Sikamikanico Blogs

Following on from my last post, it's been a quite horrifying week in Australian politics and the media - and the rest of the world is beginning to notice. Last night I shared the shame and the outrage felt by most of us over what is happening in Australia on seeing  this article  from the Irish Times on how the media's treatment of PM Gillard shows the alarming extent to which sexism is tolerated here. Sometimes it takes the views of an outsider to see ourselves as we really are, and the situation in Australia at the moment, reflected from overseas, is worse than we could have imagined. The shame was felt by most but not all, including a few feminists, such as Jane Caro. I first admired Ms Caro's work on the TV show The Gruen Transfer , and followed her on Twitter after agreeing with a lot of what she had to say on education funding and feminism. But I was rather shocked and appalled to see this interaction overnight: (That's me with the smashing hair and the lack of an

I hadn't intended to return to posting yet - I've still got exams ahead - but my head is swirling with disbelief and shame over the week we have just endured in Australian politics. Well, I say I've endured it, but really it's Prime Minister Gillard who has had to put up with the worst, the disgusting, the puerile, the insults no one should have to endure. Now, as an actual socialist and bleeding heart lefty, I'm always amazed when Gillard is described as such, and not particularly fond of her as a politician. But look. No one should have to face what she has to in a daily basis - this week, the publication of a menu circulated at a Liberal party fundraiser describing her anatomy in the crudest terms, and being asked if her partner is gay, whether they actually have a sexual relationship, because he is - wait for it - a hairdresser. This, towards the Prime Minister in 2013. I'm sorry Australia, that's it. We can no longer be trusted with independent nationho