Yesterday, a lone woman stood up to her (overwhelmingly male) colleagues who were trying to take away her rights and silence her voice. She stood in the legislature and spoke for women everywhere, and when she could stand no more her colleagues and the people who elected her stood with her. And at least yesterday, she was triumphant.
She is Wendy Davis, a Texas state Senator, who filibustered a bill that would effectively outlaw abortion in Texas. When her 13-hour filibuster ended 11 minutes before the crucial midnight deadline, others took up the torch, shouting down a vote, and preserving women’s right to choose — until Texas Governor Rick Perry called for another special legislative session to pass the bill.
Yesterday, in Australia, our first female prime minister stood up to her male colleagues who were trying to silence her voice. She stood and called their bluff, and she said she was not going down without a fight. But then, when she could stand no more, her colleagues and her friends spoke for a man with a blue tie instead. And while a few remained loyal to her, it wasn’t enough. In her final speech as prime minister, she took to the podium alone.
“What I am absolutely confident of is it will be easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that, and I am proud of that,” she said. And no one stood with her at all.
Her parting speech was brief, but even more powerful than some of her more famous ones.
She was better than we deserved and I’ll miss her like hell.
If Rudd manages to pull off a miracle and get re-elected, I’ll grit my teeth and bow to the superior knowledge of the professional politicians who removed her.
If not, I’ll not forgive or forget what they did.
I still remember 1975…..Like it was yesterday.
And she showed so much more grace and understanding than this and the previous many sniping editorials.
“And no one stood with her at all” – including Crikey.
Why do you so simply assume that such a strong masterful Woman as the fomer PM is didnt choose to appear by herself? Of course she was responsible for that decision and to suggest otherwise is frankly ridiculous & unfounded.
Gillard is better playing Gillard – not playing Thatcher, or some minder fetishist’s “school-marm”.