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Colleen McCullough, the late author of “The Thorn Birds,” died on Thursday, Elle Hunt reported Friday for The Guaridan. Her obituary on Friday in The Australian resulted in the hashtag #myozobituary.
In Friday’s edition of the Australian, the bestselling author of The Thorn Birds – which sold 30m copies worldwide – is remembered as “plain of feature, and certainly overweight, [but] nevertheless a woman of wit and warmth” in the first paragraph.
How everyone wants to be remembered! MT @joanna_mcc: Award for worst opening lines of an obituary in @australian pic.twitter.com/XaCNXGI1Tc
— Elle Hunt (@mlle_elle) January 30, 2015
Gavia Baker-Whitelaw wrote Friday for The Daily Dot about the hashtag.
Some of these hashtag obituaries are pretty funny, but they expose a grim truth: If you’re a woman, it’s practically impossible to escape being judged by your appearance.
Sam Maggs reported on it as well for The Mary Sue.
The incredible classiness and inarguable misogyny of the obituary did not go ignored by the internet, and #MyOzObituary has been trending on Twitter to some fairly hilarious results.
All three pieces include some tweets, and here are a few more, from journalists and writers.
Thin-skinned and often cranky, he was nevertheless quick with an Irene Dunne reference. Also something about commas, IDGAF. #myozobituary
— Benjamin Dreyer (@BCDreyer) January 30, 2015
Though hirsute of leg and rather fond of cake, she did, according to her mother-in-law, marry well. #myozobituary
— Amanda Jennings (@MandaJJennings) January 30, 2015
Having never really recovered from carrying twins, she hoisted her breasts in ropes and pulleys for the remainder of her days #myozobituary
— Caroline Overington (@overingtonc) January 30, 2015
She often failed to brush her hair or shave her legs, but she could -occasionally- string a sentence together & put it to air #myozobituary
— Sarah Gerathy (@sarahgerathy) January 30, 2015
Fat, ignorant and flatulent; yet nevertheless as charismatic as a paper clip.
#myozobituary
— Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) January 30, 2015
She was too female for a cartoonist. #myozobituary
— Sir Madame Wilcox (@cathywilcox1) January 30, 2015
Even though she was a filthy traitor, she loved cats. #myozobituary
— Paula Matthewson (@Drag0nista) January 30, 2015
Though she wore glasses and never grew taller than 5'5 she was fond of technology and committed several acts of journalism. #myozobituary
— Lora Kolodny (@lorakolodny) January 30, 2015
#myozobituary "Woman, sister, daughter, friend. Despite all that, managed to get a college degree and go into journalism. Go figure".
— Alejandra Jover (@alejandra_jover) January 30, 2015
Though she only had cleavage if she stood on her head, she was a well-published journalist and writer. #MyOzObituary
— Nina L. Diamond (@ninatypewriter) January 30, 2015
"Plain of face and large of nose, she nevertheless produced some publishable articles, and one child." #myozobituary
— Jessica Friedmann (@MsFriedmann) January 30, 2015
Although she had unfortunate skin, she could eavesdrop like nobody's business. #myozobituary
— iworkatalibrary (@iworkatalibrary) January 30, 2015
