Australia: home of women with attitude

Happy Australia Day!

Australians have figured out that they can do whatever the heck the want.This attitude has been handed down from generation to generation.

It's this same attitude that got many of the First Fleet sent here.

For example, take one Mary Bryant. Descended of Cornish fisherman's stock, she decided she wanted a better life than that of a fishwife, so she turned highwaywoman. Eventually she got caught for petty theft and sentenced to transportation to Australia. Not satisfied with her imprisonment, she and a few other fellow convicts escaped. Later they got caught and transported back to England.

That's an Aussie for you. Don't like what you've got? Do something about it.

If you're Aussie, you've definitely heard about Edith Cowan. She's on the AU$50 note. If you're not Aussie, you've probably not heard of her, and that's your loss.

Edith Cowan was born on Glengarry Station near Geraldton, Western Australia. (My condolences, Edith.)  Anyhow, she was lucky enough to escape country life and ended up at school in Perth.

As she grew up, she got her feminist ire on over social injustices in the legal system where women and children were concerned. Also, someone needed to get uppity about issues such as education, welfare, women's health and more. Women needed empowerment. For Edith, education was the key. she wanted a place where women "educated themselves for the kind of life they believed they ought to be able to take."

So, she set about starting or supporting organisations for the benefit of women: the Karrakatta Club, King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women, Women's Service Guilds and National Council of Women, for starters.

She got elected to Parliament in Western Australia, where she was most vocal over women's issues, successfully pushing through much legislation regarding women in law careers, women's voting rights, women's family rights and more. Good on ya, lass! Ta muchly.

So what'd we do? We built her a clock, a university (which I have attended), and stuck her face on our money.

You really need to learn more about this most excellent lady. 

Meanwhile, here's 22 Australian Women who will inspire the heck out of you.

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Her Grace wishes the $50 note wasn't such an ugly colour.