Why Did She Have to Tell the World? (ATOM Study Guide)

Francesca Curtis and Phyllis Papps are many things. Researchers. Writers. Ultra-Feminists. Partners. They are also the first lesbian couple to come out on national television almost fifty years ago. Putting everything on the line, Phyllis and Francesca appeared on ABC TV This Day Tonight's interview about lesbianism in October 1970.

Since that appearance, the couple unpredictably became the public face of change, becoming members of Australia's first gay political rights group, the Daughters of Bilitis, now known as the Australasian Lesbian Movement. The Australasian Lesbian Movement was the first forum for lesbian women to open up and speak about their sexualities.

Now in the final years of their lives, the couple open up about love, loss and political change, solidified inside a fifty year relationship. With their story spanning decades and a new LGBTQIA+ generation emerging, the couple uncover their contribution to one of the biggest shifts in Australian history, and also open up about the importance of acceptance in their lives. Refusing to become invisible, Phyllis and Francesca come out for the final time while the country secures marriage equality and a hopeful future.

Curriculum Links:

Why Did She Have to Tell the World? can be linked to the following subject areas within the Australian Curriculum:

• Civics and Citizenship (Year 9)
• English (Year 9 & 10)
• Health and Physical Education (Year 9 & 10)
• History (Year 10)

Why Did She Have to Tell the World? can also be used as a supplementary text when studying a range of senior school subjects including:

• Ethics
• Health and Human Development
• Legal Studies
• Politics
• Psychology