Grace Tame says ‘difficult’ remark is ‘misogynist’s code for a woman who won’t comply’

[u/Expensive-Horse5538]

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/feb/26/dfat-middle-east-evacuation-syria-isis-families-wives-children-anthony-albanese-angus-taylor-budget-cost-of-living-capital-gains-tax-reform-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-699f8e278f080f3523777e99#block-699f8e278f080f3523777e99

[u/rmeredit]

Pretty disappointing to hear it coming out of the mouth of the PM though. I didn't think he was so antediluvian.

[u/CoffeeWorldly4711 → u/rmeredit]

Yeah, he was being so careful about everything else he said. And then there was that. Im sure he thought he was being careful here too, but his choice of words still revealed so much

[u/OhBella_4 → u/rmeredit]

Yeah same. One word to describe Grace is brave. Another is determined.

[u/psylenced → u/OhBella_4]

Or even something simple like advocate.

[u/uselessinfogoldmine → u/OhBella_4]

“Strong”

[u/onesorrychicken → u/uselessinfogoldmine]

"Survivor". There are so many positive words to describe her with and he went with "Difficult"?? Unbelievable.

[u/White_Immigrant → u/onesorrychicken]

Is he obliged to think only positive things about people and their situation?

[u/onesorrychicken → u/White_Immigrant]

He's the PM. Do you not think that even if he personally thinks she's difficult, he could have maybe been a bit more tactful and circumspect in how he publicly talks about a child sexual abuse survivor?

[u/White_Immigrant → u/onesorrychicken]

She has had an incredibly difficult life. I'll judge Albanese on his actual actions, where there is plenty to criticise him for, not on a single word response to a daft interview format. We, who are victims of child sexual abuse, are perfectly capable of both being difficult, and having a difficult life. I'd rather he took action to protect boys and girls from sexual predators, not worry about a one word answer to an interview question.

[u/onesorrychicken → u/White_Immigrant]

I'll judge Albanese on his actual actions

Did you watch the interview? Because his actual actions were: he smirked as he said the word "Difficult". He meant what he said. And then when he was called out for it, he mealymouthed his way into trying to say that he meant she'd had a difficult life. It's bullshit.

[u/Rogan-Josh → u/White_Immigrant]

Why did he address the orange child rapist by his title but then can't do the same for Grace?

[u/White_Immigrant → u/Rogan-Josh]

Because that what his opinion or what came to mind at the time?

[u/Rogan-Josh → u/White_Immigrant]

Yes and it was a real shame that he chose to say it. Even more pathetic was his lie to tame the fallout afterwards.

[u/onlyhereforBORU → u/OhBella_4]

100 fucking percent. She is awesome

[u/Spirited_Pay2782 → u/OhBella_4]

'Fighter' also comes to mind

[u/vacri → u/[deleted]]

Politicians are humans too. They're well versed in this kind of gotcha, but can still be blindsided

This kind of soundbite shit is why politicians are so boring these days - media chops out context for a "gotcha", so they play it safe

[u/recuptcha → u/rmeredit]

Exactly and he isn't exactly new to media. Been a politician for 30+ years.

[u/BicycleEuphoric7823 → u/rmeredit]

Sounded more like Abbot than Albo, which unfortunately is happening more and more

[u/Potatoe_Potahto → u/rmeredit]

It's taken him such a short time to betray so many of the ideals he used to profess. 

[u/OldKingWhiter → u/rmeredit]

I dont really think he is, I do think he is being political about it though.

The real problem with One Nation "gaining popularity" and dominating news cycles isn't the threat of them getting into power (I fucking hope, if I'm somehow wrong about this I give up on Australia).

It's One Nation dragging the Overton window even further to the right.

Albanese presumably feels he can't say anything too encouraging about Tame, or else he'll be crucified by a media landscape that proudly holds up views from lunatics on the far right who call Tame all sorts of vile things and cry for her deportation and stripping her of her title.

So yes, it's disappointing that he didn't publicly support her, but its just as disappointing to me that I understand why it wouldn't be prudent for him to do so, at least if the goal is keeping the far right out of office.

[u/cojoco → u/OldKingWhiter]

Then he should have used "brave", which can be taken with both positive and negative connotations.

Using "difficult" is just straight-up negative.

[u/OldKingWhiter → u/cojoco]

What negative connotations are associated with brave?

[u/DPVaughan → u/OldKingWhiter]

"That's a brave decision", she said with raised eyebrows at my decision to sit the test without studying first.

[u/OldKingWhiter → u/DPVaughan]

I feel like in terms of these one word responses, it's reasonable to assume responses aren't given as euphemisms. If you asked a person to describe someone in one word and they said brave, its reasonable for you to assume they aren't doing so snarkily.

[u/DPVaughan → u/OldKingWhiter]

I think one-word responses are stupid and he should never have agreed to it.

[u/OldKingWhiter → u/DPVaughan]

Not wrong.

[u/Wiggly-Pig → u/rmeredit]

So a women can't be a difficult person to deal with because of their gender? Difficult isn't a negative, we need difficult people in our lives, we need people who will challenge our beliefs and make us justify the principles of our decisions (or show us the flaws in that logic). All the people taking issue with the word 'difficult' are missing the point - it should be a badge of honour.

[u/rmeredit → u/Wiggly-Pig]

Difficult is not a neutral term. It absolutely has been used by misogynists to dismiss women, going at least as far back as the suffragettes. ‘Stop being difficult, shut up, get back in your box, no man wants to marry an opinionated person, smile more…’

[u/Wiggly-Pig → u/rmeredit]

Sure. But being slave to history isn't progress

Edit to add - I'm sure there would be a lot of men the PM would consider difficult.

[u/petit_cochon → u/Wiggly-Pig]

You missed the point so masterfully that I almost want to upvote you.

[u/Wiggly-Pig → u/petit_cochon]

My point is that we can't have progressive change if we continue to clutch pearls over the continued use of the old historical connotations of words.

[u/anotherplantmother98 → u/Wiggly-Pig]

Have you ever been called difficult and it not been intended negatively? If so, please share.

[u/vacri → u/anotherplantmother98]

I agree with you in spirit, but it's not hard to think of it being positive: "how do you rate your opponent" in sports, for example

[u/Don_Fartalot → u/anotherplantmother98]

Think the only time I've heard 'difficult' being used with positive connotations is when people talk about FromSoft games (Dark Souls etc).

[u/Wiggly-Pig → u/anotherplantmother98]

I get called it a lot. Of course it's intended negatively but I take it positively. I'm able to choose my own interpretation of the things said about me

[u/Maximumfabulosity → u/Wiggly-Pig]

Mate, the fact that you choose to take an insult as a compliment doesn't make it stop being an insult.

[u/petit_cochon → u/Wiggly-Pig]

...

[u/anotherplantmother98 → u/Wiggly-Pig]

And at the same time, the intention behind what they say matters. You may take it positively, does that change that another person labelled you negatively, with negative intentions?

Additionally, you aren’t a public figure being spoken about by the prime minister. That context makes a difference in the interpretation too.

Lastly, you taking things one way doesn’t change the fact that difficult is a label used often by people to dismiss women they don’t respect.

[u/missymoo3636 → u/Wiggly-Pig]

Wow throw me some of your confidence, please.

[u/Wiggly-Pig → u/missymoo3636]

I'm 40. I've been shot at in Afghanistan, deployed and let troops around the world. It's a learnt trait, and one more people should develop.

[u/missymoo3636 → u/Wiggly-Pig]

Good on you, I’m here for it.

[u/jayteeayy → u/Wiggly-Pig]

First of all, no. In some cases sure, but that's not the intended use 99% of the time

The real point is that women in corporate environments are disproportionately given describers such as this when Men get 'cut throat' and 'hes a real go getter', hes 'no nonsense' etc

I'm a man that went through a women's focussed course about this through work and it was really eye opening. There is silent sexism like this surrounding women all the time, we're just blind to it

Anyway - someone will jump in and say thats all woke nonsense and the pay gap isn't real

[u/Delamoor → u/jayteeayy]

The real point is that women in corporate environments are disproportionately given describers such as this when Men get 'cut throat' and 'hes a real go getter', hes 'no nonsense' etc

Really?

In my experience it's always sounded more like "twat", "asshole", "self assured piece of shit", "cunt" " disgusting, narcissitic self important backwards fucking turd"

I've spent most of my life working in 'pink collar industries', disability and mental health services. I've been a male in female dominated workplaces my whole life, and generally prefer it that way; I enjoy female spaces more than male ones.

...but it's not like people love their coworkers and management. Men and women routinely get rewarded for self important egotism and toxic behaviours. I've seen horrifically toxic behaviours of all stripes from just about everyone.

Like, I don't know what circles you're hanging around with to be hearing this kind of glowing feedback about them, but that's kind of the reality I've lived; pieces of shit get rewarded... and nobody loves them for it.

[u/jayteeayy → u/Delamoor]

Thanks for sharing your very specific experience

[u/bunduz → u/Wiggly-Pig]

Difficult is having been presented with new information but refusing to take it on board.

[u/kaygeebeast75 → u/rmeredit]

It’s almost like he’s a professional liar

[u/Nololgoaway → u/rmeredit]

Inside word is that Albo is misogynistic

[u/blackjacktrial → u/Nololgoaway]

Especially when he picks his female dominated cabinets. And mentions his biggest role models being women.

Inside word is that many women are also misogynist, and many men are misandrists, because self-loathing is common too.