Rainbow Shoelace Project Founder Targeted Over Support For Reynella East College
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The Rainbow Shoelace Project Founder Abbie Jane has found herself the target of vicious online trolls this week.
Abbie became the target of trolls after she posted a video in support of IDHOBIT celebrations at Reynella East College, which was being targetted by a protest this week.
The attacks on the 16 year old charity founder have become so vicious that her mother has taken over her social media accounts as she lodges complaints with local police.
Abbie Jane Targetted For Supporting Reynella East College
At just 12 years old Abbie Jane became a powerful voice for celebrating diversion and inclusivity when she launched the Rainbow Shoelace project.
Since then Abbie has continued to advocate and gain national attention for her work,
‘Abbie’s advocacy has earned her widespread recognition, including the Young Achiever Award at the ACON Honour Awards, Regional Entrepreneur of the Year at the Teens in Business Awards and a “One to Watch” title at the NSW Women of the Year Awards. She has represented the Rainbow Shoelace Project at major events, including Sydney World Pride 2023 and the Pride in Practice conference in 2023 and 2024″ said Qtopia Sydney when announcing her as their inaugural Youth Ambassador in 2025.
This week when Abbie heard of a planned parent protest outside Reynella East College in Adelaide’s south following the schools announced of a student-led LGBTQIA+ awareness event linked to International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) she decided to speak up once again.
“It makes me equally as angry as it does devastated because as you would know I have experienced a lot of homophobia and bullying especially in my first two years of high school and some of the worse bullying that I can remember actually occurred on days like IDAHOBIT day when I would try and advocate and shed a light on the LGBTQIA+ community” she said in a video posted on social media.
“All Reynella East College did today was organise for students to wear a rainbow accessory to celebrate IDAHBOIT day, it was nothing that was too serious or too graphic, it actually was really sweet and really beautiful because it celebrates difference, it shows that no matter who you are you are loved and that is a message that should be spread all across the world. But for some reason parents and the wider community have an issue with that” she said.
“Queerness is not a disease and it is not something you should be ashamed of, it’s not something you should be scared about your children learning about. It’s something that is natural, it’s something that happens and it’s real and children should be raised by being kind and showing that loving people regardless of their difference and who they are is so vital to being a respectful and good human being.”
While Abbie’s beautiful message was met with plenty of positive support, she was also hit with a wave of negative comments attacking the teenager for her support of the school and IDAHOBIT.
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Unfortunately the comments attacking the teenager came in so strong Abbie and her mother struggled to manage them as they rushed to delete them.
Comments included labelling her as “vile” and a “groomer” with one troll writing “You are exactly what the problem is. But your too young and naïve to understand the damage you are doing. Or you’re not who you say you are and these little minds being corrupted excited you. South Australia Police please check this one’s computer.”
In particular one commenter continued a vendetta of comments and posts on other pages targeting Abbie with a range of names and claims against her, prompting her mother to take over the social media accounts and report the offending content to the police where Abbie said she felt “harassed, intimidated, and completely overwhelmed” by the comments.
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Speaking to the Star Observer Abbie Jane said she wanted to support the school because of her own experiences at high school.
“I have experienced a lot of homophobia and bullying during my first 2 years of high school and I believe that my experience would have been very different if I had a school who celebrated significant LGBATQI+ events like IDAHOBIT or Wear it Purple Day. That’s why I wanted to show my support to Reynella East College” she said.
“Reynella East College showed that they were dedicated to creating a safer school environment for their students.”
Sophie Angell, Abbie’s mother, spoke of the overwhleming nature of the comments that prompted her to take over the social media accounts for Abbie.
“The abuse, harassment and disgusting comments became so overwhelming that I made the decision to take over the Rainbow Shoelace Project social media myself, to give Abbie a break” she said.
“And even in doing that – people still felt they had the right to comment and message really unpleasant things about her” she continued.
“It was really upsetting to continually hear the word ‘grooming’ being used, as that is not at all accurate, and it takes away from terrible child abuse grooming that actually occurs.”
“It is nothing short of disgusting to say that Abbie is ‘grooming’ children because she wrote a beautifully inclusive children’s picture book.”
Whilst one of the primary commenters has been identified from their content police have advised that little can be done to prosecute them and prevent further harassment.
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