Robert Irwin Targeted by Fake Viral Post Claiming He Rejected LGBTQ+ Pin at “Sydney Gala”

In recent days, a widely shared social media post claimed that wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin “refused” to wear an LGBTQIA+ pin at a supposed environmental gala in Sydney — but a thorough investigation by AAP has found the claim to be false.

The viral post asserted that Irwin was present at a gala event in Sydney, where he declined to don a rainbow-pin symbol of LGBTQIA+ support.

“Robert Irwin sent ripples through the world last night when, just minutes before a highly publicized environmental gala in Sydney, he refused to wear a symbolic rainbow pin,” the post claims. “Irwin spoke out passionately, delivering a heartfelt but fiery statement against what he described as ‘forced symbolism’.”

“With calm conviction, he declared that authentic kindness and respect should never need a slogan or a badge — a stance that immediately divided fans and environmental supporters alike, igniting both outrage and admiration across the nation,” the post continues. “In a time when silence is rare and symbolism dominates, Irwin’s decision is being seen by some as an act of courageous independence, and by others as a disappointing rejection of inclusivity. Either way, the young conservationist — known for his compassion, empathy, and advocacy — has suddenly found himself at the center of Australia’s cultural storm.”

However, AAP has confirmed that there was no ‘environmental gala’ held in Sydney at the time the post claims, and Irwin was not even in Australia at the time — he was in the US for Dancing With the Stars.

AAP FactCheck also confirmed that the quotation attributed to Irwin — denouncing the pin as “forced symbolism” — has no credible source.

The post appears to have been designed purely for social media engagement, rather than truthful reportage of news.

Importantly, Irwin’s track record tells a very different story. The 21-year-old Australian has previously described himself as an “ally of the LGBTQIA+ community” in public posts and interviews.

The fact check further identified the source of the viral post as an “engagement bait” page that reportedly uses AI-generated content to create false claims about public figures. These posts often go viral quickly, spreading misinformation well beyond their original audiences.

The key facts are there was no gala in Sydney at the alleged time, Irwin was in the US anyway, the quote was fabricated, and Irwin’s long-standing record shows clear LGBTQIA+ support. So, AAP has confirmed the viral claim is false.

AI ‘ragebait’ engagement pages

AAP FactCheck’s investigation also highlighted a growing problem of so-called “ragebait” content — social media pages using AI-generated images and ‘news’ stories with sensational claims and/or fake quotes to provoke outrage and boost engagement. These posts often go viral quickly, spreading misinformation well beyond the original audiences.

These decidedly grim tactics exploit algorithms of Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and other big social media platforms, that reward high engagement, rather than fact-checked, factual news stories from mainstream or independent media, or truth in general. While all big social media platforms have their fair share, ‘ragebait’ engagement pages seem particularly prevalent on Facebook.

For LGBTQIA+ people, it’s a really good reminder to stay critical — not every post you see online, that appears to celebrate or attack inclusion and our community, is actually real.