Grace Tame has addressed her tense exchange with Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week, saying that abuse culture is dependent on "submissive smiles and self-defeating surrenders".
Footage of her meeting with Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny went viral last week in which Ms Tame appeared to be less than thrilled to meet the pair ahead of a morning tea at The Lodge.
The 2021 Australian of the Year was criticised by some as being "childish" and "rude", while others praised her integrity.
"The survival of abuse culture is dependent on submissive smiles and self-defeating surrenders. It is dependent on hypocrisy," Ms Tame said, addressing the matter for the first time on Twitter.
The 27-year-old child sexual abuse survivor was recognised in last year's awards for her advocacy for survivors of sexual assault.
"My past is only relevant to the extent that I have seen — in fact I have worn — the consequences of civility for the sake of civility," she said.
Ms Tame explained that she did not aim to wade into any debates about gender.
"What I did wasn't an act of martyrdom in the gender culture war," she said.
"It's true that many women are sick of being told to smile, often by men, for the benefit of men.
"But it's not just women who are conditioned to smile and conform to the visibly rotting status quo. It's all of us."
Ms Tame has been critical of the federal government's response to allegations of sexual assault and toxic workplace culture in parliament.
She spoke out against Mr Morrison's initial response after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins alleged she had been raped in a ministerial office by a colleague in 2019.
At the time, Mr Morrison said he had discussed Ms Higgins's situation with his wife, who had urged him to think about it as a father of two daughters.
"It shouldn't take having children to have a conscience," she told the National Press Club in March.
"And actually, on top of that, having children doesn't guarantee a conscience."
On Friday, Mr Morrison said he had not raised any issues about his meeting with Ms Tame.
"When Jenny and I invite someone to our home, we greet them with a smile and they're always welcome, and that day was actually about all the finalists we came to celebrate," Mr Morrison told radio station 4BC.
"I haven't raised any issues about [the incident] — all I'm saying is we were there that day to celebrate those who had done an incredible job for our country."
