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Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard reflects on her blistering ‘misogynist speech’ a decade later – revealing the moment she knew it ‘would reverberate around the world’
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Ten years later, Julia Gillard has reflected on the impact of her infamous “misogynist speech” in parliament.
The former Australian Prime Minister – the first and only woman to hold the role – famously delivered a blistering speech about sexism in Australian politics during a session of parliament in October 2012.
The comments sparked a debate that reverberated around the world.
Ten years later, Julia Gillard has reflected on the impact of her infamous “misogynist speech” in parliament. Pictured in this week’s issue of Stellar Magazine
A decade later, the 60-year-old says she didn’t realize then how important her words would be.
“When I gave the speech, I had no idea of the impact it would have,” Gillard said in this week’s issue of Stellar Magazine.
“If you asked me 30 seconds after I sat down, ‘How is the press gallery going to report this? How will it resonate?’ I would have said, “I don’t see that this will reverberate in the world.” So I wasn’t in the mood for it.’
The former Australian Prime Minister – the first and only woman to hold the role – famously delivered a blistering speech about sexism in Australian politics during a session of Parliament in October 2012 (pictured)
Within minutes, Gillard realized the true impact of her rousing words.
“Even by the time I walked back from the room to my office – which is only a two or three minute walk away – phone calls and a response started coming outside of Canberra,” she tells the publication.
“So it quickly got to me that it would have some sort of emotional resonance beyond the confines of Parliament House.”
“When I gave the speech, I had no idea of the impact it would have,” Gillard tells this week’s issue of Stellar Magazine.
“I think the power of it is that there are millions of women — and I feel like I’ve met millions of them — who’ve had sexist experiences, misogynistic experiences,” she added.
Gillard believes her speech resonated with women around the world who shared her experiences.
“I think the power of it is that there are millions of women — and I feel like I’ve met millions — who’ve had sexist experiences, misogynistic experiences,” she said.
And at 3 a.m. they say, ‘Oh, I wish I had said that, I should have given it back to him, I shouldn’t have taken it.’ And it’s a speech that helps to capture the frustrations of those moments.”
Julia was Prime Minister from 2010 to 2013
Gillard was widely praised for her speech, with New Yorker Magazine even suggesting then-US President Barack Obama could learn a thing or two from Gillard in politics after the heated debate. Recently Pictured
Julia was Prime Minister from 2010 to 2013.
In 2012, she was praised for her strong stance on sexism in government during a heated debate over the speaker’s text scandal.
Gillard spent 15 minutes attacking opposition leader Tony Abbott in front of the Australian House of Representatives during a debate over a motion to fire Speaker of the House, Peter Slipper, after a series of text messages he sent to his male assistant in which he was made public to women in a derogatory manner.
She accused Abbott of sexism and addressed the former Liberal Prime Minister during her speech.
Among her comments, she said, “I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. I will note that this man will not teach the government about sexism and misogyny. Not now, not ever.
‘If he wants to know what misogyny looks like in modern Australia, he doesn’t need a motion in the House of Representatives. He needs a mirror.’
Gillard was widely praised for her speech, with New Yorker Magazine even suggesting then-US President Barack Obama could learn a thing or two from Gillard in politics after the heated debate.
Read more in this week’s issue of Stellar Magazine