One of the newest members of Victoria's state parliament has spoken about the day her past as a stripper was revealed without her consent at university, and how it led to a life in politics.
Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell described the moment in her maiden speech at the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday, acknowledging she had a “more colourful background than most politicians".
“This defining moment was in the summer of 2012 when I was in my second year at Deakin University and working as a topless waitress and stripper,” she said.
“My whole world stopped on the day that my phone pinged with a notification that I had been tagged in a post on Facebook.
"I froze, staring at a photo of myself on the screen and a thread of comments beneath."
Ms Purcell said universities had long been a “petri dish for misogynistic behaviour” and shared how it felt to be “delegitimised” as a young woman navigating that environment.
“Being outed is the most severe of betrayals. Because of one person’s fleeting decision to take away my consent and my autonomy, I felt that my life was no longer worth living.
“They stole 10 years from me, with my past constantly hanging over my head like a dark cloud, living in fear every single day that it would resurface,” she said.
Ms Purcell was reportedly 19 when the incident happened and took up the jobs to to support herself and survive living costs while at university.
It led to her to quit her studies on-campus and opt for remote study, and saw her return to university only for exams.
She has since worked with the United Workers Union, was admitted as a lawyer, and previously served as former Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick’s chief of staff.
Ms Purcell said she ran for state parliament to increase representation for young people and to advance animal protection at a legislative level.
“I hope they can look to me and see that their past will never define their future.”
She's not the only Victorian politician whose inaugural speech has made headlines.
Joe McCracken on Thursday , in what is believed to be a first for the state's parliament.
The Victorian parliament returned on Tuesday for its first session of 2023 after the November 2022 state election.
