “Sorry” by Beyonce and finished the video with Anderson’s quote. Anderson’s quote was globally used during the Women’s Marches in 2016.
Career - The Cova Project
In 2018, with her sister Caillie, Dunne launched The Cova Project, which aimed to solve the problem of access to menstrual items she had earlier identified. Teaming up with Flowcup - a Swedish manufacturer of menstrual cups with a strong focus on philanthropy and sustainability - the objectives of The Cova Project became a reality.
To date, The Cova Project has provided over 20,000 African women with access to a free menstrual cup. Menstrual cups are reusable for up to 10 years, providing a sustainable solution for women in developing communities. The Cova Project also provides education materials about menstruation for girls to be informed about basic physical health and personal development.
In February 2019, The Cova Project became a registered Australian charity with tax deductible status. It now operates in Liberia, Malawi and Uganda, and works alongside local partners to provide community led support for those living without access to sanitary products.
Dunne says:
“The ripple effect of dignity is long-lasting. When it’s positive, it translates to posture, confidence, communication and aspiration. When it’s negative it translates to withdrawal, quietness, absenteeism and passiveness. I am proud to be in the business of dignity, to see women’s lives change, as a concern that’s plagued them for years is removed. Menstrual health is not just about talking periods. It’s a catalyst for a much larger social change. The Cova Project is proud to be a part of that change.”
