Hey you guys! Did you know that a poll exists
that actually celebrates women without requiring couture that looks like a gay cockatoo and discussing world peace? Australia’s 20 Most Influential Female Voices of 2012 were
announced this morning, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard taking the number one
spot on the roll call of this year’s movers and shakers.
Compiled by female-skewed Fairfax website Daily Life and voted upon by their readers, Gillard received twice as many votes as her
closest competitor, predictably for that speech in which she simultaneously
denounced modern misogyny and turned heads worldwide.
The other 19 gals who made the cut
also have memorable and inspiring achievements to their names: there was ABC anchor Leigh
Sales’ interview/takedown of a very unprepared Tony Abbott, Elizabeth
Broderick’s push for paid maternity leave in Australia, the open letter to ‘Dear Mr Sexist’ by Tracey Spicer, as well as thought-provoking
contributors to national conversation by writers like Clementine Ford, Marieke
Hardy and Stella Young.
The twenty finalists were selected from
2000 public nominations, suggestions which included both established and
emerging names from a range of careers and backgrounds. The sheer number of
female voices identified as having ignited debate and inspired change is a
promising indication of where our country’s future is headed.
Check out the list is in full below:
1. Julia Gillard – Prime Minister
2. Anne Summers – Feminist, Editor,
Publisher
3. Jane Caro – Novelist and Social
Commentator
4. Elizabeth Broderick – Sex Discrimination
Commissioner
5. Leigh Sales – Journalist and Presenter
of ABC TV’s 7:30
6. Germaine Greer – Academic and journalist
7. Clementine Ford – Writer and Broadcaster
8. Stella Young – Editor of ABC’s Ramp Up
website
9. Destroy The Joint Collective – Facebook
group spawned from one of many controversial Alan Jones’ comments
10. Tracey Spicer – Journalist and TV
presenter
11. Penny Wong – senator and Minister for
Finance
12. Sarah Ferguson – Journalist
13. Nicola Roxon – Attorney-General
14. Annabel Crabb – Journalist and
Commentator
15. Sophie McNeill – Triple J journalist
16. Marieke Hardy – Writer and Broadcaster
(and co-leading lady of the splendid literary event Women of Letters)
17. Tara Moss – Author
18. Chrissie Swan – Radio and TV presenter
19. Nareen Young – CEO, Diversity Council
Australia
20. Susan Carland – Sociologist and Media
Commentator
Nothing says ‘congratulations’ quite like a contemporary
girl power anthem by a scantily-clad Beyonce, right?
Main Image via Getty
