Australia’s newly appointed Ambassador for Gender Equality, Stephanie Copus-Campbell has been attacked online after posting a video to social media.
In the video, Copus-Campbell introduced herself as Australia’s new Ambassador for Gender Equality, saying she was honoured to take on the role.
“I’m incredibly honoured to take on this role as the lead international advocate for Australia’s commitment to gender equality and the human rights of women and girls and person’s of diverse gender identities,” Copus-Campbell said.
“In this role I’m committed to listening to those who are dedicated to promoting gender equality, and learning about the perspectives and priorities in communities and countries in our region and globally.
“Promoting gender equality is the right thing to do but it’s also the smart thing to do. It is central to Australia’s diplomatic, economic development and regional security, as well as our international engagement.”
The comments underneath the video on Twitter are filled with people commenting on Copus-Campbell’s appearance, facial expression, and manner of speaking, as well as questioning her inclusion of gender diverse people.
On Sky News, NSW Liberal Party Vice President Teena McQueen described the video as “scary” and said she’d like to give Copus-Campbell lessons on “how to blink”.
McQueen also questioned whether Australia needs a gender equality ambassador at all.
The video gained traction internationally, with Donald Trump Jr tweeting the video and writing: “It’s always the eyes that give it away before they say a word. Australia’s new ambassador for gender equality.”
The video has been viewed more than 4 million times, receiving more than 6,000 comments, many of which related to her appearance.
Copus-Campbell was appointed to the role of ambassador by Foreign Minister Penny Wong late last year, tasked with deepening Australia’s international engagement on gender equality issues.
Previously, she has had a distinguished career in international relations and development across the Pacific region.
That Copus-Campbell is not able to simply post a video introducing herself to the Australian public and stating her priorities in the role, without being attacked based on her physical appearance, is a stark reminder of how far we have to go on gender equality.