US 'pick-up artist' Julien Blanc forced to leave Australia after visa cancelled

Controversial US “pick-up artist” Julien Blanc has cut short his Australian tour after having his visa cancelled in the wake of protests against his seminars, which promote dangerous and abusive behaviour towards women.

“We can confirm Julien Blanc left Australia overnight,” Victorian police said on Twitter. “His assistant is also due to leave shortly.” The pair had planned to stay until December.

The immigration minister, Scott Morrison, said Blanc’s visa was cancelled Thursday night.

“The matter was raised with us and we had it investigated and this fellow looked at,” Morrison told Sky News on Friday.

“This guy wasn’t putting forward political ideas, he was putting forward abuse that was derogatory to women and that’s just something, those are values abhorred in this country.”

Australians were outraged after discovering Blanc, a so-called “date coach”, was holding seminars to teach men how to “pick up” women using physical force and emotional abuse.

Venues in Melbourne refused to host his events after protesters highlighted his videos, Twitter feeds and photos promoting violence against women and abuse as a means of attracting them.

Blanc’s assistant then attempted to hold a seminar on a boat on Melbourne’s Yarra river on Thursday night, which a handful of men paid to attend.

Protesters rallied along the river and also trailed the pair by boat, and Melbourne River Cruises cancelled the event as soon as they were told what was happening. In the end police escorted the men off the vessel.

Blanc’s abortive visit comes as Victoria grapples with the devastating impact of family violence, with the deaths of 29 women and eight children at the hands of violent men in the past year.

Victorian police commissioner Ken Lay, who has consistently worked to end violence against women, was so disturbed by Blanc’s behaviour that he released a statement Friday condemning it.

“I’ve seen Julien Blanc’s work,” he said. “To me most of it appears to be deeply disturbing and offensive. Labelling women as objects and actively promoting the abuse of women degrades the dignity of our whole community.

“We want to assure everyone that we have been paying close attention to this issue and appreciate that so many community members have expressed concern.”

Some people have been critical to the response against Blanc, saying it only gives him more underserved attention.

But Lay said he was proud Victorians had taken a stand, saying “it gives me confidence that we are moving in the right direction”.

Blanc began his seminars in Sydney last week, but the movement against him had gained significant momentum by the time he reached Melbourne.

The #takedownjulienblanc Twitter campaign led by online activist Jennifer Li helped spread word of his talks, and an anti-Blanc Facebook page also emerged. An online petition urged Morrison to deport him.

Protesters holding placards with slogans such as “destroy rape culture” followed Blanc wherever he went.

Neither Blanc nor his company have responded to requests for comment. According to his tour schedule, he is due to appear next in Japan.

“Just go through Tokyo, grab girls and yell ‘Pikachu’ and put her head on your dick”, Blanc instructs his audience before showing footage of himself doing just that. This is nothing short of a lesson teaching how to rape.

Sorry mate didn't see your thread. Would appreciate if a mod could add these posts to Loony's thread.

Very disgusting, his game is basically a way to screen for women who lack confidence/assertiveness and will go along with something even if they don't like it.
He knows that women who have courage/more self-worth won't put up with his shit, so he seeks to pick out more vulnerable ones.

It's concerning that he has a lot of success with his tactics. Also worrying that so many guys will pay money to attend seminars and whatnot.

I watched the videos and it was also interesting/concerning that there were women in some of the seminar videos, clapping and smiling along to what he was saying like the other attendees.

I watched the videos and it was also interesting/concerning that there were women in some of the seminar videos, clapping and smiling along to what he was saying like the other attendees.

internalized misogyny. Been there, done that.

there's definitely a lot of pressure to consider these things cool that guys like. If you don't laugh about sexist jokes, downplay male harassment, don't condone porn and prostitution, you get the label of a bore, a prude, a man-hater and much more. Actually, this is, apart from a slut, the worst thing you can be. As a woman, you can't win either way.

Sorry for bumping, don't know if it's against the rules... but aren't men more objects than women in porn? When was the last time you saw a man's face in mainstream porn? I think that pornography has been very important to progressively desexualize female bodies!

In this sense, the male actor is most certainly the subject, whereas the females are there solely to be acted upon.

What do you actually mean? When you mean men are more "objects", are you referring to the male gaze? Or? And how does pornography "progressively desexualize female bodies"?

I'm confused. :confused: