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Media Tarts Revised and Updated Edition
A powerful insight into how the media treats female politicians - now revised and updated with a new foreword by Annabel Crabb - from one of our foremost journalists and political commentators, Julia Baird.'History is crucial. We need to know that treating women as decorations, subordinates and playthings, even and sometimes especially in our houses of power, is not new. We know that from the moment women walked into parliament and took up space alongside men, they have been treated as objects ... When men were featured often in the press, they were rising stars. When women were featured often in the press, they were media tarts'.Julia Baird's seminal work, Media Tarts , was originally published in 2004. Based on a series of extensive interviews, the book provides an in-depth analysis of the influence of a generation of prominent female politicians on the Australian political system, exploring the part played by the press in their downfall. Almost two decades later, it is evident how little has changed. Now revisited and updated with a new foreword, Media Tarts is essential reading from one of our foremost journalists and political commentators, providing a powerful, sobering and incisive insight into how deep the currents of misogyny run, and how the media continues to treat female politicians. If we want to understand what is happening today, and avoid the endless repeating of the same story, we need to reckon with our past.'Julia Baird's Media Tarts is a gripping account of how the media have treated women politicians. While the tone of the book is even-handed, reading the history is at times gruesome, like watching a demolition derby...In Baird's hands, it is a great political story.' Sydney Morning Herald'Readable, authoritative and thought-provoking.' The Age'I found Media Tarts striking and instructive when first I read it. In a new era of attentiveness to women's experience, let its new iteration fire the pistons of change.' Annabel Crabb
416 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2004
19 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
Julia Baird
9 books350 followersJulia Baird is a journalist, broadcaster and author based in Sydney, Australia. She hosts The Drum on ABCTV and writes columns for the Sydney Morning Herald and the International New York Times. Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Guardian, the Good Weekend, The Sydney Morning Herald, the Sun-Herald, The Monthly and Harper’s Bazaar.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 21, 2022
“Sugar and steel and a capacity to feel. That’s what we want our media tarts to be made of.“
Julia Baird’s father Bruce Baird was (among other things) the Australian trade commissioner at the consulate general in New York. Her brother Mike was the Premier of NSW before Gladys. She herself has been a well established journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald for decades. That is to say her family is a Sydney political establishment family.
Media Tarts was Baird’s first book, fascinating and insightful, it was originally published in 2004, it has been revised, updated and published again with a new foreword and intro.
The book is a treatise on how the Australian media treats female politicians. One by one by one, she goes through case after case, examining the double (and harsher) standard that female politicians face compared to their male colleagues. Lots has happened since 2004 but little has changed. Amazingly and sadly it’s still a relevant book.
The book points to give media tropes that the media tries to squeeze women into, usually more than one trope per politician.
• The housewife superstars (think of politicians who are asked for a kitchen photoshoot, Flo Bjelke).
• The cover girls (conventionally attractive and young but quickly dismissed, think Jacinta, AOC).
• Steel Sheilas (tough motherly figures, Margaret Thatcher, Pauline Hanson, Penny Wong).
• Feminine feminists (Often asked about little else, Grace Tame, Julie Bishop).
• The sinning saints. (Canonised then crucified, Cheryl Kernot)
It is impossible not to be an enabling part of the medias and society’s double standard without arming oneself with the knowledge and ability to recognise these patterns. That’s why I recommend this book to anyone interested in politics.
Julia Baird’s father Bruce Baird was (among other things) the Australian trade commissioner at the consulate general in New York. Her brother Mike was the Premier of NSW before Gladys. She herself has been a well established journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald for decades. That is to say her family is a Sydney political establishment family.
Media Tarts was Baird’s first book, fascinating and insightful, it was originally published in 2004, it has been revised, updated and published again with a new foreword and intro.
The book is a treatise on how the Australian media treats female politicians. One by one by one, she goes through case after case, examining the double (and harsher) standard that female politicians face compared to their male colleagues. Lots has happened since 2004 but little has changed. Amazingly and sadly it’s still a relevant book.
The book points to give media tropes that the media tries to squeeze women into, usually more than one trope per politician.
• The housewife superstars (think of politicians who are asked for a kitchen photoshoot, Flo Bjelke).
• The cover girls (conventionally attractive and young but quickly dismissed, think Jacinta, AOC).
• Steel Sheilas (tough motherly figures, Margaret Thatcher, Pauline Hanson, Penny Wong).
• Feminine feminists (Often asked about little else, Grace Tame, Julie Bishop).
• The sinning saints. (Canonised then crucified, Cheryl Kernot)
It is impossible not to be an enabling part of the medias and society’s double standard without arming oneself with the knowledge and ability to recognise these patterns. That’s why I recommend this book to anyone interested in politics.
August 21, 2021
Fascinating and insightful. Baird breaks down the damaging, liming tropes that the media has applied to women in Australian politics and explores a few case studies in depth. You’d think from the 70-plus pages of bibliography and footnotes that this might be a dense read, but it’s buoyant and entertaining.
The original version focuses mainly on the 1990s, with Baird occasionally commenting from 2021 to remind us what (unsurprisingly) hasn’t changed.
The updated foreword addresses Julia Gillard’s media treatment in her time as Prime Minister - if I had to critique one thing about this book it would be that I would have enjoyed an entire chapter on this. Other than that, it was thoroughly-researched, nuanced and engaging read.
The original version focuses mainly on the 1990s, with Baird occasionally commenting from 2021 to remind us what (unsurprisingly) hasn’t changed.
The updated foreword addresses Julia Gillard’s media treatment in her time as Prime Minister - if I had to critique one thing about this book it would be that I would have enjoyed an entire chapter on this. Other than that, it was thoroughly-researched, nuanced and engaging read.
December 25, 2021
slow read
May 25, 2022
After reading Julia Baird's Phosphorescence last year, I knew I would enjoy Media Tarts and I was not disappointed. It is a fascinating insight into how the media portrays female politicians as well as the considerations and functions of the media. Thoroughly researched, Media Tarts features a balanced array of female politicians from across the political spectrum. By deeply diving into a handful of female politicians and their rise and fall, I was able to both understand all of this and care for the featured politician, even if they were not of the same political ideology as myself. At the end of the day, regardless of what their views are, women politicians should not be treated poorly purely because they are women.
As an aspiring journalist and someone with an interest particularly in political journalism, I also found Media Tarts to be a useful guide on how to report on female politicians without bias. Already, I'm noticing how the media focuses on female politicians' appearances, even nearly 2 decades after this book was written. Indeed, I read Media Tarts during the 2022 federal election, and I often noticed women being pigeon-holed into female archetypes of what a woman politician should be. For example, former MP Cathy McGowan was labeled as a "grandmother" on Australian Story. I hope as a (hopefully) future political journalist, I will not do the same. On a similar note, as an aspiring journalist, I also appreciated how Baird included the journalists' perspectives and others who didn't believe what the women were experiencing was sexism, as although I may have not agreed with their views, it provided balance and enabled the reader to make up their own mind about the issues.
Written in 2004, Media Tarts is still worryingly relevant to the 2022 political landscape. However, I still deeply appreciated how this edition was revised and updated to include events that have occurred in Australian politics in 2021. Revising and updating Media Tarts kept the novel fresh, and provided a greater insight into contemporary issues such as the Brittany Higgins and Christian Porter cases. As such, I will keep this book in mind whenever these cases are mentioned in the media.
Media Tarts is a fantastic, extremely well-researched, personable and informative book that both enraged and inspired me. Although it reminded me we've got a long way to go, it also reminded me of how tenacious and resilient women can be. This is especially so because as I'm writing this just after the 2022 election, more women than ever before have been elected to parliament. According to a Pedestrian article, there will be 59 women out of the 151 seats in the House of Representatives, meaning women will represent 39 per cent of the lower house. Although that's not enough, that's still a massive win, and reading in Media Tarts about what women have had to go through in Parliament House throughout its history and even today, has emphasised this win. As such, I cannot stress how important it is to read this book, as it will shape your understanding of current events and inspire you to continue to fight for better representation and treatment of women in Australian politics. Go read it now!
As an aspiring journalist and someone with an interest particularly in political journalism, I also found Media Tarts to be a useful guide on how to report on female politicians without bias. Already, I'm noticing how the media focuses on female politicians' appearances, even nearly 2 decades after this book was written. Indeed, I read Media Tarts during the 2022 federal election, and I often noticed women being pigeon-holed into female archetypes of what a woman politician should be. For example, former MP Cathy McGowan was labeled as a "grandmother" on Australian Story. I hope as a (hopefully) future political journalist, I will not do the same. On a similar note, as an aspiring journalist, I also appreciated how Baird included the journalists' perspectives and others who didn't believe what the women were experiencing was sexism, as although I may have not agreed with their views, it provided balance and enabled the reader to make up their own mind about the issues.
Written in 2004, Media Tarts is still worryingly relevant to the 2022 political landscape. However, I still deeply appreciated how this edition was revised and updated to include events that have occurred in Australian politics in 2021. Revising and updating Media Tarts kept the novel fresh, and provided a greater insight into contemporary issues such as the Brittany Higgins and Christian Porter cases. As such, I will keep this book in mind whenever these cases are mentioned in the media.
Media Tarts is a fantastic, extremely well-researched, personable and informative book that both enraged and inspired me. Although it reminded me we've got a long way to go, it also reminded me of how tenacious and resilient women can be. This is especially so because as I'm writing this just after the 2022 election, more women than ever before have been elected to parliament. According to a Pedestrian article, there will be 59 women out of the 151 seats in the House of Representatives, meaning women will represent 39 per cent of the lower house. Although that's not enough, that's still a massive win, and reading in Media Tarts about what women have had to go through in Parliament House throughout its history and even today, has emphasised this win. As such, I cannot stress how important it is to read this book, as it will shape your understanding of current events and inspire you to continue to fight for better representation and treatment of women in Australian politics. Go read it now!
February 26, 2024
This books explores important subject matter: the treatment of female politicians in Australia by the media. Baird identifies several “pigeon holes” into which the media tends to stereotype female politicians, including: Steel Sheilas (like Margaret Thatcher), Housewife Superstars, and Cover Girls. I accept that the media uses these categories to stereotype female politicians but, ironically, in structuring the chapters of the book around these stereotypes, Baird constrains her own analysis. I think the book would have more powerful had Baird instead had a more specific and sophisticated thesis, rather than trying to prove how the media stereotyped X politician into Category A, Y politician into Category B etc.
The other problem with this book is it is quite dated. Although it was published in 2021 and says it is “Revised and Updated”, I don’t think the main text of the book has changed at all since it was initially published in 2004, 20 years ago. All the author seems to have done is add an Introduction to the 2021 edition, an Epilogue, and some postscripts (annoyingly in italics) at the end of some chapters. It means that the bulk of the book focuses almost exclusively on events from the 1990s. What the book really needed was a good edit and a substantive update. It would have benefited from an in-depth look at some contemporary female politicians (not just those from the 1990s).
The other problem with this book is it is quite dated. Although it was published in 2021 and says it is “Revised and Updated”, I don’t think the main text of the book has changed at all since it was initially published in 2004, 20 years ago. All the author seems to have done is add an Introduction to the 2021 edition, an Epilogue, and some postscripts (annoyingly in italics) at the end of some chapters. It means that the bulk of the book focuses almost exclusively on events from the 1990s. What the book really needed was a good edit and a substantive update. It would have benefited from an in-depth look at some contemporary female politicians (not just those from the 1990s).
May 14, 2022
For those who roll their eyes at the pink cover and assume that this is a radical feminist book, please do not be so quick to judge. If I did this, I would have missed out on an insightful and well-researched analysis. This was a very well-written and compelling book on an issue that still unfortunately pervades politics, even though it was initially written in the early 2000s. Baird's case studies, involving women from both sides of the spectrum made this a very balanced read, making her argument (that women in politics are being mistreated and sidelined by the media and other politicians) all the more powerful. The case studies she had chosen, too, were also very interesting, and I did like the polarities and parallels that Baird had drawn between Margaret Thatcher and Pauline Hanson.
Contrary to my initial impressions, this is not a radical feminist book that points the finger and blames all men for the way women are treated in politics. Rather, Baird looks at the many factors that these individual women all experienced and the systemic discrimination in the fields of both politics and journalism. Her style of writing is very coherent and not too full of political jargon, making this an accessible book for those who may not be as familiar with politics.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in current affairs. And yes, that includes men.
Contrary to my initial impressions, this is not a radical feminist book that points the finger and blames all men for the way women are treated in politics. Rather, Baird looks at the many factors that these individual women all experienced and the systemic discrimination in the fields of both politics and journalism. Her style of writing is very coherent and not too full of political jargon, making this an accessible book for those who may not be as familiar with politics.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in current affairs. And yes, that includes men.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2024
Interesting and enjoyable. Unfortunately I’ve been so laid bare by uni that a lot of the content went over my head.
Baird is a fantastic writer and uses her position in political journalism to explore the ways that female politicians are differentially targeted by the media. While originally published in 2004 the book is still sadly very accurate. Time and time again women are held to different, higher standards than men in all professions and mistakes which are often swept under the rug for a male colleague, ruin us.
There are shockingly few casting molds forced onto women by the media, their colleagues and other women. And frustratingly ignoring or contradicting the expectations created by each cast will all eventually lead to reputational destruction.
While I loved the book I do think I would have enjoyed it more if I had a better understanding of politics.
Baird is a fantastic writer and uses her position in political journalism to explore the ways that female politicians are differentially targeted by the media. While originally published in 2004 the book is still sadly very accurate. Time and time again women are held to different, higher standards than men in all professions and mistakes which are often swept under the rug for a male colleague, ruin us.
There are shockingly few casting molds forced onto women by the media, their colleagues and other women. And frustratingly ignoring or contradicting the expectations created by each cast will all eventually lead to reputational destruction.
While I loved the book I do think I would have enjoyed it more if I had a better understanding of politics.
March 26, 2022
A great collection of anecdotes of how powerful women politicians in Australia have been treated by the media. The book is a slow read, for sure. However, it is very informative and weaves through the lens of time to show the development (or lack thereof) of media portrayal of women politicians. The updated notes in the last two chapters were very helpful. My only issue with the book is that it had endnotes, instead of footnotes. I always find footnotes very helpful for further reading. It was inconvenient to flip back and forth and read about key details and events that the author hadn’t written in the main body.
April 16, 2022
A thoughtful and thorough book. It benefits from Julia Baird’s excellent insights, experiences and research as well as first hand interviews with politicians and journalists past and present. My only comment would be that I would have liked to read more than asides about the experiences of parliamentarians who identify as women of colour to balance out what I felt was the lengthy quasi-admiring coverage of certain parliamentarians whose platforms run on hate and division. Taking a star and a half off for that - 3.5 stars.
September 17, 2023
A forensic look into women in politics in Australia, and how they are treated by their colleagues and the media (which is often our of step with their veneration by the public in polls). A lot of the politicians profiled were in power before I was born. So the names were new, but their stories were so familiar given the women we regularly see pilloried by the press.
The post-script in the 2021 version adds a lot to the book. It's depressing that even when it feels like progress has been made, the fraught public life of female politicians today shares much in common with pre-Gillard years.
The post-script in the 2021 version adds a lot to the book. It's depressing that even when it feels like progress has been made, the fraught public life of female politicians today shares much in common with pre-Gillard years.
May 12, 2022
Shocking but also not at all. When written down the chasm in experience between lady and gent Parliamentarians is undeniable. Naming the condescension, misogyny, prejudice, abuse, assault, life and soul destruction of women in politics cannot, must not, should never be dismissed, minimised, and contrived as playing the gender card. Bras or not radical changes are needed towards feminist ideals, read equal, fair and respectful treatment of women in the political domain and everywhere.
March 29, 2022
This is a work fiction. This hypocrite hooks into the Liberals for the treatment of women but completely disregards Labors CABAL and the bullying of Kimberley Kitching. Labors 3 trollops hounded Kimberley to her grave. This woke leftie Baird has it's head up her rear end when it's woke leftie stance is under the same rigorous investigation. Don't bother with this crap.
May 19, 2022
When I borrowed this from the library I hadn’t realised it was written a little while ago.
It was interesting to see & hear about examples of how female politicians had been treated in politics & how things haven’t changed that much…
As someone who studied politics at uni I actually didn’t know heaps before the 2007 election and found this really informative on that (as a background thing).
It was interesting to see & hear about examples of how female politicians had been treated in politics & how things haven’t changed that much…
As someone who studied politics at uni I actually didn’t know heaps before the 2007 election and found this really informative on that (as a background thing).
July 15, 2023
Great book. I found it really hard to put down, not just because of the content but because it was so well written it was a pleasure to read. Analysis in great detail how female politicians are made then broken by the media. Lots of examples. Originally written in 2004 but now updated in 2021 so it now includes the Gillard government.
April 24, 2025
Really well researched and had great gender analysis, but was still a bit of a struggle to get through.
I think the timing of my reading probably wasn't ideal - I just need some wholesome escapism in the current climate rather than a reminder of the continual gender bias faced by women.
Spoiler alert - it hasn't gotten much better since Julia first wrote this either 😭
I think the timing of my reading probably wasn't ideal - I just need some wholesome escapism in the current climate rather than a reminder of the continual gender bias faced by women.
Spoiler alert - it hasn't gotten much better since Julia first wrote this either 😭
February 26, 2023
Obviously nothing revolutionary, but a really good and well researched collection of how the Australian media treats female politicians terribly, regardless of Party, policy, or just about anything else.
March 12, 2023
A great read but I dont think it would travel far from Australia and NZ - but I might be wrong.
Should be a school text book for all young folk hankering for a political career. If you get bogged down in the first half keep going because the second half is a ripper.
Should be a school text book for all young folk hankering for a political career. If you get bogged down in the first half keep going because the second half is a ripper.
April 23, 2023
A bit of a slog, this is a very thorough book that is (understandably) getting increasingly outdated. The efforts to make it a new edition are a bit clunky - I felt like there were about 6 introductions?? Audio-booked, and the narrator’s flow wasn’t great. I learnt some stuff though.
January 14, 2025
This book is very much a product of it's time - the revised foreword provided some helpful further context! This helps show just how far feminism has progressed over the last few decades in Australia, and showcases that unfortunately some things have stayed exactly the same.
April 16, 2022
This was a PHD thesis from 2004 so it’s quite dense but still sadly relevant.
June 21, 2022
I learnt about Australian female politicians that I never really knew about 🤔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2023
Everyone should read this book! Such an important book to understand the state of feminism in Australia. It is shocking, captivating and well researched.
May 22, 2023
3.5 stars. An interesting and informative look at Australian politics pre-2000s and the media treatment of female politicians. Quite dense so a slower read.
June 7, 2023
An excellent and (sadly) necessary book. Highly recommend!
March 8, 2022
Media Tarts is a slow read but there are some good examples of women being portrayed in the media over time that demonstrates the deep roots of misogyny. These example are good tools to have on hand when the need or want arises to express how women have been treated in politics and life. I'm grateful for it's existence. I wanted to read this book to have more tools in my belt and to take a break from fiction reading.
This is a real text book read kind of non-fiction. I didn't read all of the notations in the back of the book which take up a large chunk of the back of the book. I read a few of the longer notations after finishing the book.
This is a real text book read kind of non-fiction. I didn't read all of the notations in the back of the book which take up a large chunk of the back of the book. I read a few of the longer notations after finishing the book.
December 28, 2023
2.5 stars
I was disappointed with this book for 2 reasons. Firstly, it was published in 2004, and that is fine, however, the 2021 “revised and updated” edition doesn’t provide much in the way of new details. There was no detailed analysis of the treatment that Julia Gillard as PM received nor women like Sarah Hanson-Young, (her defamation case against David Leyonhjelm), Tania Plibersek, and Lidia Thorpe to name a few, have received. Secondly, the fact that in nearly 20 years nothing much has changed in relation to how women politicians are portrayed by the media. We only have to see the treatment of Jacinda Allen when she became Premier of Victoria in October 2023. The cartoon by Mark Knight in the Sydney Morning Herald, depicting Jacinda Allen walking Jacinda Allen walking naked down a catwalk was disgusting and inappropriate, and yet Mark Knight does not think that he has done anything wrong!!
Julia Baird has divided the book into chapters that give women titles and she has used this to describe both the women portrayed and other women politicians in general. However, all of the women that have discussed in the original book are by 2021 (Bronwyn Bishop, Carmen Lawrence, Cheryl Kernot, Natasha Stott-Despoja), no longer in Parliament. There was no in depth analysis of women who are currently in Parliament, nor as I have mentioned the absolutely horrendous treatment that Julia Gillard received when she was PM. Having said that the book was an okay read, but I was expecting a lot more and certainly a lot more about current women politicians.
I was disappointed with this book for 2 reasons. Firstly, it was published in 2004, and that is fine, however, the 2021 “revised and updated” edition doesn’t provide much in the way of new details. There was no detailed analysis of the treatment that Julia Gillard as PM received nor women like Sarah Hanson-Young, (her defamation case against David Leyonhjelm), Tania Plibersek, and Lidia Thorpe to name a few, have received. Secondly, the fact that in nearly 20 years nothing much has changed in relation to how women politicians are portrayed by the media. We only have to see the treatment of Jacinda Allen when she became Premier of Victoria in October 2023. The cartoon by Mark Knight in the Sydney Morning Herald, depicting Jacinda Allen walking Jacinda Allen walking naked down a catwalk was disgusting and inappropriate, and yet Mark Knight does not think that he has done anything wrong!!
Julia Baird has divided the book into chapters that give women titles and she has used this to describe both the women portrayed and other women politicians in general. However, all of the women that have discussed in the original book are by 2021 (Bronwyn Bishop, Carmen Lawrence, Cheryl Kernot, Natasha Stott-Despoja), no longer in Parliament. There was no in depth analysis of women who are currently in Parliament, nor as I have mentioned the absolutely horrendous treatment that Julia Gillard received when she was PM. Having said that the book was an okay read, but I was expecting a lot more and certainly a lot more about current women politicians.
May 12, 2022
Wow this book was first written in 2004 about how women in politics were either hailed as the next Margaret Thatcher or slut shamed and ridiculed. Baird updated the book in 2021 and the interesting comparisons she makes is that not much as changed. She provides some fascinating and insightful case studies (yes politicians) that went from media darlings to media tarts. Interesting how an appearance in Women's Weekly worked for some but not others.....
Baird brings the reader on a journey of analysis to prompt did the female politicians go from media darlings to media tarts because they were female or because that's just how the media treats politicians.
As a Canberra girl born and bred, I am forever fascinated by those who choose to serve the community via a political platform. Life in politics is never easy and being in favour with a political party and the community can literally turn on a dime.
I loved listening to the audio version of this book which on many occasions prompted me to look up the politicians and see where they are now. The way in which Baird extracts such vulnerable quotes from those in the book to reflect so honestly where they think they went wrong.
What is even more fascinating is the comparisons in some of the poor choices made by female politicians to male politicians of the same era. As we head into a federal election this was a great read about the media portrays a politician and the political party they belong to.
I support our system of government, but its always good to cast a critical eye on what you see and hear. A must read if you have an interest in the history of female politicians.
Baird brings the reader on a journey of analysis to prompt did the female politicians go from media darlings to media tarts because they were female or because that's just how the media treats politicians.
As a Canberra girl born and bred, I am forever fascinated by those who choose to serve the community via a political platform. Life in politics is never easy and being in favour with a political party and the community can literally turn on a dime.
I loved listening to the audio version of this book which on many occasions prompted me to look up the politicians and see where they are now. The way in which Baird extracts such vulnerable quotes from those in the book to reflect so honestly where they think they went wrong.
What is even more fascinating is the comparisons in some of the poor choices made by female politicians to male politicians of the same era. As we head into a federal election this was a great read about the media portrays a politician and the political party they belong to.
I support our system of government, but its always good to cast a critical eye on what you see and hear. A must read if you have an interest in the history of female politicians.
September 7, 2015
Interesting. Maybe dated now, but I remember enjoying it and wishing it had been published while I was still studying politics.
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