Feature

Yumi Stynes on speaking up: "I’ll assess the price I have to pay"

"You feel scared and also sense of panic and kind of wanting to flee in whatever way you can."

supplied

Yumi Stynes. Source: Supplied

SBS presenter Yumi Stynes has spoken out about the harassment she experienced after an on-air spat with fellow broadcaster Kerri-Anne Kennerley.

The presenter said she was stalked by paparazzi outside her home and received death threats online after her television segment with Studio Ten panellist Kerri-Anne Kennerley. 

In the which aired last month, Stynes told fellow panellist Kerri-Anne Kennerley she sounded racist after Kennerley questioned the motivations of

"It's incredibly gross to experience," Stynes told Jane Hutcheon. 

Stynes said the abuse made her think twice about speaking out in public.
It's incredibly gross to experience.
"The next time I feel compelled to speak up I'll assess the price that I have to pay. Do I want a guy outside my house pointing a camera and me and kid? Do I want death threats over the internet?"

Stynes said the abuse made her feel scared and panicked.   

"That is the way they keep us squashed down," she said. 

"You feel scared and also sense of panic and kind of  wanting to flee in whatever way you can."

Hutcheon asked if the abuse was "demotivating" for the sunny television personality and a barrier in her quest to do interesting work. 

Stynes said it did create a 'slump' but said she hoped the controversy would fuel her to become a better ally to Indigenous women.

"You take the keys out the engine and you (can) slump down," she told Hutcheon.

"(But) I think the opposite happens. I think you get fired up. I feel like it's given me a huge fuel I will burn for years to come." 

Yumi Stynes is the host of SBS documentary 'Is Australia Sexist?’ which is currently available on .

Share
Published 22 February 2019 1:51pm
Updated 22 February 2019 2:57pm
By Sarah Malik

Share this with family and friends


SBS News in your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS On Demand
SBS News
SBS Audio

Listen to our podcasts
Join host Yumi Stynes for Seen, a new SBS podcast about cultural creatives who have risen to excellence despite a role-model vacuum.
The day's top stories from SBS News.
Ease into the English language and Australian culture. We make learning English convenient, fun and practical.
Get the latest with our sbs podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch SBS On Demand
Over 11,000 hours

Over 11,000 hours

News, drama, documentaries, SBS Originals and more - free.