Indigenous Australians respond to Pauline Hanson’s comments about the definition of Aborigines

INDIGENOUS Australians have responded to Pauline Hanson’s comments about Aborigines with examples of the discrimination they face everyday.

Senator Pauline Hanson during Senate Question Time in the Senate Chamber in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

PAULINE Hanson has falsely claimed on national television there’s “no definition to an Aboriginal” and that anyone can be classified as such through marriage.

“If you marry an Aboriginal you can be classified as an Aboriginal, or if the community or the elders accept you into that community, you can be defined as an Aboriginal,” Ms Hanson told Sky News on Monday.

“That’s not good enough because then if you make a comment about it, well what are you? Are you an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal?”

Some indigenous Australians have responded to Ms Hanson’s claims by sharing their experiences of segregation and disadvantage with the hashtag: #DefineAboriginal.

“Going to more funerals than weddings,” one Tweet read.

“Having to get an Uber because a taxi won’t pick you up #defineAboriginal,” another said.

On dating sites:
Them: what nationality are you?
Me: aboriginal and polish
Them:
Me:
Them: *vanish* #DefineAboriginal

— Zachary Puchalski (@ZedAyySeeKay) November 29, 2016

Being told by a school mate at my reunion that the day I was born was the darkest in my town's history #defineaboriginal @RyanJGriffen

— Linda Burney MP (@LindaBurneyMP) November 29, 2016

One woman defined what it’s like being Aboriginal in the face of racism as “grandmother explaining that some people hate me because of my skin coilour at age six after my first race based insult”.

One man described his experience of being Aboriginal as “walking into a fancy restaurant and everyone stares at you”.

going to more funerals than weddings #defineaboriginal

— The Funkoars (@funkoars) November 29, 2016

Having to get an Uber because a Taxi wont pick you up #DefineAboriginal

— Ryan Griffen (@RyanJGriffen) November 29, 2016

Another wrote: “Knowing this whole hashtag will be dismissed by certain people anyway as an exercise in middle class whingeing”.

The hashtag has trended on Twitter as backlash over Ms Hanson’s rhetoric mounts.

Getting told that the three kids that were murdered were just going walkabout & still not getting justice 25+ years later #DefineAboriginal

— Tasman Keith (@TasmanKeith) November 29, 2016

Constantly having to explain myself to White people - since birth. #defineAboriginal

— BirdZ (@MisterBirdZ) November 29, 2016

The firebrand One Nation leader made the remarks while defending calls for changes to the Racial Discrimination Act, 18C, which makes it illegal to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” someone due to their race or ethnicity.

Ms Hanson said she had previously raised issues about “equality” over the years about the definition of ‘Aboriginal’.

“I think the whole lot needs to be opened up on this, a big debate on this.”

She said people have become increasingly precious but it should be up to the public to judge controversial comments.

Originally published as Indigenous Australians respond to Pauline Hanson’s comments about the definition of Aborigines