Angela Pippos

Where were you born?

I was born in the beautiful city of Adelaide. 

What other jobs have you had?

I remember where I was standing when the ABC called to offer me a job as a researcher. I was in! From that role, I went on to become a journalist and then sports anchor on the 7pm TV News in Victoria. From journalism I went into documentary-making. This really satisfied my creative side. With three documentaries under my belt, I took the plunge into federal politics as former Independent MP Zoe Daniel’s chief political adviser. I went to Canberra for sitting weeks and got stuck into policy and advocacy. Having an Honours degree in Australian politics from the University of Adelaide, the wheel had come full circle. Before any of this, I worked in bars and restaurants in Adelaide to get me through my tertiary education. I even worked as a fishmonger over one summer!

What themes are recurring in your work?

My main themes are gender equality, where boys fit into the conversation around equality, and the power of sport in driving cultural change. 

What have been the highlights of your career?

In politics, it’s hard to top the history-making 2022 federal election. As the woman who campaigned side-by-side with Zoe Daniel, it was exhilarating to see her win and become the first woman and the first independent to win the seat of Goldstein. Working in Parliament House, Canberra, was special too. What a stunning building!

More than three decades in sport has given me a list of career highlights that could fill the MCG! From a societal change perspective, I’m pleased to have smashed some of the barriers for women in sport, paving the way for other women to follow. I’m also proud of the fact that I brought sport and feminism together. The two can co-exist! My documentary The Record is a wonderful example of this. On a purely sport level, being in Sydney for Cathy Freeman’s gold medal is right up there, as is meeting Muhammad Ali on the Essendon Airport tarmac in 1998.

Where have your works been published?

My opinion pieces about sport, culture and gender equality appear in 

The Guardian, The Age, The New Daily and Women’s Agenda.

I’ve written two books: Breaking the Mould: Taking a Hammer to Sexism in Sport (Affirm Press, 2017). And The Goddess Advantage: One Year in the Life of a Football Worshipper (Text Publishing, 2006).

I’ve also contributed chapters to several books, including The Footy Almanac, It Happened on a Fishing Trip, From the Outer and Father Figures. 

What are you passionate about?

I’m driven by a desire to live in a society where girls and women are safe, equal and respected. I’ve spent more than three decades empowering girls in sport and life, and I will continue to do this through my speaking, writing, filmmaking and advocacy. But we must also include boys in the conversation around gender equality. Breaking down gender norms and showing positive alternatives to the Man Box enables men and boys to explore healthier forms of masculinity and be the men and boys they want to be. With the rise of online misogyny, this is timely and important. I’m passionate about a whole lot of other things too – family, sport, education, multiculturalism and travel.

Haven’t I seen you before?

I anchored the sport segment on ABC TV News in Victoria for a decade. This may be where you’ve seen me before!

Anything else you’d like to share with us?

As the mother of a teenage boy, I think about healthy masculinity a lot. I believe that education is kryptonite to the algorithms that lure boys into online misogyny. I’m optimistic that my son’s generation of boys will change the culture. And when that happens, everyone wins.