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Pip Edwards issues apology for 'tone-deaf' Australia Day post
Pip Edwards has issued an apology for her "tone-deaf" Australia Day posts showing herself and some friends celebrating at a party just hours after she shared support for changing the date due to it being a day of mourning for First Nations people.
The 40-year-old, who is dating former cricketer Michael Clarke, shared a letter to her Instagram Stories about why Australia Day shouldn't be celebrated on January 26.
The post appeared to have been taken from a newspaper and read: "If another country invaded Australia and took it over, massacred many of our families, took possession of our land, homes and properties, took away our culture, forbade us from speaking English and punished us if we did, took away our children in an effort to cleanse us of our ethnicity, herded us into enclaves and missions, rounded up our sons, fathers, uncles and grandfathers in balls and chains and treated us as "sub-human", would we and our descendants want to 'celebrate' the anniversary of that day?
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"I think not. So why would we expect First Nations people to feel differently and why would those in positions of power be so insensitive to ignore what this day truly means? What have we got to lose by changing the date of Australia Day?"
Pip captioned the post, "IN BLACK AND WHITE."
Then hours later she shared a number of pictures from an Australia Day party she attended. She captioned a snap: "A day to celebrate the land that we live and thrive on. I love you, Australia," according to Daily Mail.
She appears to have since changed the caption to read: "Acknowledging the beautiful land that we live and thrive on."
Pip was blasted by her followers for celebrating despite saying January 26 is not the date to celebrate.
Abbie Chatfield also commented, pointing out that in one of the Instagram Stories, which has since been deleted, Pip shared a video of the Aboriginal flag clearly flying upside down.
"Why have you posted a story explicitly outlining why today is not the date to celebrate and then posted this, precisely the opposite?" the I'm A Celeb star commented. "You are clearly aware of the reasoning behind the protests, the outcry, the mourning... but post this. Confusing, tone deaf behaviour. I don’t even know what to say. Usually it would be 'educate yourself' but...you have posted about why this isn’t okay. It’s honestly baffling. Also, the Aboriginal Flag is upside down in your stories, so."
"Did you forget about the story you posted earlier today?" one follower wrote. "Performative activism is gross."
"How tone-deaf can someone be?" someone else commented. "How many photos of your privileged celebration can you post before you realise that the article that you shared tells us that today is NOT a day to celebrate."
"Wowwwwww," another wrote. "Don't post a little Instagram story in 'support' of changing the date and then go and celebrate Australia Day. Educate yourself!"
The PE Nation founder has since deleted all comments on the post and has now taken to Instagram to issue an apology that read: "I want to express my sincere apologies to those that I have offended.
"My intentions were always from a good place, in support of all people, wanting unity and community in this country and globally. I innocently did not realise that the Aboriginal flag was upside down and was more focused on the idea of raising both flags together on the one pole, flying as one.
"I understand it was a huge mistake to not know at the time but my intention was never to cause disrespect. I then made the error of incorrectly using the word 'celebrate the land' when it should have read 'acknowledge'. Again, a big mistake on my part and for that I deeply apologise."
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