Court Shuts Down Appeal in Landmark Cyberbullying Case Over Transgender Athlete Harassment

A prominent anti-transgender activist has been denied the right to appeal a court order after launching a relentless online campaign against a transgender soccer player in regional New South Wales.

Stephanie Blanch, a transgender woman and athlete, was granted an apprehended violence order last December against Kirralie Smith, whose social media posts were described by a judge as “highly intimidatory,” “objectively harassing,” and “unnecessarily cruel.” The posts, which included photos and mocking language, reached thousands and targeted Blanch as the “bloke in the frock” playing for a women’s football team in Wingham.

Blanch had no prior connection to Smith, who leads the group Binary Australia and has long opposed transgender inclusion in women’s sports. The court found Smith’s actions amounted to a “sustained campaign of belittling, harassment and intimidation.”

After Blanch filed a police report, the district court granted the protective order. Smith’s attempt to overturn it in the NSW Supreme Court failed, with judges ruling the harassment met the threshold for legal intervention.

Smith claimed her posts were part of her political advocacy, but the court disagreed. Her legal team challenged the definition of violence, arguing the posts didn’t qualify. However, the ruling affirmed that apprehended violence orders extend beyond physical threats to include online abuse and intimidation.

Blanch’s legal counsel hailed the decision as a critical precedent, reinforcing that digital harassment can carry serious legal consequences.