No. 65. (2020) BRAZEN HUSSIES. October 24th.

 

Film No. 65 (2020)  October 24th.  10:45 AM.  Cinema 1  LUNA Leederville.

"I think men think Women's Liberation is a threat to their manhood, and it really is a treat to their manhood because their manhood is phoney".(A pioneer from the movement making her comment when asked by a TV journalist in the 60's).

Many countries have their stories emanating from the early sixties, of the revolution that became known as Equal Rights For Women. The Australian story is told well, if not a little dryly, here in Brazen Hussies. I only say dryly because I'd hate for a story so important to be missed by future generations because some may perceive this presentation as a "bit boring". The film's content and the personalities on show are anything but!

Who can believe women weren't paid the same as men doing the same job (often better qualified) in the early seventies? It was how society was conditioned to operate. To break conditioning there had to be a revolution. File film depicts women embarking on a series of physical protests; chaining themselves to pub bars, inundating public forums asking male politicians for fairness etc. At the election of the Whitlam Government in 1972, women were truly mobilized and ready for change. The new P.M. Gough Whitlam, appointed a woman to advise him on all matters pertaining to women. 

The documentary doesn't compare our rates of change with other western countries but it was obvious Australia led the way in so many aspects of gender justice matters. The Whitlam era showed how quickly change could take place. Elizabeth Reid, Whitlam's inaugural appointee is a star of the documentary and while she admits she didn't get everything right, she grew from being a woman reluctant to look her enquirers in the eye, to a steely focused champion for the women's movement by film's end.

Hussies is yet another film depicting an important historical era of Australian coming of age. We have had Brock; Over the Top and Slim and I in recent months; each grasping similar eras' in sport and cultural heritage respectively. Each doco is as insightful as the other. Brazzen Hussies is an excellent tribute to those who fought for what should always have been a matter of common sense and fairness. 9GUMS.