TRACEY BENDINGER | Culture | Contact

Between attempted leadership spills and an alleged Chinese spy in the midst, the two Gladys’ in the Liberal Party are in a bit of hot water.

However, fortunately for them, the nation doesn’t give a shit about what they’re doing, they’re more interested in how the fuck the Liberal party managed to find and employ two women under the age of 80 named Gladys.

It’s perplexing on a number of levels; firstly, that they’re named Gladys, but secondly because the Liberal Party, both federally and at a state level only have 24% of seats occupied by women, and it seems 5% of those seats belong to someone named Gladys.

In a way it speaks volumes to the Liberal Party’s attempt at diversity.

The name Gladys comes from the Welsh name Gwladus or Gwladys, which bears the meaning of royalty (princess); conversely, it has been speculated to originally be from the Latin diminutive “gladiolus,” meaning small sword, hence the gladiolus flowering plant. It may be used as a Welsh variant of Claudia, meaning lame.

The Advocate reached out to a number of young political commentators to get their opinion on Gladys(squared).

“Every time I hear that name I feel like some is going to lather betadine on my grazed knee and make serve me up a hot scone” laughs Peter Petersby, a trusted source of The Advocate.

While having two Gladys’ in the same party at the same time is a once in a lifetime event, this oddity shouldn’t overshadow the issues at play.

More to come.