because they were so cynical about the government taking women
seriously – and fair enough! But no one really realised just how
progressive the Whitlam government was, and how he did really
take the women’s movement seriously.”
BeatriceFaust, meanwhile, was the founder of areformist
group called the Women’s Electoral Lobby(WEL). “There were
the radicals and then the reformists,” Catherine explains.
Thereformists advocatedfor the need to workwiththe
government to make change, “whereas the radicals were like,
‘We need to stay outside of it, otherwise we’ll be corrupted and
sell out’. So that was a wholephilosophical debate within the
movement. It’s fascinating.”
In 1972, Beatrice and the WEL decided to survey candidates
in the upcoming federal election, with a specific focus on any
proposed policies that would affect the lives of women. Equal
pay, employment opportunities and access to education; free
contraception; and access to abortions and childcare were
th etopics upfor discussioninthe survey, whichdrewits
inspirationfrom the firstissue ofMs. magazine, the American
feminist publication Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman
Hugheslaunchedin 1 971.
“It just took off like wildfire,” Catherine says. “All over Australia,
women got together around this project, surveying every political
candidate about their views on women and how their platform
took women into consideration – which most of them had not
thought of at all.”Not content withonlycirculating the results amongst themselves,
the WEL worked with the media to publish the survey’s findings in
a specia l lift-out section ofMelbourne newspaperThe Age. “They
were really clever about it; they did survey matrixes and ranked all
the candidates to show which ones were really sexist,” Catherine
says – and, unsurprisingly, a lot of them were. Pat Etoch, a
leader in Canberra’s Aboriginal tent embassy, rated best, while
the eventual winner of the election,Gough Whitlam, also scored
well. In his first three days in office, as a significant and not-just-
symbolic gesture, he removed the27 per cent tax on contraception
that had previously classed it as a ‘luxury’ item.
This was the first of many successes for the movement that
improved the lives of Australian women, and nudged us ever
closer to achievinggender equality. The introduction of the
Single Mother’s Pension (now called the Parenting Payment) also
contributed to a decline in illegal – and dangerous – abortions that
women felt obliged to carry out because of the lack of financial
control they could exercise. And in 1975, theFamily Law Act
established the principle of‘no-fault divorce’, making it easier
for women – especia llythoseinabusive marriages – to separate.
“Westill don’t have equal pay,” Catherine reminds us,“but there
werelaws putinplace that gaveit to some women and tried to
correct the imbalance.”
As much asBrazen Hussieswill enlighten us all about this
formative and revolutionary period in Australia’s feminist
history, it’s also making a larger statement about the stories we
value and prioritise. Not teaching these stories, Catherine says,
contributes to an erasure of women from history. “Because we
don’t value what women do, their work doesn’t become part of the
greater narrative of Australian history. And then we feel like we
didn’t do anything, and we’re told we didn’t do anything. When
actually, we fucking did.”
It’ sabout time wehonoured the ones who put their jobsand
lives andbodies on thelinejust afewdecades ago. The ones who
knew that changing the course ofhistory required they be loud,
difficultandbrazen.women filmmakers and just makes you feel like you can do it.”
Sue suggested Catherine connect with Andrea Foxworthy and
Phillipa Campey, two highly skilled and experienced documentary
producers, who jumped on board as well. “I’ve never directed a
film before, so it’s amazing that they’re coming on this journey
withme,” she says.
It’s essential for Catherine that her crew is comprised of women
- not only because of the historical under-representation of ladies
in the film industry, but also because the era they’re dealing
with had the catch-cry, “Jobs for women!” echoing throughout.
“It was amazing for me to work with all women on the film in
the US,” Catherine says. “I didn’t feel like it was easy to get into
that industry and feel comfortable, but working alongside these
incredible ladies really inspired me.So many of the stories we
consume, especially films, are made by men. It’s really important
that more women make films and tell stories.”
InShe’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, audiences were introduced
to central figures in the American women’s lib movement,
including Susan Brownmiller, Rita Mae Brown, Judith Arcana and
Jo Freeman. In her Antipodean version, Catherine will ensure the
likes of Elizabeth Reid, Pat O’Shane, Zelda D’Aprano, Lilla Watson
and Beatrice Faust are household names, and that we know who
tocredit forourmodern freedoms.
“Elizabeth Reid was the first women’s advisor to a head of state
in the world – ever,” Catherine says in amazement. She wells up
while talking about the effect Elizabeth had on Gough Whitlam’s
Labor government from 1972 to ’75, clearly affected by her
legacy. “To be in that position was incredibly challenging. A lot
of the women liberationists, especially the more radical side,
were very skeptical about it having any actual benefit to women,
we’re
told we
didn't do
anything,
when
actually,
we fucking
did
a bit of history