The past year has been pivotal for women, particularly in politics in Australia, and on the streets and elsewhere across the world.
But we wanted to take a moment to talk about some of the moments that got us talking (and laughing) often with pride, and also those that had us scratching our heads regarding their stupidity and absurdity.
We remember (and celebrate!) Florence Pugh ‘freeing the nipple’ and Grace Tame pulling ‘that face’ at Scott Morrison. We recall the conservatives blaming young women for the demise of their party base, and the women telling the world that ‘yes’ female prime ministers are allowed to dance.
We also remember The Melbourne Club continuing to prohibit female members and the short-lived “women’s network” logo that looked like a penis.
Check out some of these moments below.
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Grace Tame pulling ‘that face’ at Scott Morrison
In January, Grace Tame had a frosty meeting with former Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Canberra.
The 2021 Australian of the Year and sexual abuse advocate seemingly refused to look directly at Morrison while shaking his hand. Then, as photos were taken of the two of them, Tame held a distinctly unimpressed facial expression.
When Morrison’s government held power, Tame didn’t hold back from criticising his poor responses to women’s safety issues. No matter how much Morrison attempted to laugh or ‘how good…’ it off.
The penis-shaped ‘Women’s Network’ logo
In March, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet revealed its new “Women’s Network” logo, causing a social media uproar when people began calling out its phallic appearance.
Much of the public initially thought the logo was fake but quickly came to realise the joke was lost on the Department.
The “disturbing” trend of young women rejecting parties on the right
This year, right-wing parties started to fear the power of young single women, with many conservative commentators crying out about their rejection.
Unmarried women were a large demographic who didn’t vote for Republican candidates in the US midterms and Fox News commentator Jesse Watters decided that the problem lay not in right-wing policies but rather that young single women were too independent.
“Once women get married, they vote Republican,” Watters said. “Single women and voters under 40 have been captured by Democrats.”
“We need these ladies to get married. It’s time to fall in line, and settle down. Guys, go and put a ring on it.”
Here in Australia, The Australian’s Nick Cater shared his view on “single young females” being the “biggest threat to parties on the right”.
Cater said: “For Liberals in Australia the rise of single 20 and 30- somethings is one of the most disturbing trends to emerge from last year’s census.”
Scott Morrison’s speaking agency called him ‘the true definition of a leader’
Only five months after losing spectacularly in the federal election, ScoMo grasped to position himself as a “virtuous globalisation mastermind” and “the true definition of a leader”– descriptions posted by Worldwide Speakers Group, a speaking agency that Morrison signed with that charges up to $100,000 for speaking engagements.
In this article, we looked back at all the reasons why calling ScoMo “the true definition of a leader” is pretty ironic.
The conservative dating app that failed to attract women
Conservative dating app ‘The Right Stuff’ launched in the US and had a noticeable lack of female-users. A big problem considering the app only catered to a heterosexual audience.
Created “for conservatives to connect in authentic and meaningful ways”, frustrated male-users began leaving some pretty clueless reviews.
One user complaint said: “These days, it’s hard to find a woman who values my patriotism. My faith. And so after being ghosted by every match on Tinder, I decided to give this app a try. But the weird thing was, I couldn’t find any women on it. I don’t know, maybe the app is bugged?”
Those #solidarywithsanna videos and images
The women of Finland backed their prime minister, Sanna Marin, by posting videos and memes of themselves dancing and having a good time on social media.
And they did so in style, and with the hashtag #solidaritywithsanna
This came after Marin faced criticism for two private videos that were leaked showing her dancing and laughing with her friends.
Miss Universe pageant removed rules banning married women and mums
Apparently, in its 70-year long history, the Miss Universe pageant didn’t allow mums or married women to participate. It was a rule we only learned about this year, when the pageant announced it would be lifting the ban to “evolve with the times” in 2023. Way to move with the times!
Spain launched an ‘All bodies are beach bodies’ campaign
Spain’s equality ministry launched a summer body positivity campaign titled “All bodies are beach bodies” to encourage more women to go to the beach no matter what their body looks like.
The campaign’s poster featured five diverse women of different shapes and sizes, and it was a photo that got us — and plenty of readers — talking.
Kshama Bindu married herself in India
At 24-years-old, Kshama Bindu did what no woman in India has done before. She married herself.
It was reported to be the first example of “sologamy”– when a person marries themselves– in her country.
Jane Goodall’s eco-friendly barbie doll
Renowned ethologist and conservationist Dr Jane Goodall got a Barbie made in her likeness as part of Mattel’s Inspiring Women Series.
Florence Pugh freed the female nipple
Actress Florence Pugh wore a gorgeously sheer pink dress to a Maison Valentino runway show in Italy and critics were concerned that her nipples were showing.
Pugh wasn’t bothered, however, and clapped back, asking “What. Is. So. Terrifying” about the female nipple.
Menopause-simulating vests made male MPs feel hot and ‘volcanic’
Getting a taste of what it’s like to have menopause hot flushes, male MP’s in the UK wore menopause-simulating vests. It was part of a menopause awareness campaign to highlight the country’s lack of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products.
Female MP in the UK got accused of ‘distracting’ the PM by crossing her legs
A Conservative UK lawmaker accused Angela Rayner, the Labour Party Deputy Leader, of trying to ‘distract’ the former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, when she sat across from him in the House of Commons during debates, crossing and uncrossing her legs.
Katherine Deves’ cringey campaign video
In April, controversial Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves was featured in an unintentionally awkward campaign video with her supporters.
Deves is known for opposing the inclusion of transgender women in sport and has received much political backlash.
The bot exposing gender pay gaps of companies spruiking International Women’s Day
Copywriter Francesca Lawson and her partner, Ali Fonsome, a software consultant, created the Gender Pay Gap Bot to expose just how big some of the gender pay gaps are at companies who used their social media to spruik their female employees and gender equality on International Women’s Day.
The account’s bio read,” Employers, if you tweet about International Women’s Day, I’ll retweet your gender pay gap.”
The all-male panel in an ‘endometriosis masterclass’
The European Endometriosis League promoted an ‘Endometriosis Masterclass’ that was led by seven male experts on endometriosis and no women.
Golf star Lydia Ko mentioned her period and left a male reporter speechless
When asked by Golf Channel’s Jerry Foltz about the reason for her physiotherapy session during the final round of the Palos Verdes Championship this week, Lydia Ko answered candidly saying her back was really tight because it’s “that time of the month”.
Foltz appeared to not know how to follow-up her response, awkwardly responding, “thanks”.
The group of Boston mothers who screamed into the darkness
Twenty Boston mothers gathered outside a local high school at night to scream into the darkness and release their frustrations with the pandemic.
Therapist and leader of the group Sarah Harmon described it as “quite healing” and an opportunity to let out the “intense rage”.
The Melbourne Club voted to prohibit female membership after 142 years
Melbourne Club’s president Michael Bartlett announced the results of a survey conducted of the club’s 1500 members, which apparently failed to support allowing female membership.
This is “in keeping with the 142-year history and tradition of the club,” said Bartlett.
Perhaps they should check out how the Miss Universe pageant realised that it is possible to “evolve”.