Review - Not Now, Not Ever: Ten years on from the misogyny speech

It’s been 10 years since Julia Gillard, Australia’s first and only female Prime Minister, delivered her famous misogyny speech.

It’s a speech that shook the nation, the Western World, and the misogynistic power structures that had stood unquestioned for so long.

Yet for some, who were perhaps too young (me) or too engrossed in their novels (also me) to listen in 10 years ago, the speech’s significance is somewhat unclear. Feeling attacked?

Enter Not Now, Not Ever. This collection of conversations, edited by Julia Gillard, tells you all you need to know about the misogyny speech - and makes it interesting.

Judging a book by its cover

But first, to do what every book lover pretends they don’t do but secretly does - judge a book by its cover.

My main point of interest is Not Now, Not Ever’s cover colour - hot pink. Not only is it striking, but it’s proudly, stereotypically feminine. It feels like Julia Gillard is screaming, “Yeah, I’m a woman. Listen up!”

This cover is 100 percent Bookish-approved.

Political context (but interesting)

“Bitch, witch, menopausal monster, that my father had died of shame - I had heard it all,” Julia Gillard wrote in Not Now, Not Ever, reflecting on her treatment during her time as Australia’s 27th Prime Minister.

Gillard couldn’t seem to catch a break; she was constantly scrutinised for her appearance, her reproductive choices, and even the state of her fruit bowl.

As Katharine Murphy wrote in Chapter 2, the harassment Gillard faced was reflective of a long-standing culture of sexism and misogyny in parliament - but no one was talking about it.

That changed on October 9 2012 when Gillard delivered her misogyny speech, exposing the sexism and hypocrisy of opposition leader Tony Abbot and the Australian parliament at large.

She sent a message that day, one that resonated across the globe as her speech went viral - that female politicians’ voices would no longer be silenced - not now, not ever.

I agree with Cheerful Podcast; the speech was a “watershed moment for Australian feminism”.

We’ve seen its political impact in the decade that followed, particularly in the #MeToo movement and the record number of women currently in the House of Representatives.

We can’t pretend sexism and misogyny isn’t still rife in parliament, but thanks to Gillard’s speech, it’s certainly being challenged.

Reasons to love this book

1. It’s a crash course on politics, sexism and misogyny - so anyone can read it.

Politics and social issues can be daunting - particularly if you’re the type of bookish person who’s more well-versed in fiction than non-fiction.

It’s hard to know where to start, especially when politics books seem to be riddled with jargon and pretentiousness.

Not Now, Not Ever throws that out the window (yay!).

It’s organised thematically, covering the past and present of misogyny, the meaning of Gillard’s speech, and the media response.

It does all that straightforwardly - which is fantastic, because politics and feminism should be everyone’s business, regardless of whether you studied it in school.

2. It has personality… and makes politics feel human.

This book is written like a conversation, with each chapter expressing a new voice. There’s also mini commentaries from influential women like Cate Blanchett and Hillary Clinton sprinkled between.

As these women’s vibrant personalities, anger, and demand for change burst forth from the pages, it’s hard not to get invested.

Their personal experiences show you the deep, human, impact that misogyny has on women in politics and beyond - so much so that I found myself getting angry along with them.

3. It’s not all politics… it’s relatable and has hidden bookish content.

That leads us to the third reason to love this book: it ventures beyond the ivory tower-esque political context of the misogyny speech - as important as it is - and dedicates entire chapters to discussing how sexism and misogyny affects everyday people.

The more you read, the more you realise that sexism and misogyny is just about everywhere - making it something worth challenging.

And, for any bookish readers who like the classics, one of these chapters takes the form of a fun (and infuriating) analysis of misogyny in Greek mythology! I was pleasantly surprised by this hidden bookish chapter.

Not Now, Not Ever is a fantastic read; straightforward, bold and relatable, it’s perfect for bookish people looking to expand their knowledge of Australian feminist politics.