THE opposition's "sexist" attitude towards Julia Gillard is unlikely to change, despite her recent parliamentary speech on the issue, a prominent feminist says.
Speaking ahead of a lecture in Sydney on "the political persecution" of Ms Gillard on Wednesday, author and feminist Anne Summers said she doubted the prime minister's address would shift the way members of the opposition treated her.
Ms Gillard made world headlines last week after using a 15-minute speech in parliament to accuse Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of being a misogynist.
The attack has even prompted a recasting of the word's meaning in the Macquarie Dictionary, which has broadened the definition from strictly meaning a hatred of women to include an entrenched prejudice against women.
Supporters of Mr Abbott deny claims of misogyny against him, while he has labelled the attack cheap and personal.
Due to speak at the University of NSW on Wednesday night, Ms Summers said the sexist attitudes of some members of the opposition were probably too entrenched to be altered.
"I don't think there will be a change," she told AAP.
"The attitudes are entrenched but also Mr Abbott's political posture is one of negativity.
"He's also very pugilistic and that's so ingrained in him that I can't see that changing."
She said the "misogyny war" of the last week came after many sustained sexist attacks on Ms Gillard since she took office in June 2010.
The prime minister had been the target of "sexist and discriminatory treatment" by "the opposition and by some elements in Australian society" in emails, on radio and in parliament, she said.
While she doubted Ms Gillard's speech would end the attacks on her, Ms Summers said it had prompted many women to engage with the issue.
"I think it's really energised a lot of people especially a lot of young women who maybe felt that there was no entry point for them into these kinds of conversations," she said.
"It's given a lot of women permission to say 'yes, these issues are important and I want to stand up for them'."
"A lot of people, including a lot of men, have contacted me to say they now feel ashamed of how they've responded to email jokes and tweets about Julia Gillard."
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