The #IndigenousDads Hashtag Is The Perfect Antidote To Bill Leak
Indigenous Australians have rejected racism with personal stories.
The internet isn’t always the best place to go when you’re looking to have your faith in humanity restored. Still, every once in a while, it really delivers.
In a perfect response to controversial cartoonist Bill Leak, whose latest racist scribble caused widespread public outcry, Indigenous Australians have taken to Twitter en masse to celebrate their fathers using the hashtag #IndigenousDads. And yeah, the result has been pretty damn beautiful.
Can't express how much my dad means to me. #IndigenousDads pic.twitter.com/VENmgthjBH
— JeanKimberley (@notjustgenes) August 6, 2016
My dad served his country and gave us unconditional love. #indigenousdads pic.twitter.com/icJcquJhFN
— Daniel James (@MrDTJames) August 6, 2016
Im from #StolenGeneration never met my dad, Reggie Whyman, but felt his luv in me.#Keeden #Manduway#IndigenousDads pic.twitter.com/DEe4nNXFF2
— Paul Dutton (@pauldutton1968) August 6, 2016
Indigenous fathers also posted pictures of themselves with their kids. Cleverman co-creator Ryan Griffen tweeted “no [sic] only do I know my son’s name but I named a superhero after him.”
No only do I know my sons name but I named a superhero after him. #IndigenousDads #Cleverman pic.twitter.com/mfvd0vyc4S
— Ryan Griffen (@RyanJGriffen) August 6, 2016
In case you’ve been living blissfully under a particularly nice rock this week, this is all in reaction to a cartoon by Leak that was published in The Australian on Thursday. Responding to recent reports of Indigenous youths being abused in NT detention facilities, the cartoon depicts a drunken Aboriginal father being told to talk to his son about personal responsibility, only to be unable to recall the boy’s name. In other words, the height of sophisticated satire.
The cartoon was roundly condemned on social media, and labeled “racist” by Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion. Naturally, old Leaky wasn’t too happy about that, lashing out against “sanctimonious Tweety Birds” and publishing a follow up cartoon featuring a caricature of himself being accosted by a Twitter user armed with a noose and a club.
It’ll be interesting to see how Leak manages to turn this spontaneous display of love and solidarity into something ugly. Still, if anyone can do it, it’s the guy whose cartoons have managed to denigrate everyone from Muslims to LGBTQI people to people living in the developing world.
Until then though, let’s just enjoy the best use of Twitter we’ve seen in quite some time.
I always felt so blessed to have an amazing dad ❤ there are heaps of them #Indigenousdads pic.twitter.com/RgvInNNt3v
— Amy McQuire (@amymcquire) August 6, 2016
He worked for almost 5 decades – even as a diplomat overseas & never EVER forgot my name #IndigenousDads pic.twitter.com/WhHqiQjcmw
— John Paul Janke (@jpjanke) August 6, 2016
Our Pa, who taught us Dreamtime stories, art, dance and most of all, pride in Aboriginal culture #indigenousdads pic.twitter.com/UIE9EHYThL
— Kirsty Brown (@callmeKBro) August 6, 2016
#gramps #nana #myoldman and me #indigenousdads pic.twitter.com/0qYRl0dX5x
— Nigel Browne (@Garamanak) August 6, 2016
My dad's all sorts of awesome! #indigenousdads pic.twitter.com/S731q66n7z
— LaVonne BobongieWall (@_LaVonne_) August 6, 2016
14 years my #IndigenousDads passed away. Lawman, English his 3rd language, Master Skipper of pearl luggers, seaman pic.twitter.com/iGuuduBxM4
— Lee B (@aleeb88) August 6, 2016
I'm proud to be his father and proud to be Aboriginal. Our culture is our strength. #IndigenousDads. pic.twitter.com/TAshR17NiH
— Aaron Charles Ellis (@bigibila) August 6, 2016