Modern Australia: There Is No Place for Sexism

Modern Australia; there’s no place for sexism
Lovely woman, hesitating
Round the booths in sweet dismay Her gentle bosom palpitating Lest she cast her vote away
1902, a moment of such Liberation, such pride. It was the period when Australia became one of the first countries to allow women to vote. The poem I just read described how anxious women were to have their say for the first time. It was a hope for equality, men and women, same opportunities, same treatment. To this day, many will still say that men and women are not equal and in a sense this is true. Why is it that women with similar jobs as men are in fact paid less? Discrimination, pay gaps, bias; three words, one meaning: sexism. Modern Australia; there’s just no place for it.
What is sexism? Sexism is described as the prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination that is based on gender. This type of discrimination is typically against women though men are still subjected to sexism as well. Studies have shown that 1 in 10 people will experience this type of discrimination in the workplace. There are laws made to help focus on the promoting of gender equality for women and men in the workplace such as the Workplace Gender Equality Act of 2012.
Victims of this type of behaviour can find themselves
• In financial distress because they aren’t getting promoted
• Feeling like they are inferior to the opposite gender
• And the victim can lose all self- esteem and personal identity
• In the long run, many can develop mental disorders such as depression or anxiety.

Modern Australia; there’s no place for Sexism.

Sexism doesn’t just occur in the workplace, but everywhere, schools, sport and politics. In the words of Tony Abbott “What the housewives of Australia need to know when they are doing their ironing…” A few words created such fury, such Anger into many women living here in Australia. Julia Gillard, our first female Prime Minister spoke in anguish and fury as she performed a “slap down speech” in the September of 2012, which was directed at Tony Abbott and all Misogynists alike. Acerbically, Julia thanked Abbott for painting such a broad role for women in Modern Society. Gillard’s speech was viewed over 3 million times online and many say that the speech gave them courage to stand up to sexist people.
Australia is evolving, and our future is at our doorstep. In order to grow and develop as a nation, we need to change our old ways, there are cracks that need to be filled. Golda Meir once said, “To be successful, a woman has to be much better at her job than a man.” This is reflecting on the fact that women have always had it rough in society trying to step out of the norm that they are expected to be in and it shows how women have to be more determined to achieve their goals because inevitably, the majority of men have it easier in many ways. We should all be treated equally in all walks of life, no more discrimination, pay gaps and biasness. Change is what us as nation need, it starts with you. Modern Australia; there’s no place for sexism.