When Julia Gillard walked into the chamber of the Australian parliament on an October afternoon in 2012, she was “fired up”, she says, but also “settled, loose-limbed”. The Time’s Up phrase had not yet been coined to summarise women’s outrage at workplace sexism, yet Gillard’s actions that day were certainly a precursor of that movement.
Australia’s first female prime minister, Gillard had been in office for just over two years, during which time she had endured relentless misogynist bullying and abuse. Her outfits and appearance were repeatedly, viciously scrutinised. Her partner, the hairdresser Tim Mathieson, was openly mocked for being the “first bloke”, with Gillard being asked live on air if he were gay. Radio shock jocks discussed methods they would like to use to