Ani O'Brien

Like good faith disagreements & principled people. Dislike disingenuousness & Foucault. Care about women’s rights, justice &democracy. Awfully centrist 🇳🇿🇬🇧

[Ani O'Brien @aniobrien]

NEW PINNED TWEET:
To settle speculation about my politics...
I’ve given votes to Greens, Labour, National & ACT (gen & elec) over the years. I worked in the Leader of the Opposition's office in 2021.
I party voted Green and electorate voted Labour in 2017. Within a year I was full of regret.
The Governments of 2017-2023 were so bad on so many levels that despite any misgivings I have about some of the new Government's policies, I am relieved that they are there.
I always allow a new Government a grace period to settle in before I start being super hard on them, but I seem to always end up in 'opposition' eventually. I was very critical of Key/English's Governments and Ardern/Hipkins'.
I am a classic swing voter, I guess. I like bits of centre-left policy and bits of centre-right. I’m perhaps centrist? Definitely contrarian.
I loathe extremists on both ends of politics and they loathe me right back. In my experience society today has much more tolerance for left wing extremists and so their craziness impacts us all more.
I hate postmodernism.
I hate identity politics.
I have been called all sorts of variations of 'Uncle Tom' because I am a lesbian who opposes gender ideology and the impact trans activism has on women's rights, children's rights, and society at large.
I am a women's rights activist who understands that for a cohesive society the two sexes have to find ways to work together. First step is to deal with male violence against women and themselves.
Mental health/illness is something I care a great deal about. We aren't managing this crisis well in our health system nor in how we raise our kids. I am not ashamed to share that I have Bipolar 1 Disorder and have extensive experience in the mental health system. I am open about it and try to combat stigma, but I do get nervous about how it will be used against me.
I am on the Council of the Free Speech Union & because people just don't seem to get it, that means I will defend your right to speech even if I disagree with you. However, I may criticise your speech. I might say it is offensive or rude or inappropriate. Criticism is not suppression. Also me blocking people on X is not a violation of their free speech. They can keep talking nonsense, I just don't have to listen to it.
I am passionate about reforming New Zealand's justice system. In particular, reforming sentencing laws and finding ways to place constraints on an activist judiciary without totally destroying the separation of powers. I also want to reform name suppression laws to make it virtually impossible for criminals to get name suppression unless it protects the victims.
Prison abolitionists are simply anarchists and should be taken as seriously as flat-earthers.
I am a pretty open book so feel free to ask questions - just don't be a dick.

[Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio]

Today, @StateDept is imposing new visa restrictions to bar Far-Left Terrorists from entering our country.

Foreigners who finance, incite, or aid and abet Far-Left Terrorists are enemies of our civilization. They are not welcome in the United States.
https://t.co/Xnc1dqMAHd

[The Telegraph @Telegraph]

With the blacklisting of feminist groups and suspension of its Israeli branch, Amnesty has steadily abandoned its founding principles.

So how did the charity end up this way? ⬇️
https://t.co/YWAch6JnDL

[Ani O'Brien @aniobrien]

Weird - I went looking for Herald article about Wayne Brown & couldn't find it on the site. So I googled it & it came up but the date is 24 June 2026 instead of today. I asked my colleague to search & she got "three weeks ago". One way to get it off the front page I guess...

[Kosher @koshercockney]

Alastair Campbell got completely humiliated.

[Ani O'Brien @aniobrien]

I know this event has been promoted to women in public service in New Zealand too. Would be interesting to know if our taxes were also going to fund their trips.
https://t.co/pMiID8yUjs

[Daily Mail @DailyMail]

Amnesty International faces Charity Commission probe after it dubbed JK Rowling's rape support centre 'anti-rights' https://t.co/rDXerxJ5EP

[Ani O'Brien @aniobrien]

What Wayne Brown told the NZ Herald is pretty different from what he told The Post. It is also substantially different from the various rumours circulating. Will we get the truth?

[Ro Edge @rosey_nz]

Why are NZ Media, including the @nzherald running what is essentially a PATHA press release? No counter to their 'safe and reversible' narrative - no balance whatsoever!
They need to interview @pennymarienz.
https://t.co/nrWnL4rKBd

[Helen Lewis @helenlewis]

As with the case of Graham Linehan, being an unpleasant prick on the internet should not be a criminal offence.

[Dr. Dame Katy Denise CH GBE 🏳️‍⚧️🇳🇬🪑 @damekatydenise_]

Actual scene of all the lawyers letters landing at @AmnestyUK today.

[Prisha Mosley🦎 @PrishaMosley]

Taking testosterone as a female messed with my entire body. Its not just the outward appearance that changes, with the facial hair and etc. The steroids damaged my liver, pancreas, thyroid, and kidneys.

My doctors should have warned me. These are known side effects.

[James Esses @JamesEsses]

Under this UK government, 15 year olds will be considered too young to buy an energy drink but 11 year olds will be considered old enough to take puberty blockers…
https://t.co/CPsUKeD1v0

[Basil the Great @BasilTheGreat]

Keir Starmer used his last act as Prime Minister to promote a man to the House of Lords who did everything he could to cover up the mass rape of children across London

You don't hate these people enough

[Genspect @genspect]

"The author of the article, New Zealand registered nurse Jason Watson, is now threatening to sue the union after it accused him of “negativity and hatred” and of harming the transgender community." https://t.co/0i3hqkT30y

[Chris Rose @ArchRose90]

I don’t believe anyone should be arrested for distasteful posts, I don’t believe Ann Widdecombe would want this either.

Although ironically, this is the society people like Heather helped to create.

[Stephen Knight 🎙️ @GSpellchecker]

"Anyone who uses a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature to promote a political, religious, personal or commercial message shall be sanctioned..." - FIFA.

[Wired-one @Wired__One]

Big Earthquake just struck around Te Anau.

I'm 200km away and the shaking here was intense.

Hopefully everyone is okay and there isn't too much damage.

[Sharron Davies HoL MBE @sharrond62]

This 👇🏼 is what women have been pushing back against for years now. ‘Do what we say or we’ll make your life impossible’ (physically or by making you unemployable). Never ever believe anyone that says it’s both ways.

[Ani O'Brien @aniobrien]

I would have sympathy for Raelene if she hadn’t completely betrayed women and girls by obsessively championing for men to be allowed in women’s sport. What is a woman, Vichy?