VIDA editorial assistant and PhD candidate Michael Stockwell introduces a new blog series exploring historical and contemporary experiences of vilification through gender, sexual orientation and roles associated with them.

Vilification, Scapegoats and Silence

Vilification is a long held, unfortunate paradigm of humanity. Throughout history, the vilification of particular groups has furthered political, religious, class and heteronormative ideals at the expense of a targeted minority. Often, but not always, the target is a carefully selected scapegoat, chosen to lure the public eye away from the malevolent agenda of the persecutor.

The act or process of vilification enacts systemically discriminatory harm against members, and perceived members, of marginalised communities. It can ‘silence’ its targets by rendering their speech unspeakable, both literally, by engendering fear and intimidation, and constitutively, by constructing a context within which their words are unable to achieve their intention.

Vilification is often left unopposed as individuals feel a pressure to conform to the norms of the society in which they live. The desire to be socially accepted creates a reluctance to speak out against these norms and the vilification on non-conforming minorities for fear of being rejected, targeted themselves or losing acceptance of their social groups or society at large. This fear shames otherwise sensible people into silence and creates the false impression that ‘everyone’ supports the construct.

While definitions vary, ideas about vilification usually coalesce around key themes. This VIDA blog series will focus on legal vilification aligned with the position of the Queensland Human Rights Commission. The Commission defines vilification as:

A public act that incites hatred towards, severe ridicule of, or serious contempt for a person or group because of their gender or sexual orientation or roles associated with these genres.

When is the Line Crossed Between Academic Inquiry and Vilification?

While valid research can readily be perceived as vilification, it is worth noting that for an act to constitute legal vilification there is the requirement that it be made public. Therefore academic discussions, research and undertakings of inquiry confined to their intended audience, do not, in and of themselves, constitute vilification.

Consequently, in a real-world setting, legal vilification most often occurs when selective elements of research are weaponised, most often out of context, in public sentiments, with the likelihood of causing harm. Vilification of this nature flourishes when individuals, groups or organisations with enough power and standing force these positions into the conscious of the public at large. This often occurs with the intention of fuelling the flames of hatred and prejudice already extant amongst the intended audience.

The historical sense of vilification has evolved with notable examples being: the Nazi vilification of the ‘First Homosexual Movement’; Premier Bjelke Petersen’s vilification of the LGBTQIA+ community; and most recently the Australian Federal Government’s review of treatment guidelines for trans and gender diverse children.

Attacks of this nature can be overt or covert; however, it is not the aim of this series to address the motivation behind vilification in isolation. Rather, we and the contributors aim to compile stories and historical experiences of those who have been vilified, the mechanisms used to malign, and the steps that have been taken to combat these injustices.

Motherhood, Abortion and Politicising Sexuality

This series will include the experiences of mothers of autistic children, the politicisation of abortion, LGBTQIA+ scapegoating, and the experiences of activists, advocates, and communities who have been affected by vilification.

Although blogs regarding all aspects and experiences of vilification will be included, this series begins by addressing vilification associated with motherhood and reproductive rights.

Kate McAnelly will open with her blog on Refrigerator Mothers, a sociological theory that has its origins in the teachings of Sigmund Freud. The theory surmises that almost all psychological issues stem from trauma of some kind in a child’s formative years, including inadequate and/or neglectful parenting. This resulted in the vilification of the mothers of autistic children by the moralisation of motherhood, disability and the insinuation of fault.

Cassandra Byrnes then continues with her blog on the vilification of abortion in Queensland’s recent history. This blog examines Queensland as a case study and surveys decades of tumultuous abortion politics where the vocal minority’s opposition to abortion continue to frame the topic as a political issue, even after its decriminalisation in 2018.

The series will progress with a discussion of the historic vilification of the LGBTQIA+ community in Queensland. In his blog, series editor Michael Stockwell will explore how Queensland’s LGBTQIA+ community were used as political scapegoats by the Bjelke-Petersen government, vilified through targeted policies and its lasting effect.

History Empowering Advocacy

Ultimately, this series aims to shed light on the often overlooked and concealed nuances of vilification as it has occurred throughout history. This reflects the advocacy undertaken by the Australian Women’s History Network.

In our age of virtual connectedness, now more than ever, vilification can be carried out with greater ease, speed and global reach.

The same technology that can so quickly gather momentum for fear mongering and vilification is also an important counterbalance when used to strengthen the networks of activists and provide education, advocacy and empowerment through shared experiences and historical reflection.

‘Vilification’: Call for Proposals.

This new series for VIDA explores these different facets and experiences of gender, gender roles and sexuality-based vilification throughout history.

The editorial team strongly encourages pitches from scholars at any career level, from honours, postgraduate study, to senior researchers. For this series we also wish to invite entries from activists and advocates whether individuals or organisations.

We welcome correspondence about publishing a blog in this series; please email Michael Stockwell or any of the editorial team if you would like to discuss your pitch.

Copyright remains with individual authors who grant VIDA holding a perpetual, world-wide, royalty free and non-exclusive license to use, distribute, reproduce and promote content. For permission to re-publish any VIDA blog post, in whole or in part, please contact the managing editors at auswhn@gmail.com.au

Michael Stockwell is a PhD candidate with the Centre for Heritage and Culture, and the School of Law and Justice at the University of Southern Queensland. He has a background in hospitality, classical music, education and law and works in the law and IAS departments at the University of Southern Queensland. His doctoral research investigates the prosecution, persecution and vilification of homosexual men in Queensland during the Bjelke Petersen era and how the experiences in their formative years affect their willingness to engage with legal and administrative systems later in life. Michael has an internship for 2024 with the Australian Women’s History Network where he works with Managing Editors Dr Ana Stevenson and Dr Paige Donaghty on the VIDA blog.