The Australian, one of Australia's most widely circulated newspapers, has been criticised today for an obituary of neuroscientist Colleen McCullough which described her as "plain and overweight."
McCullough, who wrote the best-selling 'The Thornbirds,' a novel about a family living in the Australian outback. The book sold over 30m copies, and was adapted into an enormously successful miniseries.
Why feminism? Because she was ALSO a FREAKIN' NEUROPHYSICIST at YALE & this is how The Australian begins her obituary pic.twitter.com/SYQSuYiKZA
— Comrade Badham (@vanbadham) January 30, 2015
According to reports, the piece was written by a male writer who has since died, and the offending lines were missed in the editorial process.
Many Twitter users have since penned their own 'Oz Obituaries:'
Although his beard looked like someone had glued it on & his hair would have been unconvincing as a wig, he married a rockstar #MyOzObituary
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) January 30, 2015
#myozobituary 'She was fat and had the audacity to write books about it. Perhaps she should have eaten more salad & put on some lipstick'.
— Rae Earl (@RaeEarl) January 30, 2015
Plain as a pikestaff, loud and annoying, nevertheless carved a career in comedy. Which is odd, because women aren't funny. #myozobituary
— Wendy Harmer (@wendy_harmer) January 30, 2015
Moore hedgehog than man, he cherished predictable rhymes and a ridiculous woolen hatte but nonetheless wrote sum thinges. #myozobituary
— Chaucer Doth Tweet (@LeVostreGC) January 30, 2015
