Go back six years to Australia’s first woman PM Julia Gillard.

Her appearance, fecundity and marital status became the dominant national conversation, rather than her government’s climate, migration and fiscal policies. 

Which attracted less headlines than her pendulous earlobes and apparently “big arse” (Germaine Greer, 2013).

Likewise, Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy, who it has been suggested have been botoxed and buffed to NASA specifications and, frankly, are looking too skinny these days.

Then there’s Bill Shorten’s man boobs and Anthony Albanese’s full set of new teeth. 

If you believe the headlines, his dental implants have fixed his "terrible working class teeth".

The Russians have known for many years that the only good leader is wrinkle free, fertile and pumped up to the gunnels with ’roids. That’s why they’ve got Vlad.

The Americans are hanging 10 from the lip of a giant blow wave, which will see another President Ronald (oops, Donald Trump) ride to victory on a wave that truly wouldn’t look out of place at Jeffrey’s Bay. Shark! Just sayin’.

And last week, amid great suffering and catastrophe in Nice, the French learned that President Francois Hollande's personal hair stylist had been paid about $14,000 a month for four years to maintain his quite unnatural, very dark brown, short on the sides and bouffant-on-top-look.

Monsieur President’s ex-wife added that he gets regular botox injections from a clinic in North Paris.

Here, we have hybrid former foreign minister Alexander Downer, whose most memorable portrayals involved stiletto heels and fishnet stockings.

Mr Downer, of course, is now Australia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, where he certainly won’t look out of place with his penchant for fishnet stockings and leopard print heels. Four children and leopard heels – legend.

What you also might say is win-win – a cross dressing, fertile politician.

I know. I know. Why, oh, why do we keep judging politicians by their dress sense and fertility?

I was 21 and living in Hatfield when Margaret Thatcher won the UK election and became Britain’s first female prime minister.

It’s taken 36 years for another woman to occupy No. 10 Downing Street.

During the past month, vying equally for newspaper headlines on how Theresa May will manage the UK’s exit from the European Union, were the new PM’s lack of children and her choice of shoes.

To say I’m disappointed that the conversation swayed so heavily to her shoes and fertility is an understatement. And I like shoes.

Two words: Indira Gandhi. Gandhi served three consecutive terms as India’s first woman prime minister from 1966-77, and another term beginning in 1980 before she was assassinated in 1984.

When you Google Indira Gandhi this is what you find:

“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”

“The power to question is the basis of all human progress.”

“Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.”

Strangely, not a single mention of shoes, fertility, hair or plastic surgery. Where did the dignity go?