‘The ABC is not grooming kids’, David Anderson says
ABC managing director forced to defend programming as Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young clashes with Liberal senator Alex Antic over a drag actor’s storytime show for children.
The ABC has hit back at a Liberal senator’s claims that a G-rated television program with a male drag queen reading a book is “grooming” children.
Appearing before Senate estimates on Tuesday, ABC managing director David Anderson defended the broadcaster for airing drag performer Shane Jenek, who goes by the stage name Courtney Act, reading a picture book called The Spectacular Suit, on ABC Kids.
The Spectacular Suit is a children’s book about a female child wanting to wear shorts.
Liberal Alex Antic began his questioning of Mr Anderson by accusing the ABC of “grooming” children through the use of “adult content”, before Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young went head-to-head with the South Australian senator.
“Why is the ABC grooming children with this sort of adult content?” Senator Antic asked.
Mr Anderson rejected the suggestion, saying he could not see how it was grooming children. “That particular program is reading from a book that is about dressing up,” Mr Anderson said.
Senator Hanson-Young interjected, saying the question was “deeply, deeply offensive”. Senator Antic then told Senator Hanson-Young she could leave the room if she found it offensive.
“Heavens above, girls wearing pants. That is the level of rubbish you are putting forward,” she said.
She told Senator Antic that sexual assault survivors across Australia would be “deeply offended” by the questioning and accused him of attempting to generate headlines.
“It is not for being played with by conservative senators to make headlines,” she said.
Senator Antic replied: “That is what grooming looks like.”
Mr Anderson made his position clear, saying the public broadcaster was “not grooming Australian children”.
“That is about dressing up,” he said.
The line of questioning was condemned by the chief executive of Equality Australia, Anna Brown.
“This episode is a fun, colourful and engaging way of helping kids learn to love reading. If the senator thinks that it is in any way sexual in nature then he is the one with the problem and not the ABC,” Ms Brown said.
“This beautiful book is a lighthearted way of ensuring kids experience the full range of human diversity.
“I wonder what the senator’s female colleagues will have to say about his suggestion that a woman wearing pants is somehow X-rated.”
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