From badges to ball gowns: how fashion took centre-stage in the 1967 and 2023 referendums
- Publisher:
- The Conversation
- Publication Type:
- Internet Publication
- Citation:
- 2023
- Issue Date:
- 2023-09-05
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During the campaign for the 1967 First Nations referendum, which would go on to receive a 90.77% “yes” vote, the late human rights campaigner Faith Bandler believed fashion and clothing could play a key role in encouraging voters. A South Sea Islander/Scottish Indian woman, Bandler played a lead role in the 1967 referendum campaign. She described wearing white day gloves when campaigning and speaking to non-Indigenous audiences. The fashion during the 1967 referendum was conservative. Speakers such as Bandler featured subtle accessories and respectable clothing, occasionally accented by a badge that modestly communicated their message. It is a far cry from the overt – and often casual – ways fashion is being used in the 2023 referendum campaign.
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