Beatrice Faust was a pioneering public figure. My initial exposure to her came via her articles in the Weekend Australian during the 1990s. By this point, she had become a prominent advocate for second-wave feminism, a period marked by generational disputes surrounding discussions of feminism.
She was also an exceptionally astute and strategic activist. The Women’s Electoral Lobby was her brainchild.
WEL
She had a commanding presence in Australian politics. At times, she came across as quite domineering; during the first gathering of WEL in Sydney back in 1972, someone queried her dominance with "Why is it that you're always correct?" Later, when recounting this moment to a confidant, Bea—her nickname—mentioned that she responded, "Because I put in the effort and stay composed."
These are principles to uphold.
Review: Unafraid Beatrice Faust: Sex, Feminism, and Body Politics – Judith Brett (Text Publishing)
Faust devoted her energies to many different activities. She was an aspiring academic, a political activist, a reformer, a creator of organisations, a writer and public thinker. Anchoring one’s subject in their social and cultural context is one of a biographer’s key challenges, and Judith Brett’s Fearless Beatrice Faust: Sex, Feminism and Body Politics meets this challenge, and more. This is a frank, psychologically rich biography.
Brett explains that this project came about after Bea’s death in 2019, when a group of her friends decided that the founder of the Women’s Electoral Lobby deserved a biography. Yet what emerged in Brett’s research was that WEL was just one achievement in a restless, energetic life. Brett hopes her book might encourage younger women to engage with Faust, and gain “a deeper understanding of the experiences and debates that created the feminism and sexual politics they inherited”.
Brett starts with a poignant image of Bea’s difficult upbringing, portraying her as a fearful child following the loss of her mother during childbirth. Suffering from persistent asthma and deprived of maternal affection, Bea's emotional journey was challenging. However, her intelligence flourished at the prestigious Mac.Robertson Girls' High School in Melbourne. Driven to break free from her harsh domestic environment, she secured a residential scholarship to attend the University of Melbourne in 1957.
As Brett observes, Bea belonged to a pre-baby Boomer era of middle-class young women brought up with expectations centered around twin sets and pearl necklaces but managed to reshape their lives: "raised within a certain emotional framework, these ladies forged a new path." Despite marrying, divorcing, and having her sole child, Stephen, university offered guidance towards an alternative lifestyle.
‘Body politics’
Bea was a dedicated supporter of changes to abortion laws throughout her life, and this cause initially led her towards activism. She began as part of the expanding civil rights movement during the 1960s before becoming an essential figure within the framework of second-wave feminism. During the peak of civil liberties movements, Bea matured politically; she carried forward these principles into her later work in feminist advocacy through posing challenging queries, sharing evidence-based information, and promoting logical reasoning.
Brett refers to Faust’s "body politics" as being influenced by her personal struggles with chronic conditions such as asthma and spinal arthritis, alongside a deep understanding of the severe consequences of unintended pregnancies and the dangers they presented to women similar to her mother. This led her to conclude that gender disparities extend beyond mere societal conditioning—a viewpoint held by proponents of women's liberation—and involve significant physiological distinctions as well.
Bea’s political views were shaped by her sexuality as well. She openly discussed this aspect, stating she experienced orgasms from the age of three and characterized her approach to sex as "masculine." She could readily distinguish between physical pleasure and emotional attachment and found arousal through visual stimuli. However, her subsequent writings on topics such as pornography and pedophilia often put her at odds with various feminist groups.
Faust boasted several notable strategic triumphs during the 1970s. Her most renowned contribution was founding WEL, which fostered a reformist approach—rather than a radical one—to Australian feminism.
The Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) sought to uncover the stances of political aspirants on matters significant to women ahead of the 1972 federal elections. By conducting this survey, they not only educated women about engaging politically but also highlighted key female-centric concerns. This initiative created considerable buzz during the electoral period. There is debate over whether Gough Whitlam would have been compelled to appoint a pioneering advisor for women’s affairs had it not been for the influence exerted by WEL.
Despite shifting her focus to other forms of activism soon after its inception, Faust stayed closely connected with WEL. The organization continues to operate today, although possibly less influential than in past years, yet it still produces electoral ratings and functions as a crucial advocate for women’s issues.
Faust strongly supported changes to abortion laws, yet found the process much tougher than anticipated. Brett adeptly elucidates the intricacies of abortion politics during the early '70s, highlighting how proponents of abortion rights were outmaneuvered by the anti-choice organization Right to Life in the 1973 federal parliament discussion on abortion. The issue had the potential to galvanize both supporters and adversaries within feminism alike.
The vigour with which Faust engaged as both an activist and a thinker becomes all the more astounding when considering her persistent battles against physical and mental ailments throughout her life. This included grappling with suicidal ideation and enduring bleak periods. Her struggle with chronic pain unexpectedly resulted in an addiction to the sedative benzodiazepine, a topic she explored extensively in one of her last publications.
Benzo Junkie
, in 1993.
His troubled upbringing cast a long shadow over his life that remained unresolved despite developing a keen fascination with psychology as a means to comprehend it.
Bea was not only a writer but also a profound thinker and public intellectual known for exploring various subjects without hesitation when voicing contentious opinions; she felt she received her AO in 2004 because of her knack for "articulating the unspoken." Brett notes that this perspective aligns with Faust’s 1981 publication.
Women, Sex and Pornography
He bypassed feminist debates regarding whether pornography demeaned women or promoted sexual violence, choosing instead to explore what insights could be gained from examining women's disinterest in pornographic material with regard to gender disparities.
Faust’s ideas about individual freedom regarding sex influenced her thoughts on pedophilia as well. Brett approaches this topic cautiously and respectfully. Bea contended that kids under the legal age for consenting acts can experience sexual urges (she claimed to have felt them too) and suggested that numerous young people, particularly males, might not be adversely affected by intimate encounters with grown-ups.
As Brett highlights, Faust largely dismissed the harm caused by abuse and overlooked the intrinsic power dynamics within the "relationships" she portrayed. This makes for uneasy reading.
Wimp feminism?
By the 1990s, the appeal of the feminist movement had dimmed for many young women, leading them to shy away from identifying as feminists. This generational divide became particularly evident following Helen Garner’s comments.
The First Stone
In 1995, Faust foreshadowed it in her brief book.
Pushback? Nonsense! Where feminism is heading right
(1994).
She confidently shared stories from the second wave and criticized what she viewed as "weak feminism" among younger women, believing they preferred claiming victim status rather than asserting their autonomy. Faust rejectedvictimization throughout her life and believed other women should do the same.
Bea Faust managed to earn a livelihood as a public intellectual in Australia during the latter part of the 20th century. Numerous media platforms provided opportunities for intelligent women who weren’t afraid to voice strong opinions—something Faust possessed abundantly. This biography not only chronicles her life but serves as an account of a vibrant era in Australian intellectual circles. With the advantage of retrospection, however, it becomes evident that much of this landscape was predominantly occupied by Caucasian males. Had she operated within a more conciliatory and less aggressively masculinized arena, Bea’s daring, sometimes audacious viewpoints may have taken different turns.
My sole reservation about this excellent, clear read was regarding the cover design. While I typically admire W.H. Chong’s incisive work, I feel the jacket for Fearless Beatrice Faust doesn’t fully capture its essence. Within the pages lies a fantastic photograph of Bea addressing an abortion rights demonstration in Sydney back in December 1975. In the shot, she appears dynamic, her eyes shut, adorned in a self-made gown. This image could have served as a striking frontispiece for this daring and insightful biography.
Michelle Arrow gets financial support from the Australian Research Council.
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