A classic speech from Gillard

Gillard's speech to the parliament this week about Abbott's misogyny is a watershed in her leadership. It was an 'about time' moment, especially for many women listeners. It was 'about time' in that many media commentators have lamented the lack of 'real Julia' presented to the public, and 'about time' in relation to an increasing tirade of sexist and offensive comments that have been directed at the Prime Minister by fellow politicians, the media and the public.

I should begin by saying I am not a fan of Gillard's leadership. More than a decade ago I attended one of her early Emily's list fund raisers, excited at the prospect of a progressive female candidate making a bid for the Senate. She did not succeed on that occasion, but later went on to do so. I am not convinced that deposing Rudd was a necessary move, although I accept he was unpopular amongst party colleagues and that most leaderships are taken by force. I don't agree that the policy platforms on which Rudd campaigned and won by a landslide were likely to bring annihilation for Labor at the next election. More importantly, I consider the price of leadership for Gillard was too great; she made compromises with and through the faceless men leading to the abandonment of principled positions she had previously staunchly taken. Politics in high office always requires compromise; however I guess it is a question of degree. I don't accept Gillard's positions on same sex marriage, asylum, and a range of other matters. And I support the view of Stephanie Convery that feminist credentials require advocacy and support for women from all walks of life. On the same day Gillard delivered her feisty anti sexism speech, the government approved a bill to cut payments for single parents, 'a measure that will disproportionately affect [the most vulnerable] women'.

Despite my perspective on Gillard's politics, I think it is important to make clear that I abhor the misogynist commentary that has shrouded her Prime Ministership. I also understand the symbolic and practical significance of a female Prime Minister. I often marvel at Gillard's resilience, strength, and grace under the incessant pummeling of the Federal opposition, media, and segments of the public; she has a determination and personal strength of which I am in awe. I am also encouraged that as my eight year old daughter's awareness of the world unfolds, she sees on television a woman Prime Minister. Playing Gillard's speech on my computer this week, I could see my daughter edge over behind me with eyes wide open to listen; we were both captivated. It was thrilling to see such passion from Gillard about the issue of sexism, whether or not the purpose of her comments was ultimately politically expedient. Any woman who has experienced sexist comments or behavior in work or public life is likely to have felt enormously validated by Gillard's delivery. Abbott has suggested in the parliament that Gillard should 'make an honest woman of herself', invoking a sexist stereotype about the relationship between a woman's marital status and her character. Can we imagine the outrage in the US, for example, if a commentator invoked Obama's race to criticise his performance? It would be outrageous.

Until this week, Gillard has usually avoided direct engagement with the issue of sexist commentary relating to her Prime Ministership. Her responses to comments and incidents of sexism by Tony Abbott and Alan Jones have been innocuous and deflective; one might say 'statesman like'. Women in leadership tread a precarious line; we must be seen to succeed 'on the merits' without reference to the impact of sexism on our endeavours, or risk being construed as whinging incompetents and excuse makers. It is worth noting that despite the innumerable occasions open to Gillard for commenting about Abbott's sexism, especially in relation to her personal and unfair treatment as Prime Minister, she used the matter of the Peter Slipper affair through which to introduce the topic. In short, although she invoked personal examples of offence taken and poor behavior from Abbott, she raised the issues under a broader framework of the Federal opposition's motion against Slipper. She did not invoke the spectre of sexism to protest her own unfair treatment as Prime Minister (which, as far as I'm concerned, she would be perfectly entitled to do). Instead, she drew upon it to suggest that Abbott's 'road to Damascus' discovery of sexism was a tool to depose Slipper. From a gendered perspective, it was a politically clever move. Gillard was able to keep the faith with her political strategy of generally not invoking the gender card in her own defense, but was concomitantly able to introduce the issue of Abbott's misogyny in the Parliament.

Gillard's speech was reported internationally, including the US, UK, and Canada, as a bold and strategic act. Conversely, much of the local media, mostly it appears male commentators, labelled it a mistake.

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Yes - her actions were part of a political strategy in the unfortunate Peter Slipper mess and yes, as I have acknowledged, a broad range of criticisms can be made of Gillard. However such local media analysis beggars belief; it was a politically powerful speech, in content, delivery, and timing, and will certainly be one of the most remembered moments of her Prime Ministership. During a week in which Margie Abbot was attempting to stem the hemorrhaging of women's votes from the Liberal party, Gillard pointed out just how far Tony Abbott was from having an interest or commitment to women's rights. She was careful to draw distinctions between her individual views as a woman (for example on the issue of abortion, a political hot potato with conservative electors, but also a non negotiable right in the eyes of most women's lobbies) and issues that could be seen as offensive to all Australian women. Her choice of Abbott criticisms was carefully sequenced, leading to a climactic admonishment of Federal opposition front benchers for remaining silent in the face of Alan Jones' grotesque comments about her father. It should not escape our attention that during the week Turnball spoke out strongly against Jones' abhorrent behaviour; and that it was he who graced a conspicuous place in newspapers some weeks ago offering his condolences to Gillard in parliament.

On a personal note, I was interested to note Gillard's choice of Abbott quotes. We have been told by the media that little of the 'true Gillard' is presented for public consumption; the implication being that she hides herself. Given the wealth of sexist Abbott material that might be drawn upon, it was all the more interesting to see what had riled Gillard. Further, it was possible to identify through the inflections in her voice, the issues and instances about which she was more angry than others.

The sense I've gained from women colleagues and friends this week is that Gillard's speech felt cathartic; it was a symbolic response to a growing disgust amongst Australian women (and many men) regarding expressions of patent sexism in the public arena. Recent examples range from the purile and degrading comments of Kyle Sandilands, to those of Alan Jones who said current women leaders were 'destroying the joint'. And while some might not consider Jones' comments about Gillard's father sexist (I do), they were nonetheless innately vile. In another sexist display, Lindsay Tanner, and especially Christopher Pyne, behaved appallingly toward Kate Ellis on last Monday's Q & A. The brazen attitude underpinning this behaviour is provocative; it is one thing to hear sexist comments in private, but to hear their unfettered expression by prominent public figures is another.

The Federal opposition is clearly aware it has a 'woman problem'. Whatever its views of Margie Abbott, the press was in furious agreement that her appearance reflected poor polling numbers for Abbott. And is it any wonder. As Ellis explained on Monday, neither she nor women voters need to be convinced of Margie's love for Tony. It is Abbott's position on women's issues and rights that worries women. This problem would not be fixed even if Wonder Woman was to stand alongside Abbott and proclaim his comfort at living among her sisters on Amazon island. History's greatest misogynists have lived with women - even 'strong women' - so this is no badge of feminism. Judgments of Abbott by women, and progressive men, is based on his past and present comments; his own words and deeds rather than constructions of them. And Gillard's passionate oration this week offered some salve to those of us who have screamed silently at the radio and television while the likes of Abbott and Jones set the equality cause back 100 years.