Hansard debates

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (10:27): March the eighth is International Women’s Day, and while I do not normally subscribe to identity labels for the sake of it, I do want to take the opportunity to pay tribute to those women who are suffering breast cancer and in particular a dear young friend of mine who was diagnosed with this dreadful disease while breastfeeding her youngest son. Of course men also get breast cancer—by the way, as far as I know, nobody gets chest cancer. I am proud to be a woman and mother who breastfed my daughter and twin sons. My husband, by the way, was occasionally on hand but of little help. Those boys, one of whom of course is no longer with us, and my darling daughter grew up to be wonderful young men and women. James is now a proud dad himself. I am also proud to be a grandmother, wife and supporter of men and women living whatever life and identity they choose. So I celebrate International Women’s Day, and I look forward to celebrating International Men’s Day. I am of course presuming there is such an occasion.