I joined 6 other speakers, each sharing a different reflection on that dateful moment in 2012. When it was my turn to speak, I stared into the dark and took two deep breaths, before sharing why I had spent the past six years working to progress gender equality, why I’d founded Raise Our Voice Australia, a social enterprise aimed at mobilising young women and gender diverse people to transform policy and politics, and the legacy of that now famous speech for young people.

The audience was full of women, many of whom had brought their daughters, eager to share intergenerational reflections on this visceral rallying call as our highest political leader spoke up against treatment women had experienced for decades. In conversations afterwards, I heard both their optimism, and their frustration in how far we still had to go.

As part of my role leading Raise Our Voice Australia, I speak to young women and gender diverse people every week. Overwhelmingly, these young people, aged between 12-32 from across Australia, are smart, driven, and have a clear idea of the future they want to create – a future centred on climate change, equality, positive mental health, and support for education. Their message is clear: we’re passionate, can lead important change, and we don’t want to run for office as we don’t want to be in the firing line. Because, despite measures to get more women into politics, the lack of media accountability is stark.

I founded Raise Our Voice Australia in 2020, after years lamenting the absence of young women and gender diverse people from the seats of Australia’s parliaments. Years before, I co-founded a campaign to help young people ask “why not me?” when looking at their political representatives. After working in domestic policy and foreign policy as a senior policy officer, it was clear to me that those with the most at stake – young people – were missing from this decision making. Raise Our Voice Australia started with a training program, sharing knowledge on and networks in these key areas, before launching campaigns to connect young people with their elected representatives, running research, and building our community.

At Raise Our Voice Australia, we talk about how politics for women is shifting, and yet, this week was a visceral reminder that despite some positive shifts since 2017, some things haven’t changed.

You don’t have to look far to find a negative media story about women in the public eye, especially near the campaign trail. While gender was a key talking point in the 2022 federal election, media reporting of women remains reliant on outdated tropes. Who’s taking care of her family? Variations on “she was too emotional”. And recently, when I saw that Nine edited Georgie Purcell’s photo, enlarging her breasts and editing in a non-existent midriff, I was irate.

When Nine blamed its editing of Georgie Purcell’s photo – the youngest member of Victorian Parliament and a young, passionate woman who’s upset many on the conservative side of politics with her progressive views and her tendency to challenge the status quo – their excuses seemed laughable. It takes no stretch of the imagination to believe that the photo editing was deliberate.

After Adobe denied Nine’s claims of “but it was the AI,” the final insult was The Australian newspaper describing Purcell as a “ former stripper,” seemingly aimed at devaluing her worth and status as an important female politician based on her prior employment. In 2022, research conducted by Raise Our Voice Australia in partnership with the Body Shop Australia New Zealand, found that 13 per cent of young women and gender‑diverse people felt represented in politics, with just 35 per cent saying they would consider politics as a career.

Interrogating the media’s treatment of women in the public eye, 87 per cent of respondents reported that representation of women in politics by the media is mostly negative. Respondents cited the treatment of former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, alongside the commentary surrounding Brittany Higgins, and Grace Tame. Other respondents noted the additional vitriol levelled as women of colour, First Nations people, gender diverse people, disabled people and sex workers.

In Australia, many of our media companies lack integrity. Too many rely on manufacturing outrage and printing stories that devalue women. When Georgie is described as a “former stripper” whether we like it or not, people click on the stories, and media companies know this. It’s gross and demeaning, reminiscent of a bunch of boys jeering and letting the woman know that they don’t value her achievements.

Like many media subjects before her, Georgie is an impressive MP, and a role model to so many young people, myself including. In the age of TikTok, too many articles are the product of the attention economy and drive click-bait journalism. What happened to pieces that are fact checked and rigorous? What happened to quality journalism? Some might even argue the public must also be held responsible for the maintenance of these tropes – after all, it’s us in the comment sections driving these debates. But, where are the media organisations leading a nuanced discussion on issues of policy rather than publishing the same tired,misogynistic click bait?

Four years into running Raise Our Voice Australia, I’m often overwhelmed by the scope of the problem we’re trying to fix. I’m frustrated. Frustrated that with every step forward, there’s someone – a journalist, editor or media outlet – who refuses to move. That we continue to ask women to “just put their hands up” or “lean in” while we tear them down in the media and in comment sections. The business case for diversity is strong: when we have more diversity in leadership, better outcomes are reached. And who doesn’t want better outcomes for all Australians?

Last year, I completed Pathways to Politics through Melbourne University. I’m determined that these hateful bullies do not win. In a cohort of 30 women, I received training on how to run for office and hear from incredible women political leaders.

If we truly want a better future, we need change, and we need accountability. It’s time that media outlets took some responsibility, and we the public voted with our clicks. If you’re sexist, I won’t subscribe. Newspapers are a declining medium, so if they want Gen Z, millennial and Gen X subscribers, they need to refocus their stories to meet our modern standards of inclusion and diversity.

As for Georgie? I couldn’t have more admiration for her courage, and for calling out this misogyny. But she shouldn’t have to. It’s time for change. The stakes are too high not to.

The post After the misogynistic media treatment of Georgie Purcell, is it any wonder young women are hesitant to pursue politics? appeared first on Women's Agenda.

On Tuesday, the Victorian MP from the Animal Justice Party called out the Australian media outlet for editing an image that enlarged her breasts and made her outfit more revealing.

Nine News director Hugh Nailon claimed there was no staff member involved in editing the image and it was artificial intelligence (AI) that altered the picture whilst they were re-sizing the photo.

However, as reported by Guardian Australia, Adobe, creator of Photoshop, has confirmed the incident could not have occurred without “human intervention”.

“Any changes to this image would have required human intervention and approval,” the statement read.

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A post shared by Georgie Purcell (@georgie.purcell.ajp)

AI-edited images and deepfakes

AI-edited media content, such as images and videos, disproportionately targets and affects women, particularly high-profile women. This week alone, Georgie Purcell is not the first woman to have an image of herself altered in a sexist way.

Over the weekend, sexually explicit deepfake images of Taylor Swift were circulated on the social media platform X. Formerly known as Twitter, X Corp. responded to the incident on Sunday night by removing the images and the account that first published the deepfakes, as well as temporarily blocking users’ ability to search “Taylor Swift” on the platform.

According to a report from The New York Times, one of the several images that were in circulation was viewed 47 million times before the deepfake, along with the account that published it, was removed from X.

On Wednesday morning, Georgie Purcell spoke on ABC’s RN Breakfast about the rise in AI technologies targeting women and girls.

“This has happened to me this week, it also actually happened to Taylor Swift this week with deep fake [images] using AI, happening to her all over Twitter on a much larger scale,” Purcell said.

“I think we need to seriously consider that our laws are probably not keeping pace with emerging technologies like AI and the risks they pose not just women in public life, but everyday women as well.

“I’ve heard stories from young women who have had just enough photos on their Instagram profiles for them to be taken and altered to appear naked without their consent. and it’s deeply deeply concerning.”

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Earlier this month, the government released its interim response to the Safe and Responsible AI in Australia consultation, outlining its short-term action plan for the growing technology.

Although the interim response paper mentions general “bias and discriminatory outputs” that currently exist in AI, there is no specific mention of women or considering AI with a gender lens.

‘No way to represent a woman.’

On Tuesday, Premier Jacinta Allan told reporters there’s still “a long way to go” in the representation of women in the media, including in social media, after Purcell called out Nine News’ distorted image.

“That’s no way to represent any woman, let alone a woman who holds a position in public office, represents a community and is in the public discourse every single day,” Allan told reporters.

“It’s another reminder that everyone who has the opportunity to be part of the public debate to consider how men and women, but in this instance particularly women, are represented.”

In 2022, Raise Our Voice Australia released a report on the impact of the media on young women and gender diverse people’s aspirations to enter politics.

In that report, 87 per cent of respondents felt that representation of women in politics by the media was mostly negative.

Nearly half (47 per cent) were less likely to pursue a career in politics given the events of the last 12 months, which at the time of the report’s release, included the allegations of Bruce Lehrmann raping Brittany Higgins in parliament house, the allegations against former Attorney-General Christian Porter, the ABC’s program Ms Represented and much more.

The Victorian Premier said the incident involving Georgie Purcell sends another discouraging message to young women wanting to enter politics, something that needs urgent attention.

“We know it can, young women tell us that themselves and that’s why again, it’s important to both call it out, which I think is what’s happening here this morning,” Allan said.

“It’s important to call it out, to identify, to do better and to understand that we have come a long way, but we’ve still got a way to go.”

The post Adobe confirms edited image of Georgie Purcell would have required ‘human intervention’ appeared first on Women's Agenda.

The incident comes off the back of the Victorian government rejecting recommendations made in a 12-month inquiry into banning duck hunting in the state, a backflip Purcell publicly condemned on Monday.

Purcell, a Victorian government MP from the Animal Justice Party, posted a photo of Nine News’ edited image on X, as well as the original image.

“I endured a lot yesterday,” she wrote on X, “but having my body and outfit photoshopped by a media outlet was not on my bingo card.”

Purcell posted the images side by side to highlight the difference between the original image on the right and Nine News’ altered image on the left. 

I endured a lot yesterday.

But having my body and outfit photoshopped by a media outlet was not on my bingo card.

Note the enlarged boobs and outfit to be made more revealing.

Can’t imagine this happening to a male MP.

What gives? pic.twitter.com/NhnkDRMidc

— Georgie Purcell (@georgievpurcell) January 29, 2024

In the altered image, Purcell has larger breasts and her outfit has been changed from a dress to a cropped two-piece outfit, making it more revealing than the original outfit.

“Can’t imagine this happening to a male MP,” Purcell said. “What gives?”

Later, Purcell added to her thread on X. “Hot tip 9 (News) – I’ve got my whole stomach tattooed.”

Nine News director Hugh Nailon has issued a statement apologising for the incident. He has cited artificial intelligence (AI) as the reason the image was altered, and claimed no staff member was involved.

“Our graphics department sourced an online image of Georgie to use in our story on duck hunting,” Nailon said.

“As is common practice, the image was resized to fit our specs. During that process, the automation by Photoshop created an image that was not consistent with the original.

“This did not meet the high editorial standards we have and for that we apologise to Ms Purcell unreservedly.”

‘Your body is always up for grabs.’

In a statement, Purcell said Monday was an extremely difficult day for her, especially after the photoshopped image of her body was aired on a major media outlet in Australia.

“It’s not abnormal for politicians to have catastrophic days at work. I’m not afraid to say yesterday was the worst I’ve had so far,” Purcell told Women’s Agenda.

“Unfortunately, the difference for women is that they also have to deal with the constant sexualisation and objectification that comes with having images leaked, distorted and AI generated.

“Let’s be clear – this is not something that happens to my male colleagues.”

Purcell said this incident shows just how common it is for women’s bodies to be sexualised by the media and beyond.

“The message this sends to young women and girls across Victoria is that even at the top of your field, your body is always up for grabs,” she said. “And as expected this edited image has already been weaponized by shooters to spread hateful and violent messages.”

Nine News has told Purcell they will investigate the incident.

“For now, at least I know what I’d look like with a boob job and chiselled abs,” she said.

Duck hunting in Victoria

On Monday, the Victorian government, led by Premier Jacinta Allan, rejected recommendations from a year-long inquiry into duck shooting. It is still legal to practice duck hunting as a sport in the state, as well in South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

The inquiry received more than 10,500 submissions, which exceeded the record for a Victorian parliamentary inquiry and demonstrates the level of interest the divisive issue has in the state.

In August last year, the Labor-led committee handed down its recommendation to ban the sport in Victoria, which was rejected by the Labor government as of Monday morning.

Purcell spoke to several media outlets on Monday and posted on her social media accounts, expressing her anger and disappointment in the government.

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A post shared by Georgie Purcell (@georgie.purcell.ajp)

“Jacinta Allan’s Labor government just put its seal of approval on the continued massacre of native wildlife,” Purcell wrote on X.

“Duck shooting will go on despite the primary recommendation from their own inquiry.

“It’s a disgrace, and it’s the end of our good faith relationship.”

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Georgie Purcell, a new Animal Justice Party MP, was elected to parliament at the recent Victorian election. In her speech, she said she is proud of her past and wants to use her unique experiences to bring kindness, empathy and compassion to politics. 

Purcell said she worked as a stripper and topless waitress to make some extra money while studying at university.

“At one point in my life, it was a secret – and it was a secret that was stolen from me,” Purcell said. “This defining moment was in the Summer of 2012, when I was in my second year at Deakin University and working as a topless waitress and stripper.”

“I did everything I possibly could to protect my anonymity from my peers, but it didn’t work.

“My whole world stopped on the day that my phone pinged with a notification that I had been tagged on Facebook. I froze, staring at a photo of myself on the screen – and a thread of comments beneath.”

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A post shared by Georgie Purcell (@georgie.purcell.ajp)

Purcell said her experience is one many young women go through, speaking of what it feels like to be “de-legitimised” in a university environment. 

“Being outed is the most severe of betrayals. Because of one person’s fleeting decision to take away my consent and my autonomy, I felt my life was no longer worth living,” she said.

“They stole 10 years from me, with my past constantly hanging over my head like a dark cloud – living in fear every day that it would resurface.”

Purcell has said previously she decided to run for parliament to get young people’s voices represented in parliament. She is a staunch advocate for the rights of animals, having previously worked as Chief of Staff to former Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick. She has also worked as a union official and lawyer.

“But here I stand today – the youngest woman of this parliament – owning my story, proud of my past and ready for my future,” she said in her speech.

“I now know that my experiences bring a unique perspective to this place, and the ability to consider matters with kindness, empathy and compassion.”

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A post shared by Georgie Purcell (@georgie.purcell.ajp)

Purcell also used her first speech in parliament to cement her position as a voice for animals, saying: “To the animals of Victoria, despite your suffering in the shadows, I see you. Despite speaking a different language, I hear you. As long as I have the honour and privilege of being a member of this place, I will fight for you. And while your situation is so dire, with all of our supporters behind me, I am filled with hope for the future.”

@georgie.purcell.ajp I made my first speech today. Here’s just a snippet. #vegan #vegansoftiktok #springst ♬ original sound – Georgie Purcell

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