Gender and sexuality

In 1902, Australia became the second country to pass laws enabling women to vote. Discover how events and attitudes have shaped men’s and women’s roles and our views on gender, sexuality and marriage.

Topics

A topic is a collection of records with interpretation and inquiry questions. Each topic is aligned to the Australian Curriculum and focuses on an aspect of Australian history.

Topic

Women's rights

In 1902 Australia became the first country in the world to grant women of European heritage full suffrage – the right to vote and to stand for election. Despite this progress, discrimination against women remained commonplace.
Topic

World War I: Women in Australia after the war

The women and families of injured World War I veterans took on the bulk of their day-to-day care.

Records

Each record focuses on a single item from the National Archives' collection. Some records contain extra information to help you interpret them.

Record

1956 women's Olympic relay team, including Betty Cuthbert

The victorious Australian women's 4 x 100 metres track relay team holding their gold medals after the medal ceremony at the Melbourne Olympic Games.
Record

Activist Jessie Street

This is a passport photograph of Jessie Street, an internationally renowned Australian activist known for part of her life as 'Red Jessie'.
Record

Additional checks for female Asian tourists to prevent them remaining in Australia

This is a memo to the Secretary, Australian Commission, Kuala Lumpur from 29 January 1957 regarding female Asian tourist visas.
Record

Anti-Female-Suffrage League memorandum to Prime Minister Barton regarding voting rights for women

This letter from the Anti-Female-Suffrage League to Prime Minister Barton criticises Barton’s support for voting rights for women.
Record

Anti-war protest – report on the arrest of suffragette Adela Pankhurst

A letter sent by the crown solicitor to the secretary of the Attorney-General's Department about the conviction of Adela Pankhurst in Melbourne in 1917.
Record

Appointment of the first women's adviser to a Prime Minister

The Whitlam Government was the first government in the world to appoint an adviser on women’s affairs.
Record

Appointment of women to the Commonwealth Public Service – Note for Cabinet discussion

Ronald Mendelsohn, an adviser to Prime Minister Menzies, provides information to Cabinet on the employment of married women in the Commonwealth Public Service.

Gender and sexuality

Topics

Women's rights

World War I: Women in Australia after the war

Records

1956 women's Olympic relay team, including Betty Cuthbert

Activist Jessie Street

Additional checks for female Asian tourists to prevent them remaining in Australia

Anti-Female-Suffrage League memorandum to Prime Minister Barton regarding voting rights for women

Anti-war protest – report on the arrest of suffragette Adela Pankhurst

Appointment of the first women's adviser to a Prime Minister

Appointment of women to the Commonwealth Public Service – Note for Cabinet discussion

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