As we neared the entrance, we approached an official looking barricade with a number of Police and parliamentary security guards hovering around.

Andy asked if they could let us through. The guard looked at Andy and said, “You’re an MP. You come through”. He then gestured towards me, “She’s staff. She’ll have to go around”.

Aaaannndd, the week went sharply downhill from there …

On Friday, I noticed that Leader of the Opposition Michael O’Brien and I had both been quoted and pictured on the front page of the paper.

The story included excerpts of a speech I had made in parliament making pointed remarks about underhanded attacks against me, stating at the end “you don’t scare me, none of you do”.

Michael’s quotes were equally pointed. And neither of us had got the results we wanted on the State of Emergency legislation.

BUT despite the similarities of our mood and tone, the photos couldn’t have been more different.

Michael’s picture depicted him as cool, calm and collected, while I was depicted a bit like a guinea pig about to be mauled by a velociraptor – meek, sad, pathetic and a little bit scared.

Patriarchy sucks. We are reminded of it every day. And though it’s getting better all the time, old habits die hard.

But International Women’s Day is no time to dwell on the negatives. Rosie the Riveter didn’t dwell, at least not until VE Day. Those munitions weren’t going to manufacture themselves, nor did they grow on trees unless you wanted to quell a German invasion with coconuts.

So we push on.

Happy International Women’s Day. Here’s to a more dignified future, with short-cut entrances, better photos and GENDER EQUALITY