The Iron Butterfly and the Political Warrior: mobilising models of femininity in the Australian Liberal Party |
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| Authors: | Katrina Lee-Koo Maria Maley |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Social Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australiakatrina.leekoo@monash.edu http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7898-5677;2. School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australiahttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-4555-5352 |
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| Abstract: | Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's Chief of Staff Peta Credlin have experienced very different political fortunes. Once the two most powerful women in the Australian Liberal Party, Credlin's political demise was mired in controversy, while Bishop continues to enjoy the support of her Party and the public. While there are many reasons for this, the article focuses on the gendered politics surrounding their experiences. Based on analysis of the media representations of Bishop and Credlin between 2011 and 2015, we argue that Bishop successfully negotiates gender politics by deploying the Iron Butterfly model of conservative femininity, while Credlin's fierce Political Warrior persona saw her pilloried. |
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| Keywords: | Australian politics feminism models of femininity Julie Bishop Peta Credlin |
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