Grace Tame reveals abuse she copped after criticising Jessica Rowe’s decision to interview Pauline Hanson

Activist Grace Tame has revealed she copped an onslaught of abuse after criticising a decision to give Pauline Hanson a platform.

Australian of the Year Grace Tame has revealed she has copped an onslaught of abuse for criticising journalist Jessica Rowe’s decision to interview Pauline Hanson.

Broadcaster Ms Rowe came under fire after choosing to question the controversial Senator and One Nation leader and founder – not about politics, but getting through “dark times”.

Ms Hanson is long known for her divisive and incendiary views on marginalised communities, including Asian-Australians, Muslim-Australians and transgender children.

Ms Rowe was criticised for her interview’s subtle approach. Grace Tame led the charge: “This is how discrimination and hate is subtly enabled and normalised,” she said in a now deleted tweet.

But the activist revealed on Thursday she had copped abuse in the aftermath, saying: “I’ve been called the C-word more times than I can count since.”

Activist Grace Tame said she copped abuse after criticising the interview. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

After the backlash, Ms Rowe issued a statement saying she had listened to the criticism she had received and that she would remove the podcast.

During a live Instagram interview with Marque Lawyers on Thursday, Ms Tame revealed she had “copped a lot of hatred” for criticising Ms Rowe’s choice to interview Ms Hanson.

“I raised this issue that it’s quite dangerous in that it normalises hatred, it normalises bigotry,” she said.

“I thought I made my point in a really measured way. It wasn’t designed to incite hatred against anyone, not even Pauline Hanson. That’s not who I am.

“But naturally it was misinterpreted by a lot of people and I’ve copped a lot of hatred.

“I’ve been called the C-word more times than I can count since then by people sending me private messages and commenting publicly on my social media.

“I was just baffled. I thought I was being really quite reasonable.”

Jessica Rowe came under fire for the broadcast.

Ms Tame, who described Ms Rowe as an “incredible journalist”, said what followed was a great “ah-ha” moment sparked after speaking to investigative journalist Nina Funnell, whose groundbreaking #LetUsSpeak campaigns led to law reforms across the country and brought abuse survivor Ms Tame into the public spotlight.

“She said, ‘Grace, you’re thinking that just because you’re acting in good faith, everyone else is as well,” Ms Tame said.

“You’re seeding too much credibility to a very narrow minded group.

“She was reflecting on her own experience being a journalist because she was saying, she just thought for ages what she needed to do was just explain these things better to these people and that they would understand.

“But that’s thinking everyone is coming from a reasonable place of wanting to keep an open mind.

“That was an ah-ha moment.”

I don’t support Pauline Hanson- I never have. It was not my intention to normalize her views which we don’t talk about in the podcast. I’ve had many disagreements with her which are on the record. Kindness is at heart of who I am & it would never be my intention to spread hate.

— Jessica Rowe (@JessRowe) September 29, 2021

Promoting the podcast, Ms Rowe said the episode was not about politics, but how Ms Hanson had dealt with some of her life’s “darkest moments”.

However, responding via a tweet that has since been deleted, Ms Tame said “not all views should be valorised by promoting their source”.

“Pauline doesn’t need help to be heard, but those whose oppression she’s both driven and reinforced do,” she posted.

Rowe responded: “I don’t support Pauline Hanson — I never have. It was not my intention to normalise her views, which we don’t talk about in the podcast. I’ve had many disagreements with her which are on the record. Kindness is at the heart of who I am & it would never be my intention to spread hate.”

But Ms Tame replied: “Jess, I respect you. In my view, you’re wrong here.

“Earlier this year I made a similar error. I posted a photo with someone who has hurt others. At first I defended it, citing the spirit of inclusion and forgiveness. But after listening to those whom they’d hurt, I took it down.”

Ms Rowe thanked Ms Tame for her “candour” and revealed she had asked for the episode to be removed.