Change is needed.
The patriarchal history of the seas is not a maritime adventure, it is a history of conquests, of war, of colonialism and postcolonialism, and of the exploitation and destruction of natural resources. Will the growing number of women working at sea and on questions of maritime life make a difference? Is there a feminism of the seas? Gender is fluid and we do not aim to essentialise the feminine. However, new actors have arrived on the maritime scene. They all have experienced maritime patriarchy on their personal journeys. Many have experienced hierarchy, competition and violence. They all bring new perspectives, and we believe that this is a chance: Can we build on the solidarity of women and non-binary people at sea to address maritime problems in a different way? To rebuild the relationship between civil societies and the sea, to reconceive the sea as what connects us beyond territorial powers on this blue planet? We would like to invite female and non-binary seafarers, researchers, artists and activists to work with us on these questions. This is what we did so far.