From music to movies, books, sports and courts, it's been the year of the girl.
Pump up the Spice Girls, because this year has legit been all about Girl Power!
Whether you’ve spent 2023 going gaga for Greta Gerwig, cheering on Sam Kerr, lining up for Taylor tickets (guilty) or listening to your favourite galpal podcasts each week, it appears that one thing has been made abundantly clear: women are totes dominating 2023.
From the highest-ever viewership for a sports match in history, to the highest grossing concert film and most successful novel, women have been showing that not only are they worth every penny of investment - but they exceed expectations wherever they go.
Here’s some of our favourite girl power moments from 2023 so far.
Women's success stories 2023
Barbie
Come on Barbie, let’s go party!
The juggernaut that was the Barbie movie and related campaign goes unmatched. Starring Australia’s Margot Robbie and directed by Oscar nominee Greta Gerwig, the Barbie movie was our childhoods come to life, with some serious feminist messaging, sparkling dance numbers and neon pink costumes thrown in (#Kernergy).
Barbie has become not only part of the cultural lexicon (I’m beach!), but the highest grossing movie for Warner Brothers ever, not to mention the highest grossing movie of the year worldwide, and the first movie to reach over $1 billion dollars with a female director.
Taylor Swift
She can still make the whole place shimmer.
There’s been jokes that Taylor Swift and Barbie have basically been keeping the world economy afloat, and judging by the serious cash they’ve brought in, it could be true.
The artist’s ERAs Tour is on track to becoming the highest-grossing tour of all time, crashing ticketing websites and records around the world as sales surpass $1 billion in revenue.
On top of this, her cinematic release of the concert has already become the highest-grossing concert film of all time, while she continues to smash music records, like having the most #1 albums by a woman in history, and becoming the first female artist to have over 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify (of which I am probably 50% responsible).
The Matildas
Til it’s done!
What a ride our female soccer players gave us this year! From underdog to serious contenders, the nation was gripped as we watched our fearless sporting heroes shatter ratings records across the country.
Not only did the Australia and New Zealand FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ end up being the most attended women’s sporting event in history, but the thrilling match between England and Australia was watched by over 11 million people, and became the country’s highest rated TV program on record! The government swiftly announced that $200 million would go towards funding women's sport.
Taryn Brumfitt
Embrace.
Not only has body image activist Taryn Brumfitt written four books and directed a documentary, but this year, she was awarded the country’s highest honour: Australian of the Year.
Recognised for her activism in body image, including her organisation that focuses on body image and acceptance, Taryn’s award was for her continual inspiring message for women and children to love the skin they’re in.
Female writers
We’ve come a long way from when J.K Rowling had to use her initials to disguise the fact that a female wrote Harry Potter.
In the understated world of reading and literature, female authors continued the themes of success, with the top three fiction bestsellers attributed to women. Pip Williams’The Bookbinder of Jericho, a story about how access to knowledge and education is everything to the women who need it most, has topped best-seller lists worldwide.
Best selling author Kate Morton has had wild success with Homecoming, about the reopening of a cold case, while Jane Harper’s Exiles is the latest from the author of The Dry.
If you want to keep supporting female writers, check out some kick ass ones we know: Body Friend by Katherine Brabon is the latest from the Australian/Vogel's Literary Award winner, while Raised by Wolves is the first book and memoir from Time Out Melbourne's former food and drink editor Jess Ho.
Women light up the airwaves
Is this thing on?
More than ever, we’re loving content in all its forms, from long form reads to TiK-ToK vids and Insta reels. On the podcast front, nine female-led podcasts sat in the top 20 most downloaded in the country.
Plus, did you know that the Large Almond Latte podcast was featured in Apple's Top 5 ones to watch? If you haven't listened yet, tbh that's embarrassing for you. Get it on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts now.
The Honourable Louise Taylor
Overruled!
In a landmark first, Kamilaroi woman Louise Taylor was this year appointed as a judge for the ACT’s Supreme Court, making her the very first Indigenous woman to sit on a Supreme Court in Australia.
While the country still has a long way to go on reconciliation, it was an overdue and positive step for Justice Taylor and the Indigenous community.
