Look, real talk: at this point in time no one’s clicking on an article about Young Liberals on social media expecting to read about how they exercised reason and restraint. We know that, you know that. And yet this reported latest error in judgement – from the Melbourne University chapter of the Young Libs – is so egregious it’s somehow still kind of surprising.
In the alleged screenshots leaked to Fairfax, members of the group let fly at Muslims, feminism, and women in general, presumably under the assumption that anything you say on the internet stays secret forever.
The screenshots reportedly show Stefan Eracleous, the club’s Treasurer, described Germaine Greer as a “lying f—ing c-m guzzling slut… and a union member” and observed that “She doesn’t believe in God. No kids not married … what do you [e]xpect from a melb uni educated former socialist c—“. He also described London as “the gay capital of the world” and Muslims as a “bunch of Third World degenerate c—s.”
Charlie Cartney, the vice-president of the club, reportedly said in a Facebook post that a venue was “definitely worth a visit” because it had “lots of sluts”, while other members who didn’t hold office dropped off-handed comments referring to former prime minister Julia Gillard as a “twat” and said “Tara Moss should only be on TV if she is in a bikini”.
If true, it’s horrible stuff and bizarrely clueless behaviour from people who really should understand that the key to politics in a democracy is having as few people hate you as possible.
Club president Michael Sabljak denied the club had a homophobic, sexist or misogynistic culture. So far, no one involved has provided a comment.
Image via KAREN BLEIER for Getty Images
