This week’s guest changes the rooms she walks into, and changes them for the women coming next.

LJ Kennealy spent three decades in the Royal Australian Air Force, rising to Wing Commander and Gender Adviser to the Chief of Air Force. She’s been deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, and worked at the United Nations in New York fighting to get more women into peacekeeping worldwide. When they tried to put her chair in the corner, she pulled it up to the table herself.

Show Note:

Early life in Tasmania and joining the Air Force @ 5:00

LJ grew up in northwest Tasmania, a beautiful but opportunity-limited region. Her mother, recognizing the constraints of rural life, encouraged LJ to “fly the nest” to pursue her full potential. Financial limitations made university unaffordable, so the Air Force became an accessible pathway. LJ joined as an enlisted person at age 18 in 1990, leaving her sheltered childhood for exposure to diverse people and adult environments—a transformative eye-opener.

Finding voice amid organizational resistance to women’s inclusion @ 6:25

Early in her military career, LJ lacked empowerment to speak up, facing challenging situations as a young woman. She commissioned in 2001 to gain more organizational influence and shape policy. The pivotal moment came in 2012 when she joined the team responding to the Broderick Review (Review into the Treatment of Women in the ADF). While the review was grounded in women’s lived experience and comprehensive, it triggered significant organizational backlash. Despite senior leadership support, LJ had to negotiate with a male-dominated workforce resistant to change. She witnessed the organization allowing male backlash to dilute implementation momentum. However, she found fulfillment in listening to women’s experiences and advocating for them, both within Defense and globally.

Flight camps: innovative program increasing women pilots @ 14:46

LJ led a successful initiative to increase women in non-traditional Air Force roles (aviation, technical, engineering). The “Air Force Women Defying Gravity” flight camps brought 12-16 to 24-year-old girls onto base for experiential, hands-on learning—not lectures. Activities included flying with the Roulettes, C-17 flights, fire truck tours, and mentoring from female pilots, engineers, and flight sergeants. Critically, LJ’s team mentored participants through the recruiting process, identifying and eliminating both conscious and unconscious barriers (including a biased spatial awareness test). The program expanded women pilot recruitment from 2.4% to approximately 13% and was adopted internationally, demonstrating that innovation in Defense is possible when focused on people rather than just equipment.

Deployments to conflict zones: witnessing resilience and claiming space @ 19:24

LJ deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria as a gender advisor. In Afghanistan, she witnessed Afghan women police escaping violence and women training in the Afghan National Academy—brave women risking their lives despite Taliban threats. The Afghan withdrawal in 2020 was heartbreaking, as women lost the agency and hope they’d gained. She met Iraqi Security Forces women and Kurdish YPJ fighters, hearing compounding trauma stories. A pivotal moment occurred when she hosted a working group with Iraqi military women who articulated sophisticated policy requests—yet the coalition commander dismissed their input, claiming “that’s not what Iraqi women want.” LJ felt she’d become “the face of hope” but couldn’t translate their voices into outcomes. She also famously claimed her seat at the table by physically moving her chair from the back corner to the table during a briefing, a Shirley Chisholm-style assertion of presence that she felt empowered to do overseas in ways she wouldn’t have in Australia.

UN Women posting: bridging military and women’s rights globally @ 30:07

At UN Women in New York, LJ worked at the intersection of military power and women’s rights—unusual territory since these agendas rarely align. However, evidence shows women’s participation in peace processes and peacekeeping yields better conflict resolution outcomes and stronger community representation. LJ worked with the Department of Peace Operations (a hierarchical military organization within the UN) where member states brought vastly different beliefs about women in military roles. Despite challenges, she found fantastic women and men working toward increased participation. Major General Cheryl Pearce’s appointment as Acting Head of Peacekeeping was significant for visibility and shifting thinking. LJ also traveled to Central Asia, including Georgia, where she was struck by their mature discussion of gender equality—more advanced than Australia’s, despite Russia occupying parts of their territory. Georgia’s pragmatic stance: “We need anyone capable of protecting our country; we don’t care if they’re men or women.” This contrasted sharply with the backlash against Lieutenant General Susan Coyle’s appointment as Chief of Army in Australia.

Transition out of 30 years of service and identity reconstruction @ 37:24

After three decades in uniform, LJ experienced a gradual transition through her UN Women posting, but felt disconnected from Defense upon return. She was medically transitioned out without a formal farewell, leaving her unmoored—not belonging anywhere. She grieved the loss of her military identity and struggled to reconcile her place in the organization post-deployment. While she loves the Air Force and acknowledges its opportunities and relationships, she recognized she had nothing left to give and couldn’t progress the gender agenda further. The Royal Commission happening while she was in New York reinforced her decision. She now sees a psychologist who notes she still has “itches to scratch,” validating her current work. Leaving the military required unconditioning 30 years of indoctrination: suppressing feminine characteristics, self-selecting out of opportunities for safety, and conforming to male-dominated structures. Now, she’s reclaiming her authentic self—even refusing to perform “eyes left” at ANZAC marches, asserting her autonomy in small ways. Aging and hormonal changes have also freed her from the obligation to be the “good girl,” allowing her to say “no” without guilt.

Women Veterans Australia: addressing systemic gaps and suicide risk @ 45:09

LJ chairs Women Veterans Australia, which developed the Phoenix program to support women through military transition. The organization addresses critical gaps: women veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide as civilian counterparts; those involuntarily medically discharged are five times more likely. The military was built on a male lens and structure—women were restricted from service until 2016 when all roles opened. All systems, policies, and processes still reflect this male framework, creating gaps in transition support. Women Veterans Australia works alongside established ESOs (RSL, Legacy, Soldier On) to increase gender responsiveness. Current initiatives include:

• Entrepreneurship program in NSW (funded by NSW Government Office for Women)
• Micro-grants for women veterans
• “Shadows to Spotlight” campaign (funded by DVA) creating visibility through videos and events like the recent netball game with NSW Swifts
• Women-only spaces for trauma and PTSD support (critical for those who’ve experienced violence)
• Partnerships with Women Veteran Network Association for local social connection

LJ emphasizes that gender equality strategies benefit everyone, not just women. She’s secured a seat at the policy table post-Royal Commission, ensuring women veterans’ voices shape recommendations.

Living authentically in women’s power and agency @ 55:15

For LJ, living in women’s power means living your truth without justifying your space, creating your own space, and choosing what matters to you. Key elements include:

• Reclaiming agency after military constraints
• Surrounding yourself with people who lift you up and build you up mutually
• Having low tolerance for people who bring others down
• Loving positive environments and connecting with other women
• Valuing reciprocal support and shared storytelling

She’s still navigating this freedom but recognizes that authentic relationships and supportive circles are critical to thriving outside institutional structures.

Wisdom for younger self and closing gratitude @ 57:14

If LJ could speak to her 18-year-old self, she’d say: “You’ve got this. It’s going to be hard, but you’ll make it.” She’d encourage her younger self to take opportunities when doors open, not shy away, and surround herself with the right people. While she wishes she’d had more of a voice earlier (and still struggles with self-advocacy compared to advocating for others), she’d emphasize that life throws major curveballs but perseverance with the right support system yields surprising outcomes. Jennifer thanks LJ for her service to women globally and for continuing her work outside institutional constraints. LJ reciprocates gratitude, noting she could chat all day.

LK referred to the Kurdish group and could not remember the name. It is YPJ – Women Protection Units (Kurdish).

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