Victorian MP Georgie Purcell reveals online abuse in IWD outfit at parliament

A state MP has revealed the slew of disturbing taunts she’s been labelled since entering politics and detailing her past as a stripper.

A Victorian MP has revealed some of the vile abuse she receives online in a daring parliamentary outfit.

Georgie Purcell, from the Animal Justice Party, wore the ensemble on Wednesday for International Women’s Day. It featured black text over a white shirt.

The 30-year-old said the insults written were on the softer end of the cruel and severe things said to her since entering politics.

Among the shirt’s insults were “parliament of whores”, “brain dead bimbo”, “scrag” and “tatted up trash bag”.

Ms Purcell said she took the stand against her critics to show how women in the public eye were often treated online.

“Today at parliament, on International Women’s Day, I’m putting a face to online gendered violence,” she said in a social media post.

“I’m showing a health and safety issue that impacts all women politicians, a burden shared across party lines.

Georgie Purcell wore the outfit for International Women's Day.

“I’m highlighting those words that I receive each and every day and that I drag with me like weights on the worst days.

“Maybe it will make just one of those who send these messages reconsider. Because all women deserve so much better – no matter who we are or what we do for work.”

Ms Purcell last month detailed how she had worked as a stripper while studying law at Deakin University to help support herself and survive the costs of living out of home.

“At one point in my life, it was a secret – and it was a secret that was stolen from me,” Ms Purcell said in her inaugural speech.

“This defining moment was in the summer of 2012 when I was in my second year at Deakin University and working as a topless waitress and stripper.

“I did everything I possibly could to protect my anonymity from my peers, but it didn’t work.”

Ms Purcell went on to say the experience was similar to many other women who had been “delegitimised” on university campuses.

It also led to her quitting on-campus learning in favour of remote study, only ever returning to university for exams.

Since her horror experience while studying, Ms Purcell has worked within the union movement, was admitted as a lawyer and served as former Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick’s chief of staff.