Katherine Deves Apologises To Courtney Act Over ‘Grooming’ Slur

Failed Warringah Liberal candidate turned Sky News commentator Katherine Deves has posted a grovelling apology, days after her “grooming” slur aimed at Australian drag performer, singer and actor Courtney Act. 

Shane Jenek, well-known by their drag name Courtney Act, was one of the star performers at national broadcaster ABC’s New Year’s Eve 2023 program. 

Trigger Warning: This story discusses anti-LGBTQI comments, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.

“I ended 2022 with the biggest gig of my career – singing live at the Sydney Opera House on the ABC broadcast. Singing live on TV is unforgiving, you hear every flaw, so I was super nervous. I really tried to work to my strengths and put in heaps of rehearsals and singing lessons. It wasn’t perfect but I was actually so happy with how it went,” Act posted on social media.

Act performed Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Olivia Newton-John’s Xanadu, ACDC’s You Shook Me All Night Long and  Divinyl’s I Touch Myself. It was the last song that infuriated conservatives. 

Grooming Slur Aimed At LGBTQI Community

On January 1, Deves tweeted, “Courtney Act prances about on [ABC’s] NYE programming to The Divinyl’s ‘I touch myself’. What part of “grooming” does [ABC] not understand?”.

In a follow-up tweet, Deves said: “The Divinyl’s ‘I touch myself’ is a song about masturbation. Shane danced to this while dressed in drag as ‘Courtney Act’ on [ABC’s New Year’s Eve] programming. Brought to you by the Australian taxpayer.”

I tweeted on Jan 1 about Shane Jenek’s performance on the ABC New Years Eve program in his drag persona as “Courtney Act” performing Divinyl’s “I touch myself”. By this tweet I did not intend to convey any defamatory meaning, but if such a meaning is conveyed, I apologise.

— Katherine Deves 🇦🇺🚺 (@deves_katherine) January 5, 2023

The “grooming” slur has been used by right-wing members and conservatives, including politicians, against the LGBTQI community. Liberal Senator Alex Antic in November 2022 had similarly accused ABC of “grooming” children over an episode of Play School featuring Act. 

Act had then said she was shocked over the use of the slur. “Grooming is the act of an abuser manipulating a child so that they can sexually abuse them. It’s a really serious thing, and to use terms of abuse when no abuse is actually happening, really takes away from the occasions when it is happening,” Act had said.

In a social media post, Act said: “showing queer kids straight content won’t turn them straight. And showing straight kids queer content won’t turn them queer. Your queer kids will be queer regardless of whether you show them examples or talk to them about it. It just depends on how much shame you want them to carry into their lives.”

Katherine Deves Apologises

I tweeted on Jan 1 about Shane Jenek’s performance on the ABC New Years Eve program in his drag persona as “Courtney Act” performing Divinyl’s “I touch myself”. By this tweet I did not intend to convey any defamatory meaning, but if such a meaning is conveyed, I apologise.

— Katherine Deves 🇦🇺🚺 (@deves_katherine) January 5, 2023

Last week, Deves deleted her original tweet and apologised to Act on social media.

“I tweeted on Jan 1 about Shane Jenek’s performance on the ABC New Years Eve program in his drag persona as “Courtney Act” performing Divinyl’s “I touch myself”. By this tweet I did not intend to convey any defamatory meaning, but if such a meaning is conveyed, I apologise.”

Social media users pointed out that Deves, a lawyer, appeared to have realised that Act could sue her for defamation. 

Anti-trans horror, Katherine Deves is a lawyer..

So for her to 'attempt' to apologise for her rant about Shane Jenek's Courtney Act performance – she must have been sufficiently 'motivated' to do so.

I sincerely hope Shane Jenek takes it further. Deves needs a good shellacking pic.twitter.com/7tXQked0Ud

— ShiannonCorcoran💉x4 (@ShiannonC) January 6, 2023

“Anti-trans horror, Katherine Deves is a lawyer. So for her to ‘attempt’ to apologise for her rant about Shane Jenek’s Courtney Act performance – she must have been sufficiently ‘motivated’ to do so. I sincerely hope Shane Jenek takes it further. Deves needs a good shellacking,” tweeted Brisbane-based photographer and writer Shiannon Corcoran.

Deves was former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s “captain’s pick” candidate for the seat of Warringah at the 2022 federal elections. Deves was forced to apologise over her anti-trans statements in the past and lost the elections.

If you feel distressed reading the story, you can reach out to support services.

For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14

For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.