Julia Gillard has compared the abuse she faced as Australia's first female prime minister with opposition to US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, imploring voters to call out sexism in politics.
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Writing in the New York Times from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Ms Gillard likened radio host Alan Jones' calls for her to be placed in a chaff bag and taken out to sea with calls from supporters of Republican nominee Donald Trump for Mrs Clinton to face a firing squad.
Mrs Clinton became the first female nominee of a major party in the United States on Wednesday and will accept the Democratic nomination formally on Thursday.
After speaking at a forum on women and leadership this week, Ms Gillard said Mrs Clinton was "the most qualified and prepared presidential candidate the United States has ever seen" and suggested she needed no advice from a former Australian prime minister.
"Few politicians have shown more resilience than Mrs Clinton," she wrote.
"But even someone of her vast experience has been buffeted by what I call the 'curious question of gender'.
"She knows what it's like to be the subject of the stereotype that a powerful woman cannot be likable, that if she is commanding then she must be incapable of empathy."
Ms Gillard, who served as prime minister from 2010 until 2013, said the former first lady should not have to deal with abuse alone.
"Every Democrat, every Republican, every person who believes that women and men are equal should call out any sexism."
She cited former Liberal leader Tony Abbott's presence at an anti-carbon tax protest in 2011, standing in front of infamous "ditch the witch" signs, and said vicious debate had seen her called "a witch and a bitch".
"I have often reflected how powerful it would have been if, at that moment, a male business leader, especially one who opposed my policies, said, 'I may not support the prime minister politically, but Australia must not conduct its democratic debates this way'.
"Unfortunately, that never happened."
The opinion piece is not the first time Ms Gillard has offered support to the former secretary of state.
In 2015, she featured in an online video praising Mrs Clinton's efforts to promote the cause of women and girls in developing nations.
In September 2012, Ms Gillard spoke to the Clinton Global Initiative conference, introduced by Mrs Clinton.
"To my dismay, some of the young women who chat with me are not asking for political insights," Ms Gillard said.
"Instead, they tell me that, having seen how I was treated, they have decided politics is too punishing for them. I always try to talk them out of this position. Sometimes I succeed."
Ahead of the November presidential election, she called for sexism to be named and shamed in the campaign.
"The next generation of potential female leaders is watching," Ms Gillard said.
