Lidia Thorpe banned from Popular Melbourne Club

Lidia Thorpe, an independent senator, has led an intriguing political life. She quit the Green Party and is currently a senatorial independent. Then came the altercation. 

When she attempted to approach attendees of an anti-transgender rally outside Parliament House in Canberra in March, an Australian Federal Police officer stopped her. She was elected to the Senate largely as a result of her work on Indigenous Affairs. 

She made headlines once more after being caught on camera screaming and cursing at a group of men who were waiting outside a Melbourne strip club at 3 a.m. on a Sunday. 

The senator gestures to each of the men during the commotion, which was captured on camera, and launches into a torrent of obscenities, informing one of the men that he is a “marked” man.

The males can be heard wondering how Thorpe was elected to parliament and calling her a “racist dog” in the footage.

In a media statement, the senator said that the individuals singled her out and provoked her because of her views on Indigenous affairs. Thorpe said that she was only protecting herself against harassers. 

When questioned about the incident, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it “unacceptable” for a senator—or anybody else in society—and urged the woman to get help. Thorpe’s recent actions have raised questions, according to Albanese, who cautioned the senator to be more aware of how her actions are seen by the public. 

Adam Bandt, the leader of her former political party, also commented, stating that he would not anticipate one of his senators acting in the same manner as Lidia Thorpe did. 

Thorpe, Albanese, and the other senators who spoke out against her believed that they were merely attempting to discredit her efforts.  They demonized her through the media for opposing racism. She gave an example of how in the past, white, strong men would fight any critics. When Adam Goodes and Heritier Lumumba denounced racism, they were treated similarly. She claims that the remarks about her needing “mental help” are an extension of the ancient racist and misogynistic myths that were used to marginalize and silence strong, outspoken black women.

The media, she continued, should have been focussing on the 32nd anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report instead of that particular occasion.

The senator claimed that “racists brazenly harassing a senator” should have been the subject of the report.

This may be the case, and the real question may be why a senator would risk being seen in a strip club given her staunch opposition to misogyny and the persistent efforts of men to suppress women. The public’s reactions to the video of the altercation have been conflicted. Yes, the men were racist and impolite, but why should we rise up in opposition to someone who is merely attempting to defend herself? Though the incident could have turned out differently, the profanities were unwarranted. 

It’s only unfortunate that she came out as wild and out of her mind, and one can only hope that the males received lifetime bans from the strip club. 

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