ADVOCACY
Blair Williams was our annual University of Adelaide Arts Intern in 2013 and
she chose to focus her research on the Media Portrayal of Julia Gillard
when Prime Minister and the impact on women’s leadership aspirations.
In an online survey, 31% of respondents said that in their lives they had had
aspirations to enter politics at a local, state or federal level.
When asked if “the media treatment of Julia Gillard while Prime Minister
made” participants less or more likely to stand for election, two-thirds of
those previously interested in politics stated that they were less likely to
be interested in standing for election again in the future.
Women over the age of thirty-one were more affected by this, with
80% of women over 31 saying they were less likely to stand at a local,
state or federal level after witnessing negative media treatment of
Gillard.
Women between the ages of 18-21, on the other hand, were not as
affected. Still – more than half in that age group - 57% - said they were less
likely to stand at a local, state or federal level. Of women in the 18-21 age
group, 43% said the media treatment of Julia Gillard did not affect their
decision at all.
Throughout the survey, many respondents expressed “shock, horror and
dismay” at the media treatment of Julia Gillard with one respondent
stating: “our society excuses and legitimizes the unfair and discriminatory
treatment of women”.
However, for some, it was a motivating factor. One respondent stated that
the media treatment of Julia Gillard while Prime Minister “encouraged
women to speak up … and I know I am not alone. It was a shocking yet
confidence building realization”.