Body image activist, director, writer and speaker, Taryn Brumfitt, has been awarded Australian of the Year.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the honour on the evening of January 25th at a ceremony in Canberra. She was up against a formidable panel of her peers, including;
- Samuel Bush-Blanasi, Chair, Northern Land Council (NT)
- Dr Angraj Khillan, Paediatrician and co-founder, Health Awareness Society of Australia (VIC)
- Professor Samar Aoun, Researcher and advocate for end-of-life care, bereavement and grief support (WA)
- Craig Foster AM, Human rights and anti-racism activist, former Socceroo (NSW)
- Olympia Yarger, Insect farming pioneer and founder, Goterra (ACT)
- William Barton, Multi-instrumentalist, composer, vocalist and producer (QLD)
- John Kamara, Humanitarian and co-founder, Culturally Diverse Alliance of Tasmania and African Communities Council of Tasmania (TAS)
Taryn joins a growing list of impressive South Australians who have won the award including Dr James Muecke and Dr Richard Harris, who won in 2020 and 2019 respectively.
Documentary director Taryn Brumfitt leads the Body Image Movement, an Adelaide-based organisation that teaches people to love and appreciate their bodies. Her 2016 documentary Embrace tackled the serious issue of women’s body loathing and Taryn’s path to body acceptance. It was seen by millions of people in 190 countries and is available on Netflix.
Taryn has written four best-selling books. She released a documentary, Embrace Kids, in September 2022 that aims to teach nine- to 14-year-olds to move, nourish, respect and appreciate what their bodies can do.
She has collaborated with body image expert Dr Zali Yager to create an Embrace Kids companion parenting book. They have also created the Embrace Hub – a free, research-based resource for teachers, parents, children, and communities on fostering body positivity.
Taryn’s work has reached more than 200 million people. She is an internationally recognised keynote speaker whose work is recognised by UN Women.
Earlier in the evening, other incredible Australians were given honours with Professor Tom Calma named 2023 Senior Australian of the Year, South Australian Socceroo star Awer Mabil named Young Australian of the Year, and Amar Singh named Australian Local Hero.
Awer Mabil is co-founder of the not-for-profit organisation Barefoot to Boots, which aims for better health, education, policies and gender equality for refugees.
His own unique way of celebrating a goal is a message to those struggling with their mental health: you are not alone and you can speak up.
The winger knows something about trying times. Awer grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp after his family fled civil war in Sudan, before coming to Australia at 10. Only a year after reaching his dream to play for the Socceroos, his sister died in a car accident in 2019.
Awer now feels unbreakable. It is his experience of hard times, the memory of his sister and the knowledge that young people see him as a role model that drives him to perform. It’s what he does that Awer wants to be known for – not his background.
Congrats to all of this year’s winners and nominees!
This March, Taryn Brumfitt is the keynote speaker at the upcoming Little Heroes Foundation Women in Business Luncheon at the National Wine Centre this March.
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