Former Wollongong girl Brianna Parkins has made headlines across Ireland this week for speaking out about women’s reproductive rights on live TV during the finale of an international pageant.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The outspoken Sydneysider – who lived in Wollongong for university and work (including a stint as an Illawarra Mercury journo) – was encouraged by her family to enter the annual Rose of Tralee event, which attracts entrants of Irish descent from around the world.
Chosen to represent her home city, the “Sydney Rose” was one of 32 contenders who made it to the live TV final.
The proud feminist used her time on stage to speak out about Australia’s domestic violence problem, and caused a stir when she encouraged her family’s homeland to call a referendum on its abortion laws.
“I think we can do better here in Ireland. I think it is time to give women a say on their own reproductive rights,” Ms Parkins told the pageant host.
“I would love to see a referendum on the eighth coming up soon. That would be my dream.”
The Eighth Amendment to the Irish Constitution criminalises abortion.
Ms Parkin’s comments were met with applause from the pageant audience, and caused the hashtag #sydneyrose to become a trending topic in Ireland.
Her comments were widely supported – including by Father Ted writer and pro-rights campaigner Graham Linehan – however there were also commentators who believed she should “mind her own business and get the first flight home”.
During her time at the Mercury, Ms Parkins covered a number of stories about the conditions of Illawarra brothels, which she also spoke about on the Rose of Tralee stage.
Now working as a researcher at ABC’s Media Watch, she described herself as “a professional BS detector”.
While she was not crowned International Rose of Tralee – that prize went to “Chicago Rose” Maggie McEldowney – Ms Parkins has dominated the coverage of the festival, and has been praised for getting Ireland talking about women’s rights.
She told the Irish media it would have been “hypocritical” not to raise the legislation which makes abortion illegal in Ireland.
“I think when you have a festival of 65 women it would be unfair to say you cannot talk about women's issues and women's rights. That just doesn't wash,” she told Irish media.
"We're not just talking about handbags. We're talking about sexism in the workplace and the wage gap," she said of her fellow contestants.
"It wasn't that I am the odd one out. We all have different viewpoints and we're respectful.”
Ms Parkins also won respect for giving host Dáithí Ó Sé a samba lesson – telling him to “be less Irish” – and working in Father Ted references to her on-stage routine.