Look, I’ll be honest, I knew this would have big labor shill energy but I enjoy getting annoyed at people so here I am.

There were some really interesting and important points raised in this book about being a woman in politics but I just could not get behind Kate’s staunch labor centrist view on things. 

To discuss how hard it was for Pauline Hanson to explain needing a security detail to her children without addressing the number of children who faced racist violence because of that woman is violently ignorant. She had the immense privilege of sending her children to a protected boarding school while Asian, Muslim and First Nations parents across the country had to speak to their kids about racism and how to stay safe in a post- Pauline world. What a ludicrous addition to this book.

But Pauline is just one example of this. Kate frequently speaks about how she yearns for bipartisan women groups, girls supporting girls, and many other white feminist ambitions. I think it was Tanya Pliberseck who Kate quoted as being strongly against this and anyone with strong morals would have to agree. I can’t sit across a room from someone who is supporting laws that will actively harm our society and then chat over a few drinks about TV shows, or family, or whatever politicians actually care about. People in those positions have the power to change lives for the better, it’s not about personalities and bonding. I agree that politicians would cooperate better with more chances to see each other as human, but when we value someone we also put effort into stopping them from harming other people.

She also quoted Penny Wong as saying how hard it is to have queer people, Asian people and women come for her so hard when she does a fucking god awful job of supporting marginalised identities. We will never forget how much she has support Israhell.

I think this rant is long enough. I think the most interesting part of this book was in sharing stories and experiences rather than in the attempts to unite a nightmare sisterhood.