The Irony: PM Julia Gillard Once Feminist Icon for Misogyny Speech, Now Ousted as First Female Prime Minister
Back in October of 2010, Julia Gillard had been Australia's feminist icon for standing her ground against the sexism and misogyny in politics.
Just three years ago, Australia held its breath as Ms Gillard made her famous misogyny speech:
"... if he (Tony Abbott) wants to know what misogyny looks like in modern Australia, he doesn't need a motion in the House of Representative, he needs a mirror...
This is the man from whom we're supposed to take lectures about sexism. And then of course it goes on. I was very offended personally when the leader of the Opposition, as Minister of health, said, and I quote Abortion is the easy way out.
I was also very offended on behalf of the women of Asutrlia when in course of this carbon pricing campaign, the Leader of the Opposition said What the housewives of Australia need to understand as they do the ironing. Thank you for painting of women's roles in modern Australia.
And then of course, I was offended too by sexism, by the misogyny of the Leader of the Opposition... something that would never have been said to any man sitting in this chair... I was offended when the Leader of the Opposition stood next to a sign that described me as a man's bitch. I was offended by those things. Misogyny, sexism, every day from this Leader of the Opposition. Every day in every way, across the time the Leader of the Opposition has sat in that chair and I've sat in this chair, that is all we have heard from him."
Ms Gillard's famous misogyny speech had earned her praises not just in the country but praises from all over the world.
In a news clipping from The Canberra Times back in 2010, it said that Britain, the United States and Germany were all reading about the feisty assault by Ms Gillard on Mr Abbott.
The New Yorker website at that time wrote "... supporters of President Obama... might be wishing their man would take a lesson from Australia."
Natasha Lennard of Salon.com said, "If only the US could borrow Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard to take on Congress' misogynist caucus."
The Britain's New Statesman headline was "Julia Gillard tells opposition leader: calling me a bitch shows you're a misogynist.
The US feminist-oriented site Jezebel, the video of MS Gillard's speech was described as "Best Thing You'll See All Day: Australia's Prime Minister Rips Misogynist a New One in Epic Speech on Sexism.
In fact, Macquarie Dictionary, following Ms Gillard misogyny speech, had broadened its definition of the word misogyny from being "a pathological hatred of women" to "entrenched prejudiced against women."
But now, the country's first prime minister had been ousted, and worse by her own members of the Australian Labor Party. Kevin Rudd won 57 votes against her with 45 votes.
Political analysts say that Australia has strong economy and low unemployment rate under Ms Gillard's regime but that her feminist stance had put the male voters to their limit.
Now Ms Gillard will be remembered making this calm speech of accepting her defeat:
"As you all be aware by now, Kevin Rudd has been elected as leader of the parliament Labor Party, I congratulate Mr Rudd on his election... I announced that I will not recontest the federal election on the fort coming election... I would have time in the coming weeks to be back home in my electorate and to say hello and goodbye to the community that I have absolute privilege of representing in this parliament since 1998...
There's been a lot of analysis about the so-called gender wars, heaven knows, no one noticed I was a woman until I raised it. The reaction to being the first female prime minister does not explain everything about my prime minister-ship, nor does it explain nothing about my prime-ministership... it was for Australia to think, in a sophisticated way, about those shades of gray.
What I am absolutely confident of is it will be easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that... and I'm proud of that..."