Thursday, 5 March 2020

International Women’s Day

Ms KILKENNY (Carrum) (09:48): This Sunday, 8 March, is International Women’s Day, so today I want to take the opportunity to acknowledge all of the women in my electorate: all of the women in Bonbeach, Carrum and Patterson Lakes; all of the women in Seaford, Carrum Downs, Skye and Sandhurst; all of the women who contribute every day to making a difference in the lives of others, big and small. I can see you. I acknowledge all of the women who go about their days without fanfare and all of the women who so deserve recognition and acknowledgement and visibility.

I acknowledge all of the women who have self-doubt, who are scared, who are anxious, who sometimes or more than sometimes feel that they are not a good mum or a good friend or a good wife or partner or daughter or sister or grandmother or aunt; all of the women who feel that they are letting people down, that they are not smart enough, that they are not good enough; all of the women who feel that they are not worthy, they are not pretty enough, they are too ugly, they are too old, they are too fat, they are too thin, they are too emotional, they are too bossy, they are too loud, they are not loud enough, they are too whiny and too whingey, they are too unsocial, they are too sporty, they are too nerdy, they are too slutty, they are arrogant, they are too weak, they are too strong, they are too controlling, they are too annoying, they are too naggy, they are too bossy, they are too uptight, they are too career driven, they are too serious, they are too pathetic or they are too cold. To each and every woman in my electorate, thank you for being you—wonderful, amazing, incredibly and ordinarily beautiful you. We would be nothing without you. Our communities would be nothing without you. It is time to celebrate you, accept you and be proud of you. I could not be prouder.