Determined to shine

Griffith High School captain Madison Penrith said she felt inspired by Ms Caro’s speech.

“I am absolutely a feminist,” Miss Penrith said following the breakfast.

“I think it is important that when I grow up that I have the same opportunities as anyone else out there of any other gender, especially as an Aboriginal person – I don’t need to be shut down because of my gender as well as my race.”

After listening to Ms Caro, Miss Penrith she was even more determined to have a fulfilling career and to push for equal rights in Australia.

“I don’t know if I would want to be the next Prime Minister, but I think I could if I wanted to and that’s because of women like her and other people who have brought issues of gender equality to light,” she said.

Miss Penrith said she had been fortunate enough to always feel as though she could do anything she wanted because of the strong female role models in her life.

“My Mum is a great role model and my aunty is a CEO at the Aboriginal medical service, they basically started it here in Griffith, it’s never been an attitude of ‘men do it all’ in our family.

“Ms Caro reminded me of them – they don’t take crap from anyone.”

Miss Penrith said while she hasn’t yet experienced discrimination based on gender, she is aware this is an issue that will shape her life. 

“I think there are some of us my age who are mature enough to recognise that other women have experienced adversity and we can see the problems in society without having to go through them ourselves,” she said.

Ms Caro wowed the crowd at the breakfast with her refreshing take on modern equality.

She said society would only have true equality when there are as many mediocre women in positions of power as there are mediocre men.

A large crowd attended the breakfast, which was organised by the Griffith branch of Soroptimist International.