Rita Panahi is an Australian political commentator and anti-transgender activist.
Background
Rita Panahi was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1976. Panahi’s Muslim parents returned to Iran, but left for Australia in 1984.
Panahi dropped out of Monash University to work in banking, later getting a master’s degree from Swinburne University.
Panahi began writing as a sports gossip columnist before taking a position at the Herald Sun in 2007. After regular guest spots on Sky News Australia and Seven Network’s Sunrise, Panahi began doing commentary on 3AW and 2GB. In 2018, Panahi began hosting The Friday Show on Sky News Live.
Panahi is a single parent.
Anti-transgender activism
Panahi has been identified as a key amplifier of right-wing content, part of the so-called “intellectual dark web” of online influencers.
Panahi frequently platforms conservative trans people like Blaire White and Miranda Yardley as well as ex-trans activists like Maia Abbruzzese and “Chloe Cole.”
Panahi also platforms fellow anti-trans activists like Andrew Amos and Douglas Murray.
Panahi is especially fond of presenting outrage bait in a segment called “Lefties Losing It,” featuring video clips of polarizing social media figures like Lilly Contino, Dylan Mulvaney, and Jeffrey Marsh. Panahi was one of the key people in 2024 promoting Josh Seiter’s attention-seeking stunts around gender.
References
Simons, Margaret (October 2023). Right-wing refugee: the rise of Rita Panahi. SBS https://www.sbs.com.au/voices/creative/right-wing-refugee-the-rise-of-rita-panahi/vf1akdyie
Harper, Cindy (September 3, 2022). Australian Academy of Science demands social media platforms ban climate “misinformation.” Reclaim the Net https://reclaimthenet.org/australian-academy-of-science-climate-censorship
Australian Academy of Science (August 3, 2022). Submission to Australian Code of Practice on Misinformation and Disinformation (ACPDM) – 2022 Review. https://www.science.org.au/files/userfiles/support/submissions/2022/Joint%20AAS%20ATSE%20submission%20-%20Australian%20Code%20of%20Practice%20on%20Disinformation%20and%20Misinformation%20-%202022%20review.pdf
King, J, Janulewicz, L, & Arcostanzo, F (2022). Deny, Deceive, Delay: Documenting and Responding to
Climate Disinformation at COP26 and Beyond. Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Summative-Report-COP26.pdf
Selected anti-trans writing by Panahi
Panahi, Rita (September 3, 2024). Panahi: Rainbow libraries a sign of Allan govt’s woke idiocy. Herald Sun https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi/do-we-really-need-to-teach-library-staff-to-resist-using-gendered-language-like-boys-and-girls-to-make-people-feel-safe/news-story/9692612f28a4f72a7e263faa4d522c9b
Panahi, Rita (Mar 15, 2024). Australia’s gender agenda should cause shame. Herald Sun https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi/rita-panahi-australias-gender-agenda-should-cause-shame/news-story/b329f68ee5e711bd8ab0f7c70b3807c7
Panahi, Rita (August 30, 2023). Trans lobby’s power is ‘disproportionate.’ Herald Sun https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi/rita-panahi-trans-lobbys-power-is-disproportionate/news-story/0cbc4fbfcf5dec80b43dc03b061f6053
Panahi, Rita (March 14, 2023). The trans activist movement in Australia holds disproportionate power. Herald Sun https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi/rita-panahi-the-trans-activist-movement-in-australia-holds-disproportionate-power/news-story/cda6e917b71d30366cbff335e7d130c3
Panahi, Rita (March 14, 2023). Gender-affirming care ‘sounds so lovely’ until you ‘look at the facts’: Douglas Murray. Herald Sun https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/genderaffirming-care-sounds-so-lovely-until-you-look-at-the-facts-douglas-murray/video/0a3335d0d52a9f2d8ac01e678b9a8f8e
Panahi, Rita (December 16, 2022). The war on boys is having a damaging impact on the education gender gap. Herald Sun https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi/rita-panahi-the-war-against-boys-is-having-a-damaging-impact-on-the-education-gender-gap/news-story/e07aaaae5734be611f705674fafa34e7
Panahi, Rita (May 11, 2022). Radical trans activists are trying to bully women into submission. Herald Sun https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi/rita-panahi-radical-trans-activists-trying-to-bully-women-into-submission/news-story/f7dd7f8e1ef0ff3116c4353bbd75a18e
Panahi, Rita (March 31, 2022). Radical trans activists are pushing unscientific ideology. Herald Sun https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi/rita-panahi-radical-trans-activists-pushing-unscientific-ideology/news-story/82ece89cbfe1279e33b3c610cb084456
Panahi, Rita (February 3, 2021). Trans athletes putting women’s sports under threat. Adelaide Advertiser https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi-anticonversion-legislation-different-in-substance-to-what-its-shiny-name-suggests/news-story/e70b2a6bff72ea728998440b7f30c6e2
Media
Sky News Australia (November 19, 2024). Corporations finally waking up to ‘radical gender ideology.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G-oBEj1YoA
Sky News Australia (May 16, 2024). Lefties losing it: Rita Panahi reacts to ‘narcissist’ trans activist at Disneyland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzlRNiZ5vFM
Sky News Australia (June 12, 2024) Rita Panahi urges the Coalition to take ‘a stand’ on gender affirmation care. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0ZPCT_pCmg
Sky News Australia (September 9, 2024). ‘It is totally an act’: Alex Stein on former ‘Bachelorette’ star Josh Seiter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSe_L8Mtifk
Resources
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)