A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard

In the first ever Book Club episode of A Podcast of One’s Own, Julia and co-host Sarah Holland-Batt delve into Australian author Anna Funder’s new work Wifedom.Wifedom tells the untold story of Eileen O'Shaughnessy and her marriage to George Orwell, one of the most famed English writers of all time.Funder recreates the Orwell’s’ marriage, taking readers through the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War in London.Eileen’s story has been largely ignored by the history books, and as Funder shows, sometimes even rewritten by biographers of Orwell.Julia and Sarah discuss Funder’s unique style of writing, how women get written out of history, how Eileen’s experience resonates with women today, and how fans of Orwell’s work can reconcile that with his personal behaviour.Show notes:Wifedom by Anna Funder is published by Penguin and available at all good bookstores. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/wifedom-9780143787112Find out more about co-host Sarah Holland-Batt here: https://www.sarahhollandbatt.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Julia sits down with activist, sexual consent champion and a voice for her generation, Chanel Contos. Chanel was a catalyst for transforming how consent education works in Australia. In 2021, aged just 22, she sparked a national media storm when she exposed the alarming level of sexual assault in Sydney private schools. From here, the “Teach Us Consent” Campaign was born –  an online petition asking for sexual consent education in Australian schools, which quickly gained more than 44,000 signatures supported by over 6,500 testimonies of sexual assault. And less just a year later in 2022, this ground-breaking campaign resulted in fundamental changes to the Australian curriculum when holistic and age-appropriate consent education was introduced in every school, across every age group.Chanel takes us through this whirlwind journey – from that first day back in 2021, up until today, and reflects on everything she’s been up to along the way. From publishing her first book, Consent Laid Bare, to her work with young changemakers as the Chair of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership's Youth Committee. She and Julia talk activist burnout, how to engage everyone (especially young men and boys) in the conversation around consent, their optimism for the future and why it’s so important to be ruthless with systems and kind with people if we want to achieve lasting cultural change.CW: This episode covers themes of consent and sexual violence, and parts of this conversation may be distressing for some listeners. If this brings up anything for you, help is available by contacting the 24-hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of 2023, Julia takes a look back at the incredible conversations of Season 5. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Mostyn has had a formidable career in executive positions, working across business, sport, climate change, the arts, policy and not for profit.She recently led the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, and was the first woman AFL Commissioner, where she spearheaded the creation of a women’s league. Now Sam is taking over from Julia as Chair of Beyond Blue, Australia’s leading mental health support service.In this episode, Julia and Sam discuss mental health, gender equality and how women can succeed in what is often still very much a man’s world. Show notesIf you need mental health support visit Beyond Blue | 24/7 Support for Anxiety, Depression and Suicide PreventionIf you need crisis support call Lifeline on 13 11 14 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elly Desmarchelier is a proud disabled woman who uses her voice to advocate for the 1 in 5 Australians living with disability. Elly was the public face of a national campaign to maintain and defend the integrity of Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme, taking the fight all the way to Parliament House in Canberra.Elly and Julia discuss the barriers and discrimination Elly has faced and overcome throughout her life, and her determination to pave a smoother path for the next generation. Show notes: You can find out more about Australia's Disability Royal Commission at: Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Julia is joined by music legend, humanitarian and activist, Annie Lennox. Hailed as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone, Annie has won more Brit Awards than any other female artist in history, sold over 80 million records worldwide as a solo artist and in Eurythmics with Dave Stewart and was named "the most successful female British artist in UK music history" by the Official Charts Company in June 2013.  In 2011, Annie was awarded an OBE for her contribution towards combating HIV/AIDS as it affects women and children in Africa and in 2008, she founded the global women’s rights organisation, The Circle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turia Pitt is the epitome of determination and grit. She’s been defying expectations ever since she was caught in a grassfire at 24, suffering burns to 65% of her body. Surviving against overwhelming odds, she’s rebuilt her life and is now a business owner, writer, motivational speaker and Mum. Julia and Turia discuss the day that changed her life forever, how she forged a new path for herself and the gender inequality that persists in Australia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Rayner is the Deputy Leader of the British Labour Party. She has a remarkable life story, which she shared with Julia at a live event hosted by The Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King's College London. In this episode, you'll hear that conversation, recorded live from the event. Angela not only spoke to Julia about her own life, but they also discussed the gendered barriers on the political frontline and what a general election in the United Kingdom would mean for women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 after two decades of democratic rule, the world watched in horror. Despite initial promises that women would be able to exercise their rights within Sharia Law, the Taliban has systematically excluded women and girls from public life.In the months that have followed, the situation has only grown more desperate for Afghanistan’s women, who now live under one of the most restrictive regimes in the world. They are unable to access secondary education, travel without a male relative, and even more recently have been banned from attending universities and working for aid organisations, further erasing professional and public opportunities.To keep the spotlight on this worsening crisis – which is only being compounded by economic sanctions and the near-total isolation of Afghanistan in a global context – The Global Institute for Women’s Leadership hosted a conversation about women’s rights under the Taliban. In this episode, you’ll hear that discussion, recorded live from the event at King’s College London.For this conversation, Julia sat down with Zahra Joya, journalist and founder of Rukhshana Media, an organisation that tells the stories of Afghan women globally; Christina Lamb, the Chief Foreign Correspondent for The Sunday Times; Paula Kweskin, a filmmaker and attorney specialising in international humanitarian and human rights law; and Sveto Muhammad Ishoq, a women's rights activist, TEDx speaker and social entrepreneur. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon is an author of three New York Times best-selling books: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, about a young entrepreneur who supported her community under the Taliban, Ashley's War, which follows a special ops unit of women in the US army, and The Daughters of Kobani, the extraordinary story of the women in the Kurdish militia that took on ISIS and won. She serves as a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and, as a journalist, has written on women's entrepreneurship, forced marriage and women in the military for outlets including The New York Times, The Financial Times, The World Bank, The Atlantic and CNN. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of A Podcast of One’s Own, we take you inside Julia’s sold out Sydney Writers’ Festival event at the Sydney Town Hall with Indira Naidoo.More than a decade on from what is now known as the Misogyny Speech, Julia and Indira discuss the speech’s origins, where we are today and the future for women leaders. The event was recorded live by the ABC’s Compass program, which is hosted by Indira.Show notes You can watch Compass with Indira Naidoo at Compass : ABC iviewJulia Gillard’s book Not Now, Not Ever: Ten years on from the misogyny speech is available to purchase at Not Now, Not Ever by Julia Gillard - Penguin Books AustraliaMore information about the Sydney Writers’ Festival can be found at Sydney Writers' Festival (swf.org.au) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Julia speaks with Roanna McClelland - an author, an academic researcher, a political adviser, a former colleague and a friend. Roanna has just published her first book, The Comforting Weight of Water, which is set in a near future where it never stops raining and a young adolescent runs wild. The story explores coming of age when society – and all its cues – have been washed away.Water, the environment and exploring the relationship between humans and the natural world are not just themes of Roanna’s book, they are themes of her life and she pursues them as an active feminist and deep thinker on gender inequality.Show notesRoanna McClelland’s book The Comforting Weight of Water is available at all good bookstores and here: Wakefield Press :: Literature - Fiction :: The Comforting Weight of Water Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founded in 2012, the Stella Prize is a major literary award celebrating Australian women’s writing, and championing diversity and cultural change.To celebrate the 2023 award, Julia sat down with this year’s winner, poet Sarah Holland-Batt.Sarah’s work, The Jaguar, is a deeply personal collection of poems canvassing different dimensions of love, loss and beauty. It delves particularly into her beloved father’s long journey with Parkinson’s, and the profound effect it had on Sarah and her family.Julia and Sarah speak candidly about grief, love and solving poetry's PR problem.Show notesLearn more about the Stella Prize at https://stella.org.au/prize/The 2023 winning book The Jaguar is available at https://www.readings.com.au/product/9780702265501/the-jaguar--sarah-holland-batt--2022--9780702265501 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Julia is joined by Dr Elise Stephenson to take a deep dive into gender equality in space. They unpack some of the major barriers facing women and marginalised groups in the industry – everything from equipment failures to inadequate research – and explore the unprecedented opportunities the rapidly developing space sector presents for improving the lives of generations to come by building a sustainable and gender-equal future.Elise is the Deputy Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at the Australian National University and her research seeks to tackle gender inequality at the frontiers – in areas such as climate justice, international affairs, and even outer space. Elise has been recognised with multiple awards for her research, including as a Google Top 50 Outstanding LGBTQI+ Leader and a 2022 Fulbright Scholar.Watch a the signature event from our Diversity on the Frontier conference: https://youtu.be/BXesd4xES0sGet involved in our diversity in space research: ow.ly/r16x50NMvho Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2020, Dame Sharon White became the first-ever woman to become chair of John Lewis & Partners, the largest employee-owned business in the UK. In 2022 she was named the UK’s most influential black person in the Powerlist awards. She was the first woman to lead the UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, and she came to that position after a distinguished career in Treasury, the Department for International Development and the World Bank.  In the week of International Women’s Day, Julia sat down with Sharon to discuss her career journey and her views on how to work towards greater gender equality in the workplace and beyond. They were joined by Kelly Beaver, the first female Chief Executive of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland, who shared findings from a new survey from the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership and Ipsos looking at global attitudes to gender equality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Saini is an award-winning science journalist and author. She has worked as a reporter for numerous media outlets including the BBC, the Guardian, New Scientist and National Geographic. In 2020, Angela was named one of the World’s Top 50 Thinkers by Prospect Magazine and in 2018 she was voted one of the most respected journalists in the UK.Angela has written Superior: The Return of Race Science, which was published in 2019 to widespread critical acclaim, and Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, which has been translated into fourteen languages. Both are on university reading lists across the world. Her latest book, The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule, is released this month and explores the roots of gendered oppression and how patriarchal systems became embedded in societies and spread across the globe.The Patriarchs is available to order from independent UK bookshops here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-patriarchs-how-men-came-to-rule-angela-saini/6898353?ean=9780008418113, and in Australia here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-patriarchs-angela-saini/book/9780008418113.html. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regina Waugh has been working in public service for over a decade to advance the rights of marginalised groups, champion gender equality and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Regina served as the Obama administration’s director for human rights and gender at the White House National Security Council and as the chief of staff in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues at the US Department of State. Today, she is working with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems to support female leaders and advance gender equality in the electoral process. Regina and Julia discuss how we can address barriers to women’s political participation, such as violence against women in politics both online and off, uneven access to electoral justice, and restrictive gender norms. We’re releasing this episode to coincide with the 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence; an international campaign that calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. Find out more about the campaign, and what you can do to support its mission, here: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/16-days-of-activism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 9 October 2012, Julia Gillard stood in Parliament House and delivered one of the most impassioned and iconic speeches in the history of Australian politics. The “misogyny speech” reverberated around the world and continues to reach further into our collective consciousness to this day. Julia’s words were a call to arms from the highest office in the nation – that misogyny and sexism should no longer be tolerated, because women are entitled to a better standard in private, public and professional life, and ten years on, her speech continues to inspire and challenge us to call out sexism and misogyny in every field.  Julia sat down with historian Mary Beard earlier this month at an event to mark the ten-year anniversary, explore the legacy of the speech today and look at what's next in the fight for gender equality. In this episode, you’ll hear that conversation, recorded live from the event for the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London.During the conversation, Mary and Julia discuss Julia's new book, Not Now, Not Ever: Ten years on from the misogyny speech, which features contributions from Mary Beard, Jess Hill, Jennifer Palmieri, Katharine Murphy and many others. All profits from the book go to the Global Institute for Women's Leadership to support our research and advocacy work. You can find out more about the book here: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/not-now-not-ever-9780143779759. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hannah Gadsby is an Australian comedian, writer and actress. In 2018 she stopped comedy in its tracks with her multi award winning show, Nanette, which reshapes standard stand-up by pairing punchlines with personal revelations on gender, sexuality and childhood turmoil. Nanette played to sold out houses in Australia, the UK and New York, and its launch on Netflix, and subsequent Emmy and Peabody award wins, introduced Nanette (and Hannah) to an even bigger global audience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosie Campbell is professor of politics and Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London, where she works with Julia. Rosie has authored research on voting behaviour, public opinion and the politics of diversity and political recruitment. In this episode, Julia asks Rosie about women’s participation in politics and gendered patterns of support for the populist radical right. Julia and Rosie also discuss the main issues facing women that risk stalling gender equality over the next decade, and how we can accelerate the rate of change and advance women’s access to leadership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.