The concept of national identity has been referred to as an imagined community as members of a nation will never know most of their fellow-members. Australia’s national identity has been constructed over time by historians, journalists and politicians and has been greatly influenced by the English and Irish derived ethnic groups. The influences from these people have created certain stereotypes such as the bushman and the digger.
The influence of the English and Irish began with the first Bushmen being mainly ex-convicts, bringing with them their longing to be distinguished from their British fathers. A traditionalist’s view of early Australia was that of the “workingman’s paradise” and this view was pushed by many to encourage migrants to Australia. The romanticised stereotypes of the “typical” Australian have often left out most Australians, especially women.
It can be seen that Australia’s national identity is indeed gendered and women have had to overcome major acts of adversity to get where they are today. When men have been sent to fight our wars in the past, women have been made to overcome their maternal attachment and keep the country running and still they would receive no recognition. It
An example of this can be seen in the First World War when there was a crisis of `manpower’. Women were left to basically keep the nation running while overcoming there maternal attachment to her own particular sons at war and ‘in determining the meaning of mans deeds – their landing at Gallipoli – women’s procreative capacities were at once appropriated and erased’ .
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