I was fascinated by the debate tonight. Not because of the wit of the combatants, or because it proved a milestone in the 2010 campaign. Rather, for the first time (I'm told), Channel Nine had two 'worms' - one for the males, the other for females. Why there should be a difference (or why we care), I'm not exactly sure. Similarly, a conversation I had today revolved around whether Labor would win in a landslide due to Ms Gillard's sex.
So it seems that, over 100 years since female enfranchisement in Australia, there is somehow a difference between a male's vote and a female's; and that women will vote purely for one of the gals, ignoring the policy position of their preferred candidate.
I'm not sure if such spurious logic is correct. If it is, then it says a lot about how far we've come in 100 years. Indeed, the scrutiny under which Ms Gillard was examined upon her coming to power was strange. Ignoring her religious (non) affiliations for a moment, we found out that she was (a) unmarried; and (b) childless. These things should not matter. When a person is being interviewed for a job, it is illegal to ask them whether they have a partner or children. And yet, the media has no problem poking around in the life of our new Prime Minister, making note of such trivialities.
I'm probably too young to remember, but I don't think John Howard's personal life was so rigorously examined. I am certain that Rudd's wasn't. Like a hangover still lingering on Tuesday, the double-standard remains. It's not enough that Ms Gillard occupy the top job. She must prove her credentials as a woman as well.
I had really hoped that gender would not become an issue in this campaign. I had hoped that people would instead examine the direction in which Labor or Liberal would take Australia. Yet each time I see footage of the incumbent receiving comments on her appearance from the voters in Anywheresville, Australia, I know that this is not the case. We are still a long way from the world imagined by Rich, de Beauvoir and Greer.
But, gee, didn't her hair look great tonight?
Marty Bortz
Masters Student
School of Social and Political Sciences
University of Melbourne