A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard

In this episode, Julia Gillard is joined by Dr. Beverley Ditsie – pioneering filmmaker, artist, and gender non-conforming activist – whose fearless activism has shaped the fight for queer rights in South Africa and beyond.From co-founding South Africa’s first multiracial LGBTQ+ rights group at just 16 to leading the country’s first Pride March in 1990, Beverley has been at the forefront of the battle for equality for decades. In 1995, Bev made history as the first openly lesbian person to address the United Nations, demanding global recognition of LGBTQ+ rights as human rights.In this powerful conversation, Beverley reflects on growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, defying rigid gender norms as a child actor, and using storytelling as a tool for resistance. Bev discusses the intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality in activism, the urgent need to protect queer communities in the face of rising violence, and why the patriarchy is in its final fight for survival.In their conversation, Beverley and Julia discuss Simon and I, Bev's award-winning documentary telling the story of her friend and mentor, Simon Nkoli, set against the backdrop of intense political activism and the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa. The documentary is available to watch for free on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj56iZNVZ-c

In our first Book Club episode of 2025, Julia and co-host Sarah Holland-Batt explore the newly-released Wild Dark Shore by Australian author, Charlotte McConaghy.Out this month, the mystery novel is set on a tiny, remote island near Antarctica, where Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers.The island is home to the world’s largest seed bank. But with sea levels rising, the family needs to move the precious cargo to safer land before it’s lost to the ocean.As each character is grappling with personal trauma, a woman mysteriously washes ashore during a storm. The family nurses her back to health and she begins to earn their trust and affection. But why is she there? What are her true motives?Julia and Sarah explore the central themes of loss and grief, isolation, climate change, parenthood and explain why this book has something for everyone.Wild Dark Shore is published by Penguin Australia and available in most book stores.https://www.penguin.com.au/books/wild-dark-shore-9781761620003

Eluned Morgan is the first woman to lead Wales.Before that, she made history as the youngest member of the European Parliament at just 27 years old.Ahead of International Women’s Day, Julia travelled to Cardiff to sit down with the First Minister in her office.In this season-opener, they discuss Ms Morgan’s political upbringing, her path to the leadership, building resilience, misogyny on social media, how her faith shapes her politics and her life away from from the public eye.Show notes:To learn more about Eluned Morgan and the Welsh Government:https://www.gov.wales/eluned-morgan-ms

In the final episode of 2024 Julia sits down with her good friend Josephine Linden to discuss their favourite books of the year, and look ahead to the new releases they can’t wait to read in 2025.Thank you to all our listeners for joining us again this season, the whole A Podcast of One’s Own team hopes you’ve enjoyed the interviews and book club episodes as much as we have!Show notes:Books discussed by Julia and Josephine during this episode include: The Enigma of Room 662 by Joel DickerThe Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair by Joel DickerThe Precipice by Robert Harris The Good War of Consul Reeves by Peter RoseA Memoir of My Former Self by Hilary MantelOld Filth Trilogy by Jane GardamA Place of Safety by Hilary MantelThe six books on the Booker Prize Shortlist can be found here: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/2024Wifedom by Anna FunderThe Fraud by Zadie SmithOn the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything by Nate SilverWhen We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin LabatutNaku Dharuk The Bark Petitions: How the People of Yirrkala Changed the Course of Australian Democracy by Clare Wright

In this special episode of A Podcast of One’s Own, we take you inside Julia’s live event with international best-selling author, Paula Hawkins, at the Hay Festival Winter Weekend.After the huge global success of Paula’s first novel ‘The Girl on the Train’, the pair sat down to explore her latest thriller ‘The Blue Hour’.Set on a Scottish tidal island connected to the mainland for just a few hours a day and home to only one inhabitant, the novel asks questions about ambition, power, art and perception.Julia also asks Paula about her literary career to date and future works.Show notes:The Blue Hour is published by Penguin and available at all good book stores.https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-blue-hour-9781529938074To learn more about the Hay Festival, visit https://www.hayfestival.com/home

Dr June Oscar AO is a is a proud Bunuba woman from the remote town of Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.Her remarkable decades-long career has taken her from a small office in a cattle station in a tiny Western Australian town, to serving a five-year term as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. June was the first woman to hold this role in its 20-year history and used her position to advocate for, and empower, indigenous women and girls across Australia. The story of how she got there and all the change she has achieved along the way is truly inspiring.Today, June continues to champion the rights of First Nations women and girls through the new First Nations Gender Justice Institute, based at the Australian National University. In this episode, June takes Julia through this remarkable journey. They discuss June's legacy as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and her ongoing work with the incredible Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) project at the First Nations Gender Justice Institute.Learn more about the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender Justice: https://wiyiyaniuthangani.humanrights.gov.au/first-nations-gender-justice-institute