Yassmin Abdel-Magied Has A New Show At The ABC, And Conservatives Are Throwing A Massive Tantrum

Yassmin Abdel-Magied is heading back to the ABC, and naturally right-wingers have lost their goddamn minds.

The mechanical engineer, writer and broadcaster — who left Australia for London last year after being subjected to extensive abuse and harassment over a ANZAC Day Facebook post — revealed on Tuesday that she would be hosting a new show, titled Hijabistas! with Yassmin Abdel-Magied. Set to air on iView on May 1, the series will consist of six six-minute episodes, and will explore Islamic headwear fashion in Australia.

Catch me on @ABCiview on 1st May for the show on Australia’s Hijabi Fashion Scene – #HIJABISTAS! #auspol pic.twitter.com/dCiYVnjHWO

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 9, 2018

Of course the mere mention of the name Yassmin is enough to send conservatives into a complete and utter meltdown. And true to form, they have been lining up at the chance to have their ~OPINIONS~ heard.

Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi described Abdel-Magied as an “anti-Australian Islamic apologist”, before insisting that the whole ABC needed to be reformed. If that sounds like a bit of an overreaction, then hello may I introduce you to Cory Bernardi?

Liberal Senator Eric Abetz took issue with the program’s subject matter, telling The Australian that the hijab was an “oppressive symbol”. Keep in mind this is the same Eric Abetz who got whipped into a tizzy over the gay pride flag, so maybe take what he says with a grain of salt.

Oh, and if you were wondering if Andrew Bolt had weighed in, of course he bloody has.

“How much tax-payer money has been splashed on Abdel-Magied already to promote her conservative form of Islam?” Bolt asked on his News Corp blog. “Why is the ABC so in love with Islam — and a version of it that demands women cover up? Why is the ABC and the rest of our taxpayer-funded bureaucracy so determined to promote this particular young woman?”

I don’t know. Why is half the right-wing media determined to chastise her whenever she opens her mouth?

I love when ppl see things like this then point to unrelated things happening to Muslim women in other countries, as if they actually cared.

With that logic, every time there is a Top Gear show, I’d say ‘but what about Harvey Weinstein?’
Doesn’t make sense?
Exactly, son. https://t.co/ha3UGZLski

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 9, 2018

Just be happy for us, alright? Won’t kill ya.

— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) April 9, 2018

Abdel-Magied previously presented Australia Wide on the ABC until it was cancelled in May 2017. The national broadcaster said at the time that the axing was not related to the controversy around the program’s host.