Moira Deeming Backs Victorian Councillor Ordered To Apologise For Anti-LGBT Social Media Posts
Image: MP Moira Deeming (left) and Councillor Melissa Ferguson.
Expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming has come out in support of a local Victorian councillor who has been ordered to issue a public apology over her anti-LGBTQI social media posts.
“We have her back,” claimed Deeming, who said the councillor would not apologise for her views.
Trigger Warning: This story discusses anti-trans 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.
Latrobe City Councillor Melissa Ferguson had tweeted and retweeted a number of posts and articles that were found to be “deeply offensive and disrespectful” of the transgender community.
Fellow councillor Tracie Lund lodged a complaint in June alleging Cr Ferguson had breached the council’s code of conduct with her online social media posts targeting the LGBTQI community and referred it for internal arbitration. Over 40 tweets and retweets were submitted before the arbitrator Dr Meredith Gibbs.
Offensive Tweets And Retweets
In April, Cr Ferguson retweeted a post by an online anti-trans handle Gays Against Groomers, which said: “Predators are hiding behind the rainbow and using it as a shield to prey on children.”
In one of the offensive tweets, Cr Ferguson alleged gender-affirming care was a ruse for profiteers. “Also via workplace training or any other programs etc. It’s big business $$$. So many feed on the radical push confused kids into trans / gender bender – funded gravy train, while the rest of youth prob go without funding in the communities. Imagine the profiteering of that [emoji of a face vomiting],” the councillor posted.
Ferguson also re-tweeted a Gays Against Groomers tweet which said: “If the American people do not do something soon, it will be legal to f*** kids. The government will eventually enforce it. These monsters are coming after ALL children. They are consuming them. The ‘Trans Bill of Rights’ will be the end of all things good and beautiful.”
She re-tweeted another tweet which stated: “It doesn’t line up with their objective of grooming children into queer theory ideology, which they openly admit”.
Cr Lund said that the social media posts targeted the LGBTQI community, criticised transgender activists and “support the view that predators are using the rainbow to prey on children constitute discrimination based on gender identity and undermine Council’s obligation to achieve and promote gender equality.”
Councillor Denies Retweets Are Endorsements
Cr Ferguson denied the allegations claiming that she had not directed her social media posts at an individual, community group or entity or incited hate or violence against them.
She further claimed that since the social media posts were made from her personal account, the tweets were in her personal capacity and not in her role as a councillor.
The arbitrator did not agree. “After reviewing the body of tweets, I find that (Cr Ferguson’s Twitter activity has brought discredit on the Council,” the Arbitrator said in the report submitted to the council.
The arbitrator found that Ferguson had used the prefix ‘Cr’ on her social media handled in around 20 of her social media posts. In at least one of the posts, she had mentioned her role as a councillor with Latrobe City Council.
Councillor Ferguson contended that she could not be held responsible for retweets as she was not the original author of the posts. “If a tweet is re-tweeted without rejection or denunciation of its contents, there is an implicit endorsement or approval of its contents,” the arbiter’s report said.
The arbiter said that the sentiments expressed in the social media posts were “offensive and disrespectful of trans people”.
“In my view, there are many tweets that are offensive, disrespectful to trans people by inferring that trans people are paedophiles, grooming children and using their gender identity to legitimise paedophilic activity, disrespectful to other members of the public by stating that academics are trying to normalise paedophilia, are discriminatory and do not support the Council in its obligation to achieve and promote gender equality or treat members of the public with dignity, fairness, courtesy and respect,” the report said.
The arbiter asked Cr Ferguson to submit a verbal apology in the council meeting and a public written apology from her Twitter account. She was also asked to undergo diversity, equity and inclusion training.
No Apology
At the council meeting on September 4, 2023, Ferguson submitted a formal apology that said: “As stated in the arbiter’s filing, in each case, the apology must [be] unreserved and reference that councillor Ferguson has engaged in misconduct by breaching the standards of conduct and clauses 1A, 1B, 2D, and 4, 1 of schedule 1 of the local governance and integrity regulations 2020 through her tweets about the LGBTIQA+ community.”
While LGBTQI activists slammed Ferguson and the “apology”, she found support online from anti-trans campaigners and expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming.
Deeming, who has a history of targeting the trans community, was expelled from the Liberal party after she participated in a rally in Melbourne organised by British anti-trans campaigner Kellie Jay Keen that was attended by neo-Nazis.
Deeming claimed Ferguson would not apologise two days before the council meeting. “We have her back,” Deeming told her followers on X (formerly Twitter).
“Local Gov Councillor Melissa Ferguson has refused to degrade herself by apologising for posting her reasonable beliefs on Twitter. A kangaroo Council arbitration court had declared her guilty of making “offensive” social media posts, then ordered her to acknowledge guilt & apologise. What were her offensive views? That biological sex is unchangeable & the law should reflect that reality- for the safety of women & children. This is an outrageous assault on our constitutional right to political communication & freedom of speech & conscience,” said Deeming.
