From Tony Abbott’s election gaffes to the send-off of our first female prime minister, it’s been a remarkable, if somewhat disappointing, year for women in politics.
There has been ongoing dialogue about women in the workplace and sexism in a variety of guises has filled the airwaves, newspaper columns and twitter streams. Plenty of women – and men – have taken on gender inequality and continue the fight for the progress of women around the world.
All in all 2013 has been an interesting year for women. Here are a few of the most memorable quotes that got us talking about women.
“I don’t think she’s a candidate for the leadership – she has a three-year-old child – the most that Tanya would be interested in would be, as I say, Deputy.”
Bob Hawke on Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek’s leadership prospects in September.
“There’s been a lot of analysis about the so-called gender wars. Me playing the so-called gender card because heavens knows no-one noticed I was a woman until I raised it, but against that background, I do want to say about all of these issues, the reaction to being the first female Prime Minister does not explain everything about my prime ministership, nor does it explain nothing about my prime ministership.”
Julia Gillard’s farewell speech as Australia’s first female prime minister in June.
“They’re young, they’re feisty, I think I can probably say have a bit of sex appeal …”
Prime Minister Tony Abbott on what the then-candidate for Lindsay, Fiona Scott, and former Liberal MP Jackie Kelly had in common while on the election campaign trail in August.
After I spoke, the first man said, ‘Most women aren’t like Sheryl. She’s very competent. Most women can’t do what she does. The second man didn’t want to be out done. He said, ‘I’d like to hire more women, but my wife is afraid I might sleep with them. And I might’ … I held it together, for which I was quite proud.”
Sheryl Sandberg speaking at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference in America in October
“Something is going terribly wrong in American society”.
An all male panel declares that working mothers are destroying America in June.
“We are human beings…we don’t learn the importance of anything until it’s snatched from our hands. When we were stopped from going to school in Pakistan, I realised education is very important. Education is powerful for women. Taliban don’t want women to get an education because with an education women become more powerful.”
Malala Yousafzai wows Jon Stewart (and the world) and continues to campaign for the rights of girls and women around the world to gain equal access to education.
“I am all for businesses doing good deeds, but this isn’t in the ‘good deed’ category. This is in the ‘you’ve got to get this right’ category.”
Ian Narev , CEO of Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and other leading male executives weigh in on gender diversity.
“On all operations, female soldiers and officers have proven themselves worthy of the best traditions of the Australian Army. They are vital to us maintaining our capability now and into the future. If that does not suit you, then get out.’
Australian Army Chief David Morrisson tells sexists they can “get out” of the army.
“Shut up, now listen, when a man is talking don’t interrupt.”
Johnny Rotten lives up to his moniker during a televised interview with The Project in April.
“First, although it is better than it was, having been in and around politics for many years now, there is still a double standard. And it is a double standard that exists from, you know, the trivial, like what you wear, to the incredibly serious, like women can’t vote, women can’t run for office, women are not supposed to be in the public sphere.”
Hillary Clinton in her final ‘townterview’ as US secretary of state concedes that politics is still a tough place for women.
“You know, the girls, they are more unstable emotionally than us. I’m sure everybody will say it’s true, even the girls (laughter). No? No, you don’t think? But, I mean, it’s just about hormones and all this stuff. We don’t have all these bad things, so we are physically in a good shape every time, and you are not. That’s it.”
French tennis player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on the difference between male and female tennis players during the Australian Open in January.
“Did the President hear me or did the President hear me and refuse to recognize me? At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be recognized over her male colleagues?”
State Sen. Leticia Van De Putte during the marathon Texas filibuster against the proposed anti-abortion bill in June.