Hanson Tells LGBTI+ Radio Station Plebiscite Abuse Fears Are An “Excuse”

A little earlier today, One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson said she believed a same-sex marriage plebiscite wouldn’t encourage hate speech against the LGBTI+ community, and that concerns it would have been blown way out of proportion. We could infer as much, really.

The pressing thing is she said that on Melbourne’s JOY 94.9, a community broadcaster focused on the gay and lesbian community – and just last week, JOY had to evacuate its studios after receiving a threat via email.

Regarding the plebiscite, and the research predicting it’ll encourage seriously damaging rhetoric against already marginalised Australians, Hanson said “I think you are actually blowing that out of proportion to make that an excuse why you shouldn’t have a plebiscite.”
Despite the fact that… Well, kinda seems like a pretty solid reason not to have a plebiscite, she was deadset that Australian society would have the ~ civil discourse ~ we’ve all been told so much about. Hanson said “Well, I’m sorry, I disagree. I don’t believe there’s going to be hate.” 
Ever the optimist, that one.
While she reaffirmed her commitment to populism and her stance that she’d vote in the Senate for marriage equality if the Australian people called for it in a plebiscite, Hanson still outlined her personal grievances against the concept.

When asked by a host if her party’s goal of bringing about “the necessary changes for fair and equal treatment of all Australians” included giving straight and LGBTI+ Aussies the same marriage rights, Hanson said “I’ve come from a time when there was no discussion about gay marriage or gays and lesbians living together, or whatever… but the gays and lesbians are now wanting to change my way of thinking, because they want to now take out the concept of marriage.


To me marriage was between a man and a woman. Now you’re wanting to change it.”
Then, seemingly as a final dismissal to thousands upon thousands of Australians who just want to get hitched, Hanson essentially said if you don’t love it, leave:
“If you feel so strongly about it, I’m sure you can move to that country and then you can have that marriage.”

Listen to the whole chat here.

Source: JOY 94.9 / The Age.
Photo:Sky News Australia / Twitter.

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