Pip Edwards is SLAMMED by followers on Instagram after mixed Australia Day messages

Pip Edwards came under attack on Tuesday after seemingly backflipping on her Australia Day message.

In a post on Instagram Stories, the 40-year-old fashion designer shared a letter to a publication, which claimed Australia Day shouldn’t be celebrated.  

‘If another country invaded Australia and took it over, massacred many of our families, took possession of our land, homes and properties, took away our culture, forbade us from speaking English and punished us if we did, took away our children in an effort to cleanse us of our ethnicity, herded us into enclaves and missions, rounded up our sons, fathers, uncles and grandfathers in balls and chains and treated us as “sub-human”, would we and our descendants want to “celebrate” the anniversary of that day?’ began the lengthy post. 

‘I think not. So why would we expect First Nations people to feel differently and why would those in positions of power be so insensitive to ignore what this day truly means? What have we got to lose by changing the date of Australia Day?’

The P.E Nation co-founder captioned the profound post: ‘IN BLACK AND WHITE’.

But just hours later, Pip shared photos from an Australia Day celebration she attended and wrote: ‘A day to celebrate the land that we live and thrive on. I love you Australia’.

Fans were quick to criticise Pip, after she posted photos from a small gathering, which involved a backyard barbecue. 

‘Did you forget about the story you posted earlier today? Performative activism is gross,’ commented one follower.

Added another: ‘Wowwwwww. Don’t post a little Instagram story in “support” of changing the date and then go and celebrate Australia Day. Educate yourself!’  

‘Come on Pip. Read the room babe. You literally just posted on your story that today is not a day to celebrate “in black and white” and then you post this?’ wrote one.

Others branded her posts ’embarrassing’, ‘inappropriate’, ‘completely tone deaf’ and ‘downright insensitive’. 

‘How tone deaf can someone be?? How many photos of your privileged celebration can you post before you realise that the article that you shared tells us that today is NOT a day to celebrate,’ commented one person.

Added another: ‘Don’t say one thing on your Stories and another on your feed and pretend it’s okay. They are both features on this platform that are representative of you and that right there is a poor representation. It’s confusing and misleading.’

She also shared a video of a man raising both the Australian and Aboriginal flags, but controversially, the Aboriginal flag was upside down. 

‘UGH. And the flag you put up was upside down…’ commented one person, while another wrote, ‘Also… your Aboriginal flag is upside down on your flagpole.’