Each year on January 26, the title of Australian of the Year is bestowed upon one Australian citizen who can be seen as a role model and has worked tirelessly to advance their cause. Previously, the honour was held by Tasmanian-born Grace Tame, an advocate for survivors of childhood sexual assault, as well as Melbourne-born Dylan Alcott, a wheelchair tennis Paralympian and disability advocate.
It's an impressive lineage to be a part of, and this year, the honour went to South Australian documentarian, writer and activist Taryn Brumfitt. You may actually already be familiar with Brumfitt, who rose to fame in 2013 after posting a before and after photo of her body on Facebook. The before photo depicted Brumfitt in a bikini competing in a bodybuilding competition while the after photo showed her nude and curvier.
The post went viral, and Brumfitt has since used her platform to advocate for people to love and appreciate their bodies. She's written four best-selling books, has released two documentaries (Embrace and Embrace Kids) that advocate for viewers to respect and appreciate their bodies, and has collaborated on an online resource for parents, teachers and communities to use to teach body acceptance.
While a Victorian didn't claim the title this year, Brumfitt was joined by many Victorian nominees including Dr Angraj Khillan, the co-founder of Health Awareness Society, a resource working to dispel taboos and myths about health; professor Frank Oberklaid AM, a paediatrician and the founding director for Community Child Health; Darcy McGauley-Bartlett, a proud Gunai Kurnai man and an advocate for Indigenous health care in prisons; and Belinda Young, the founder of Mums of the Hills, a Facebook group that helps mothers in the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges connect online.
To learn more about Brumfitt and her mission, visit her Australian of the Year profile or keep up with her on Instagram.