Sex and citizenship: from ballot boxes to bedrooms

Abstract

My subject is sex and citizenship. My focus is on two legislative events contributing to the citizenship of women: the achievement of votes for women, a first for Australia, here in South Australia in 1894, and the prohibition of discrimination against women, again a first for Australia, in South Australia in 1975. Both were crucial moves in the admission of women to political citizenship (via the vote) and to economic citizenship (via access to paid work). I will recount the stories of each event, and consider three explanations of them, explanations that I hope will provide warrant for the sub-title of this chapter - 'From Ballot Boxes to Bedrooms'. In conclusion I will pause for a moment on the question of citizenship of men.