The hashtag #AnalJones predictably inspired controversy as it trended on Twitter tonight. Award-winning Wirlomin Noongar author Claire G Coleman kicked off the hashtag earlier in the day.
Claire tweeted, “It would be such a shame if everybody accidentally misspelled Alan Jones and #AnalJones started trending, wouldn’t it.”
It would be such a shame if everybody accidentally misspelled Alan Jones and #AnalJones started trending, wouldn’t it.
— Claire G. Coleman (@clairegcoleman) September 16, 2020
While some expressed concern about implied homophobia, others demurred.
Matthew Toohey, though apparently not a fan of Alan Jones, nevertheless believed #AnalJones homophobic.
Other people, however, defended the hashtag as comparing Jones to an arseh*le or referencing his ‘talking sh!t’.
#AnalJones homophobic?
Nothing Homophobic about saying #AnalJones! This is coming from someone who loves being a big Homo my self
— 💧Danny Boy (@DanBoyOhDanBoy) September 16, 2020
🤔 pretty sure #AnalJones has nothing to do@with sexual preferences, butt everything to do with his politics, xenophobia, sexism etc Basically he’s just a giant ********. In which case it’s entirely appropriate @ https://t.co/oyWXukEFIW
— 💧 Vacuous Fair Dinkum Covfefe _Au Pair (@VacuousNess) September 16, 2020
While a few Tweeters referenced Jones allegedly writing a love letter to a schoolboy during his teaching career or his arrest for cottaging in London, most steered clear of references to his sexuality. Arse related humour certainly enjoyed a good run.
“#AnalJones it’s got a ring to it,” tweeted Save NSW Health.
#AnalJones it’s got a ring to it😂🤣🤣😂
— Save NSW health (@agreynurse) September 16, 2020
Claire G Coleman countered accusations of homophobia by pointing out that she herself is queer.
Ah, but you see, I am not homophobic being, in fact, as queer as. However, Jones is homophobic and his reading of the fact that we all know he’s gay might upset him. It would be nice to have him upset rather than him harming us.
— Claire G. Coleman (@clairegcoleman) September 16, 2020
And as Nanci DeBossii pointed out, despite an almost universal acknowledgement of his sexuality, Alan Jones has never made any public comment on it.
Umm #AnalJones has never identified with us LGBTQIs
— Nanci DeBossii🌈 (@TartNasty) September 16, 2020
Claire G Coleman
This writer remains undecided about the hashtag. It seems potentially homophobic, though the vast majority of responses to it were not. I have myself accused people of talking out of their arse without intending homophobia, and Alan Jones may well have been one of those people. 
But I definitely benefitted by discovering the writing of Claire G Colman. Check out her essay ‘When We Encountered the Nomads’ in Meanjin to increase your knowledge of this wide brown land.
For the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
