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An Australian journalist who decided to jokingly call her son \u2018Methamphetamine Rules\u2019 has come under fire for the \u2018stunt\u2019.<\/p>\n
ABC presenter Kirsten Drysdale, 38, was researching for her programme, WTFAQ, when she decided to see if a totally out-there name choice would be approved after viewers had asked how far they could push the boundaries when naming their children.<\/p>\n
While offensive terms are prohibited by the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, the name she submitted somehow got through and she was soon faced with the task of having to backtrack and get her son\u2019s actual name legally recognised.<\/p>\n
However, after sharing the story with the world, Kirsten has been forced to defend herself.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday night, she appeared on A Current Affair, where host Allison Langdon didn\u2019t seem to see the funny side and took a hard-line approach to her questioning.<\/p>\n
Taking aim, Alison asked: \u2018Did the epidural block the brain? Why would you do this to your baby boy?\u2019<\/p>\n
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Seemingly taken aback by the serious tone of the conversation, Kirsten tried to lighten the mood and replied: \u2018I did this in the name of journalism, Ally.\u2019<\/p>\n
However, Alison continued: \u2018I know that when you fill in a passport form you have to answer if you\u2019ve gone by another name, so baby Meth won\u2019t have to tick \u201cyes\u201d to that?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018No, he won\u2019t, because that\u2019s if you do a change of name. This is a different thing, it\u2019s a \u201ccorrection\u201d, so there\u2019s no endorsements on the bottom of the birth certificate that way,\u2019 Kirsten explained.<\/p>\n
After being asked if she took the \u2018stunt too far\u2019, Kirsten pushed back.<\/p>\n
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\u2018No. I would hope that there are no parents out there who would seriously call their child a name like that,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n
\u2018But if they are calling their child a questionable name, I think we\u2019ve shown that there needs to be some better checks on it.\u2019<\/p>\n
Acknowledging that some people would find what unfolded \u2018hilarious\u2019, Alison suggested others would be \u2018appalled\u2019.<\/p>\n
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However, Kirsten said there was \u2018no lasting harm done\u2019 and that they had \u2018checked what the risks were\u2019 before submitting the initial form.<\/p>\n
Explaining the decision to call her child a Class-A drug, Kirsten said earlier this week she and her production team had been convinced the name would be rejected.<\/p>\n
It also came after she\u2019d decided against writing down \u2018Nangs Rule\u2019 \u2013 a slang term for nitrous oxide canisters, or \u2018laughing gas\u2019, which is often used as a party drug, fearing that registry staff might be unaware of the term and approve the name.<\/p>\n
\u2018We thought, what is the most outrageous name we can think of that will definitely not be accepted?\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n
\u2018Methamphetamine Rules we thought would surely get rejected, and then when it does, we can find out what name the Registrar chooses.\u2019<\/p>\n
While she said it was a \u2018light-hearted, curious attempt to get an answer\u2019 to the question of what names could be approved, she was shocked when her submission \u2018slipped through\u2019.<\/p>\n
After the fact, the Registrar admitted it was a rare oversight, and the government department said it had \u2018strengthened\u2019 its system to avoid something like this \u2018highly unusual event\u2019 happening in the future.<\/p>\n