Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell opens up on revelation she ... trends now
The youngest politician in an Australian parliament has recalled the horrifying moment photos of her working as a stripper while she was a student were leaked online.
Heavily tattooed Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell, 30, is the youngest woman in any Australian parliament and the second youngest ever to be elected to the state's Legislative Council.
Her path to parliament has been beset by hurdles because of her ink and former life as a stripper, which left her open to attacks from trolls and political enemies.
Ms Purcell told Daily Mail Australia she was just 19 years old and studying law at university when a picture of her working as a stripper was leaked - and she thought her future dreams of working in law or politics were over.
Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell, 30, has recalled the horrifying moment photos of her working as a stripper were leaked online
Ms Purcell is the youngest woman in parliament and second youngest to be elected to the Victorian Legislative Council
Ms Purcell took up work as a topless waitress and stripper, and was also working at a post office, to try to make ends meet as she was living out of home while she studied.
Despite trying her best to keep her job private from her personal life, it all changed when she was tagged in a Facebook post.
'I worked far away from where I studied and grew up so I wouldn’t meet anyone I knew, and while I felt there was nothing wrong with that line of work, I knew many others would think otherwise,' she said.
'Then one day I was sitting at the hairdresser and when I logged into Facebook, I saw I was tagged in a picture without my consent which showed me working as a stripper and there were tonnes of comments.
'I grew up in a small country town in Geelong so everyone kind of knows everyone and it just spread really quickly and viciously.'
After the picture was shared, Ms Purcell said she felt her life wasn't worth living any more, and thought her law career was over as she would never be viewed as a fit and proper person.
Trolls messaged her to tell her she was disgusting and should be ashamed - many from people she went to university with.
The abuse saw her withdraw from on-campus learning just two years into her five-year degree.
Ms Purcell said she was made to feel like a bad person because of her choice of work, which led to her eventual diagnosis with PTSD amid regular bouts of anxiety.
But after being employed as the chief of staff for former Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick, she decided to run for parliament
