Michelle Bridges, Jacqui Lambie, Lani Pallister, Warren Mundine, reveal troll hell for Unplug 24

Jacqui Lambie, Olympian Lani Pallister and Michelle Bridges are some of Australia’s biggest names who have bravely shared the worst comments they’ve been sent online. See the video.

“Back in ya Kennel”, “You ugly f****** bush pig!”, “Dressed like SATANS WHORE”, “Lipstick on a pig”, “Built like a brick sh!thouse”, “Coconut dog”.

These are real comments posted on the social media pages of high profile Australians.

They have agreed to share them to highlight the kinds of horrific abuse people online are subjected to, sometimes daily.

They are all successful in their fields of sport, politics and TV, but that’s no protection against misogynistic, racist keyboard warriors.

Swimmer Lani Pallister, 22, who won gold in the 200m relay in Paris in August, is in her physical prime. But, like many women on social media, she is trolled about her body.

She said as someone with body image insecurities who has publicly talked about an eating disorder, comments about her looks are “heartbreaking”.

Australian Olympic swimmer Lani Pallister and her mum, Janelle on the Gold Coast. Picture: Luke Marsden.

“I did an interview and I had men filling the comments saying, ‘I look like a brick shit house’, ‘I look like a man’, ‘She needs to be drug tested’,” Pallister said.

“It’s really hard to deal with. And I think especially in swimming as a female athlete, you know, there’s the tiniest bit of cloth that covers our bodies and we’re borderline naked.

“When I am in public, I’ll try and cover my arms. I wear big baggy shirts so that I don’t feel like people are staring at me for the wrong reasons.

Lani Pallister (left) was targeted by men online, who commented on how she looked. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m also relatively tall. I feel like sometimes I stick out like a sore thumb, which I think is something that I should be proud of … it’s hard to be able to walk around and be strong, tall and confident without feeling like there’s some sort of scrutiny that comes with it.”

Pallister’s mum Janelle Elford, who competed at the 1988 Olympics and is now a swimming coach, tries to support her daughter the best she can. But she said Lani has to deal with a lot more opinion in 2024 than she did in the 80s and 90s, because of social media.

“Everyone feels like they can say whatever they want and they don’t see the hurt,” Elford, 54, said.

Swimming Australia has been proactive in this space, launching Body Empowerment, an innovative program to build body image resilience, which includes a workshop on how to navigate social media. Anyone can access them for free.

Warren Mundine in the Domain in Sydney has felt suicidal after being trolled. Picture: Adam Yip

Lead dietitian, Ali Disher, said it was not possible to be across every athletes’ social media, so they needed to give them the skills to know when and how to seek help.

Trolling has impacted Pallister’s mental health, something former Liberal politician Warren Mundine can relate to.

Being one of the leaders of the No campaign during the recent Voice referendum, saw him suffer a barrage of racist messages on his social media, many referring to him as a “coconut” which is a racial slur.

It led him to thoughts of suicide, and he is still seeking support from a psychologist and psychiatrist today. Many of the messages were from educated people he thought were friends.

“I thought I was stoic, but it was the relentlessness of it,” Mundine said. “I even planned and thought about suicide.”

Personal trainer Michelle Bridges says people have tried to shame her on social media.

Fitness instructor Michelle Bridges said strangers used social media to try and shame her with snaps they’ve taken of her in unflattering positions or “taking a bite of something”.

Bridges, has also felt the full force of trolls after a drink driving incident, and said having mistakes played out publicly and discussed online is “challenging”.

She said as an adult it is hard enough, which is why she fears for kids who are being bullied.

“How does a young child who’s brain hasn’t fully developed, who is still growing up deal with it?” Bridges said. “I think we’re only now starting to see the problems it’s causing for our children.”

Senator for Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie, said while healthy debate is good there are “vile keyboard warriors are everywhere”.

“They spread their hate based on a cherrypick of the facts that are convenient for them – often, which have been started on a deep, dark page that unites these bullies,” Senator Lambie said.

Senator Jacqui Lambie condems online bullies. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

She tries not to look at the comments on Facebook because if she did, it would probably get to her.

“I’m lucky to have staff who help moderate my social media profiles,” she said,

“There are still decent, kind, and supportive people on social media – it’s just unfortunate that the onslaught of hate is a loud minority.”

These household names are joining other high profile Australians, including Sky TV host and presenter Erin Molan, in a 24-hour social media boycott on October 24, to raise awareness of the harms of online abuse, and the benefits of taking a break and switching off.

The day, called Unplug24, will mark the first anniversary of the death of teenager Mac Holdsworth, who took his own life after being harassed online by a predator.

Molan, who starred in a documentary to raise awareness of the damaging impact of trolls on people’s mental health, helped deliver new legislation, referred to as Erin’s Law, to make networking platforms more accountable.

Bridges said avoiding social media for the day will be easy.

“I don’t spend that much time on social media as I know it’s not healthy for me,” she said.

If you need support call Lifeline on 13 11 14.