Gillard replied, "Would we think it was quite so odd if a male prime minister or a male chief executive officer of a big bank or whatever had a wife who worked as a hairdresser?
"Would we think that was really, really odd? 'Why on earth did he marry her? She’s a hairdresser!'
"I just don’t think it would occur to us. I think it was the gender thing a bit."
During Gillard's political career, some media outlets used Mathieson's occupation as a hairdresser and the couple's decision not to marry to call their relationship into question.
Martin also asked whether Gillard was bothered by "the sisterhood" criticising her fashion choices, such as when Germaine Greer joked about her body shape and choice of jackets.