‘Political Posting Mumma’ sued for defamation, issues public apology
Image: The apology comes just weeks after the conservative blogger said she wouldn't back down from the case.
Anti-LGBTI campaigner Marijke Rancie—known online as the ‘Political Posting Mumma’—has issued a public apology to an LGBTI advocate after she was sued for defamation over a Facebook post.
In 2017, Rancie, a long-time opponent of both marriage equality and Safe Schools, turned on LGBTI youth organisation Minus18 and the organisation’s then-events producer Delsi Moleta, also known as Delsi Cat. Moleta also runs the queer party organisation Unicorns.
In a post attacking and shaming Moleta, Rancie shared and criticised photos from her Facebook page.
“Sorry for the nudity,” wrote Rancie, of a now-removed selfie where Moleta’s nipples were visible through a mesh shirt.
“This was her Facebook profile picture. She’s obviously comfortable with it. I’m not.”
Rancie criticised the mild state of undress—including someone wearing a leotard and tights, and a single visible male nipple—which were visible in some event photos on Moleta’s page.
“Gone are the days of the police supervised blue light discos. Welcome to 2017! This is how we roll now. Like so progressive,” she wrote.
“Hold on to your hats this is the start of a rabbit hole that is pretty sick and twisted to your average Australian family.”
At the time Minus18 issued a response on their own page, comparing the attack to “revenge porn”.
Moleta herself sued the blogger for defamation last year, alleging in the lawsuit that Rancie’s post and its numerous comments defamed her by suggesting she was “a sick and twisted person who organises events for high school aged children at which she engages in and condones sexually suggestive conduct while nude or semi-nude”.
However, following a mediation earlier this week, the lawsuit was dismissed with agreement on both sides, according to BuzzFeed News.
Rancie has issued a public apology on her Facebook page, a post that will reportedly stay pinned to the top of the ‘Political Posting Mumma’ page for 60 days.
In the post, Rancie said that she had published a number of posts and comments about Moleta on her page, some written by her and others by third parties.
“If my posts encouraged others to attack Ms Moleta, I regret this conduct and the damage caused,” she wrote.
“I sincerely and unreservedly apologise to Ms Moleta for any hurt, embarrassment or damage which the posts and comments have caused to her and to her personal and professional reputations.”
This comes just weeks after Rancie shared a video declaring she wouldn’t back down from the case.
“These days, even calling it as you see it can land you in big trouble like landing in court,” she said.
“Guys, I’m no stranger to criticism. I’m pretty tough. I’ll continue to stand up. But this legal challenge is certainly new for me.”
You May Also Like
Support the Star Observer… while you still can
LGBTQIA+ media is under threat. Queer content is censored by tech conglomerates who amplify bigotry and push out AI slop — so we receive less financial support than ever.
When our community is muzzled and intolerance intensifies, we need queer media more than ever. Your donation means we can continue paying queer journalists to write queer news.
Don’t rely on the straight lies of big tech – support Star Observer instead and donate now.
