Canadian dad fined ahead of 'litmus test' free speech hearing in Australia
'In a free society, ideas should be challenged with ideas, not state censorship'
Elon Musk’s personal crusade against the “woke mind virus” is a global one and the latest frontline is to be found in Australia, where his company X is joining in a case against the country’s “e-Safety Commissioner.”
The case concerns a Canadian man, Chris Elston, also known as Billboard Chris, who in February 2024 wrote a post on X that was critical of the World Health Organization's decision to appoint Australian trans activist Teddy Cook as an “expert” on trans issues.
Elston’s post also included a link to a Mail Online article titled, “Kinky secrets of a UN trans expert REVEALED.” The article describes Cook as “a female-to-male Australian” who frequently posts online about “everything from public nudity to bondage parties, trans orgies and even a photo of a man apparently having sex with a dog.”
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Cook took exception to Elston apparently questioning his credentials to work for the WHO, and submitted a complaint to Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner.
The commissioner demanded that X remove the post, which they initially refused to do. However, following a formal order, X geo-blocked the post, making it unavailable to view in Australia.
Elston, together with Musk’s X, the Australian Human Rights Law Alliance, and ADF International, are appealing the decision, saying it breaches Elston’s right to free expression.
The court in Melbourne will hear the case over five days starting on March 31.
Speaking ahead of the case, Elston said, “No child has ever been born in the wrong body. As a father, I have grave concerns about the impact of harmful gender ideology on our children’s well-being.
“This reality is being increasingly recognized around the world, with government after government ordering a review into the use of toxic puberty blockers. This is a serious issue with real world implications for families across the globe and we need to be able to discuss it."
In an interesting twist, Elston was threatened with arrest last week, fined AU$806 ($507 US), and, according to ADF International, forcibly moved in Brisbane by police after conducting what it says were consensual conversations with members of the Australian public about trans issues.
Ahead of the court date, Robert Clarke, director of Advocacy for ADF International, who is serving as part of Billboard Chris’s legal team, said the case "represents a litmus test for free speech in a world seeing increasing push back against global censorship."
“We’re used to hearing about governments silencing or punishing citizens for their ‘wrong’ speech in parts of the world with strict blasphemy laws. But now, from Australia to Mexico, to across the EU, we see Western governments increasingly take authoritarian steps to shut down views they don’t like, often by branding them as 'offensive,' 'hateful' or 'misinformation,'" he said.
“In a free society, ideas should be challenged with ideas, not state censorship. For years, Chris has been speaking an important truth to which many in Australia are now waking up: children cannot consent to puberty blockers."
Supporters of Elston have rallied round him, with over 24,000 people signing a petition calling on Australia’s minister of communications to “protect free speech in Australia.”
Musk’s opposition to “woke” issues appears to stem from events in his own life. He has said that trans ideology “killed” his son, apparently referring to his oldest child who in 2020 came out as trans.
This article was originally published at Christian Today
