Indigenous Australians Share Their Stories Of Racism After Pauline Hanson Said There Is “No Definition To An Aboriginal”

Indigenous people have taken to social media to share personal stories of racism in light of Pauline Hanson saying there’s no definition to being Aboriginal.

Appearing on The Bolt Report, One Nation senator Pauline Hanson asked, “What defines an Aboriginal?”

She said there’s no definition to being an Aboriginal, and began to rattle off a number of preconceived misconceptions.

“If you marry an Aboriginal, you can be classified as an Aboriginal… or if the community or the elders accept you into that community, you can be defined as an Aboriginal,” the senator tried to explain.

“And that’s not good enough, because then if you make a comment about it, well what are you – are you an Aboriginal, or not an Aboriginal?”

Senator Hanson’s comments prompted a fair few eyebrow raises, including from the likes of Ryan Griffen, creator of ABC TV’s Cleverman, an Indigenous Australian superhero series.

Many other Indigenous Australians took after Griffen’s lead, sharing their stories of racism and what they feel defines Aboriginality.

Being told you're too pretty & smart to be Aboriginal. #DefineAboriginal

— Tay ✌🏾️✨ (@littletaysimo) November 29, 2016

When a friend's mum flips your palm to the pale side & says 'It's okay, see! There's nothing Aboriginal about you.' #defineAboriginal

— alison whittaker (@AJ_Whittaker) November 29, 2016

Being told to go out to [insert name of remote community] because that's where the real Aboriginals with real problems are #DefineAboriginal

— Koori Design (@KooriDesign) November 29, 2016

Knowing you're going to die 12 years earlier than non-Indigenous friends #DefineAboriginal

— Meri Kilisimasi (@theauslibrary) November 29, 2016

When a white person glances at you to work out your blood quantum, then boasts they know more about Aboriginal culture. #DefineAboriginal

— Wyld, Karen (@1KarenWyld) November 29, 2016

Senator Hanson said there’s a need to open up a debate on Aboriginal identification. “I think that people need to toughen up a bit. I think we’ve all become so precious, we’ve stopped freedom of speech to have a say, to have an opinion,” the One Nation leader insisted.

Pauline Hanson claiming there are no definitions of Aboriginality has no basis in reality. Why do we continually have to explain this stuff?

— Celeste Liddle (@Utopiana) November 29, 2016

Photo: Channel 7