Julia Gillard’s treatment affects women’s political aspirations

Australian women who value traditional femininity are less likely to enter politics following the sexism endured by Julia Gillard, a University of Sydney study has found.

More than 150 students were asked about their civic participation and aspirations for a career in parliament.

Researchers found a correlation between female belief in conventional gender roles and the sexism surrounding the former Prime Minister’s term stopping them from entering politics.

Conversely, those who did not put a domestic, demure and delightful-to-the-eye femininity on a pedestal were ultimately unfazed by Gillard’s treatment.

‘She appears to be a role model for this group,’ the paper’s lead author Christopher Hunt told the Guardian.

Civic engagement was also associated with more diverse views of gender.

Views on gender did not indicate whether the women would vote for Gillard, if they had the chance.