Free Speech Victory in Australia for Billboard Chris as “X” Post Censorship Overturned
Chris ‘Billboard Chris’ Elston – the advocate known for wearing a sandwich board reading, “children cannot consent to puberty blockers” and engaging in street conversations amplified by viral videos across the world – mounted a successful legal challenge against the Australian “eSafety Commissioner” for censoring an online post criticizing gender ideology, with the legal backing of ADF International.
On 1 July 2025, The Administrative Review Tribunal ruled in favour of Chris, striking down a government order that sought to censor his post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) under the country’s Online Safety Act.
Chris had taken to X to criticize the World Health Organization’s appointment of a transgender activist to a global transgender policy advisory board. The activist complained to Australian authorities, who, in turn, demanded that X remove the content. After initially refusing, X was forced to geo-block the content in Australia.
Chris, with the support of ADF International and the Australian Human Rights Law Alliance, appealed the violation of his right to speak freely about the dangers of gender ideology. X also sued. The Melbourne Tribunal heard the free speech challenge from 31 March to 4 April 2025.
“No child has ever been born in the wrong body. As a father, I have grave concerns about the impact of harmful gender ideology on our children’s wellbeing. This is a serious issue with real world implications for families across the globe and we need to be able to discuss it.”
– Billboard Chris
Case Summary
Chris, a Canadian father of two, took to X on 28 February 2024 to share a Daily Mail article titled “Kinky secrets of a UN trans expert REVEALED”.
The article, and accompanying tweet, criticised the suitability of transgender activist Teddy Cook to be appointed to a World Health Organization “panel of experts” set to advise on global transgender policy.
Cook complained about the post to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, who requested that X remove the content. The social media platform owned by free speech advocate Elon Musk initially refused, but following a subsequent formal removal order from the Commission, later geo-blocked the content in Australia. X has since also filed an appeal against the order at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in Melbourne.
Chris, with the support of ADF International and the Australian Human Rights Law Alliance, and alongside Elon Musk’s X, appealed the violation of his right to peacefully share his convictions.
The case was heard in Melbourne for five days the week of 31 March 2025.
“It is vital we challenge the global spread of censorship. We’re used to hearing about governments punishing citizens for their ‘wrong’ speech in parts of the world where strict blasphemy laws are still enforced – but now, from Australia, to Mexico, to Finland, we see Western governments increasingly take authoritarian steps to shut down views they don’t like, often by branding them as “offensive”, “hateful”, or “misinformation.”
“In a free society, ideas should be challenged with ideas, not state censorship. We’re proud to stand with Billboard Chris – and others around the world punished for expressing their peaceful views – in defending the right to live and speak the truth,” commented Robert Clarke, Director of Advocacy for ADF International, who served as part of Chris’s legal team.
In July 20205, the Tribunal found that the eSafety Commissioner made the wrong decision in determining Chris’s post was “cyber abuse” and set aside the decision.
“This is a decisive win for free speech and sets an important precedent in the growing global debate over online censorship. In this case, the Australian government alarmingly censored the peaceful expression of a Canadian citizen on an American-owned platform, evidence of the expansive reach of censorial forces, even beyond national borders. Today, free speech has prevailed,” said Paul Coleman, Executive Director of ADF International.
“This is a victory not just for Billboard Chris, but for every Australian – and indeed every citizen who values the fundamental right to free speech,” Coleman continued.
Reacting to the favourable verdict, Chris stated: “I’m grateful that truth and common sense have prevailed. This decision sends a clear message that the government does not have authority to silence peaceful expression. My mission is to speak the truth about gender ideology, protecting children across the world from its dangers. With this ruling, the court has upheld my right to voice my convictions – a right that belongs to every one of us. My post should never have been censored in Australia, but my hope is that authorities will now think twice before resorting to censorship.”