It may be eight years since Julia Gillard’s powerful speech on misogyny in our political system went viral, but people are still listening. Case in point: it has now been viewed nearly four million times on YouTube. As the first female prime minister of her country (from 2010 to 2013), Gillard has carved out a successful career while consistently championing women’s leadership and women’s rights.
Since stepping down as PM in 2013, Gillard has travelled the world speaking about gender equality while taking up the position as Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London. Could there have been a better person to discuss careers and female leadership at British Vogue’s first ever Forces For Change event at this year’s Women Of The World Festival on 7 March?
Taking to the stage – dressed in the same monochrome suit that she wore to mark last year’s International Women’s Day at a panel discussion convened by the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust with the Duchess of Sussex – she dispensed some brilliant advice.
On women’s leadership
“I think it’s a mixed picture,” Gillard told the audience when asked about women in leadership positions today. “When you look at the number of women on boards and [in positions of] leadership, we’ve seen progress. I think what we’re seeing happen on social media and the vileness aimed at women who are in the public sphere is not good. When women move forward, the backlash follows… We need to ask: How are those women leaders evaluated? Are they treated fairly?”
Read more: British Vogue Unveils All Star Line-Up For Its First Ever Forces For Change Event
On maternity leave
“What I can say, and we’ve [Global Institute for Women’s Leadership] looked at this, is that different countries have different ways,” explained Gillard. “Those countries who give entitlements, such as paternity leave, to men with the expectation that if don’t take it you will lose it, men will take the leave. It’s clear if it’s only women who use it [paid leave], women will then pay a career price. If both take it, then no one pays a career price. Caring work should be shared. It should be something we all do. We need to break down the expectations that it’s only women who do it.”
On pushing for change despite the challenges
“It’s a passion for change and a feeling of frustration that we aren’t there yet that keeps me pushing for change,” said Gillard. “Next year, I will turn 60, which means I was at university a long time ago. I thought then that all this stuff about gender inequality would be resolved by the time I was mid-career. Decades later, here we are with still so much to do. I’m energised by the need to see change. I want young girls to have the chance to see the change.”
More from British Vogue:
