Mamamia’s Tone Deaf Controversy

Controversy has set upon Mamamia’s Mia Freedman, founder of the site, after she published a podcast interview and description with American feminist author Roxane Gay, where she wondered if her guest would “fit into the office lift?”

Needless to say, this upset a lot of people, particularly Gay, who tweeted her displeasure with Mamamia, saying, “I am appalled by Mamamia. It was a shit show. I can walk a fucking mile”, ““Can she fit into the lift?” Shame on you @Mamamia”, and “It was cruel and humiliating” (all via @rgay).

Also upset by Freedman’s comment, Courtney Robinson similarly tweeted about it, saying, “Oh Mamamia. When good intentions just do so much damage… this is appalling”— @courtney_ro

In the aftermath of this controversy, Freedman issued an apology to express how “mortified” she is over the backlash, but some people are suggesting still misses the point of why her comment was unnecessary and cruel.

In her apology, she says, “We are huge Roxane Gay fans and supporters at Mamamia. It was an honour to welcome the best-selling author and professor into our offices last month to record a podcast interview,

“In no way did Mamamia ever intend to make Roxane Gay feel disrespected”, she continued, “and we apologise unequivocally that that was the unintended consequence, including to her publishing team who organised the visit…”.

To read Freedman’s full apology, published on mamamia.com, click here.