Ms. Represented: July 20

Julia Gillard, Sarah Hanson -Young and Kate Sullivan feature in episode two of Ms. Represented with Annabel Crabb.

The first woman sent to Canberra from South Australia – Dame Nancy Buttfield, elected to the Senate in 1955 – was an intellectually lively woman, with a keen interest in foreign affairs and a sense of adventure (she was the first woman to take a drink in the Parliament’s notorious Members’ Bar).

Something weird happened though, when she found herself in meetings full of men. They didn’t seem to hear her ideas and suggestions. Sometimes, she’d propose an idea which would sink without trace, only to be greeted with general enthusiasm when later suggested by a man.

Annabel asks the cast of Ms Represented to describe their experiences of being the only woman in the room. Together, with a degree of unanimity that is shocking to watch, they describe exactly the same phenomenon that Dame Nancy outlined half a century ago.

“Not being heard” is the experience on which almost all of the Ms Represented cast (who come from a range of generations and political backgrounds) agree. But sometimes, in a related phenomenon, parliamentary women actively choose not to speak. In particular, they may be loath to raise, or report experiences they’ve had in the parliament ranging from sexual harassment to bullying, because they don’t want to be identified as a whinger or distract from their policy goals.

Julia Gillard talks about her decision not to address sexist treatment for her earlier in her term as Prime Minister. Sarah Hanson -Young explains why she tried to ignore abuse of her in the Senate until she was unable to do so any longer. Kate Sullivan recalls being dismissed as a “stupid Sheila” when she complained of a physical assault in the House of Representatives.

8pm Tuesday on ABC.