NATIONAL NEWS
Latest LGBTIQ national news from Australia
Transgender people experiencing high rates of sexual violence
Over half of transgender and gender diverse Australians have been victims of sexual violence or coercion, according to a new Kirby Institute report. The 2018 Australian Trans and Gender Diverse Sexual Health Survey involved 1,613 people and is the largest study of its kind. The report was launched in Perth on Tuesday. The study found …
WATCH: Victim exposes Australian ‘gay conversion therapy’
A victim of “gay conversion therapy” has blown the whistle on the dangerous practices in Australian churches. The term “conversion therapy” refers to the discredited practice of changing or suppressing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, using psychological or spiritual means. On Sunday night, Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes program revealed the practice is still …
No, there’s no ‘social contagion’ turning Australians transgender
The Australian Psychological Society has blasted claims published by The Australian newspaper that a “social contagion” is influencing transgender youth’s gender identities. The Australian newspaper has come under fire for publishing dozens of anti-trans stories over the past month. Many quote health practitioners with no experience treating gender dysphoria. On September 4, the newspaper published …
Israel Folau headlining Australian Christian Lobby conference
Israel Folau will be a keynote speaker at an upcoming Australian Christian Lobby conference next month. The ACL have announced the former rugby star will address the group’s Sydney conference on October 19, which is titled “Not Ashamed”. “Not Ashamed is an event to equip Christians to grow in our knowledge of truth, especially in …
Religious discrimination bill may ‘set LGBTIQ healthcare back years’
Equality Australia has warned the Morrison government’s controversial religious discrimination bill could negatively impact on LGBTIQ people’s access to healthcare. The religion bill could see LGBTIQ+ patients refused healthcare by practitioners who “conscientiously object” to their sexual orientation or gender identity on religious grounds. Equality Australia’s Anna Brown told the Sydney Morning Herald the religious …
Tasmanian trans advocate celebrates birth certificate milestone
Tasmanian transgender woman Martine Delaney has become the first to receive a birth certificate affirming her true gender under the state’s historic gender reforms. The new laws passed the state’s parliament in April and came into effect on Friday. They allow trans and gender diverse Tasmanians to amend sex markers on birth certificates without surgery …
Jacqui Lambie isn’t keen on the religious discrimination bill
Independent Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has expressed concerns about the government’s draft religious discrimination bill. Lambie told ABC News she doesn’t see a case for the controversial bill “at this point in time”. The independent senator told the ABC she would “have a look” at the legislation. But she said Tasmanians “seem to be satisfied” …
Transgender Tasmanians cheer first day of new laws
Tasmania’s transgender community celebrated on Thursday as the state’s historic gender reforms came into effect. The new reforms allow trans Tasmanians to amend gender markers on birth certificates without surgery or remove them altogether. New anti-discrimination provisions also came into effect in the state. Advocates say the gender reforms are the most advanced in Australia …
Attorney-General brushes off concerns with religion bill
Attorney-General Christian Porter has dismissed concerns from LGBTIQ advocates about a problematic clause in the government’s religious discrimination bill. Porter released the draft bill last week to criticism from LGBTIQ advocates that it goes too far. In particular, the bill explicitly overrides a clause in the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act to allow offensive language if religious …
Anglican Bishop to bless same-sex married couple
Anglican Bishop John Parkes on Saturday obtained a majority vote at the synod of the Diocese of Wangaratta allowing the blessings of same-sex marriages. In the coming weeks, he will bless two local priests after their marriage. John Davis and Rob Whalley will marry after a relationship of more than 20 years. Despite the church …
Discrimination? Australia 4th in world religious freedom rankings
The draft Religious Discrimination Bill is a result of complaints arising out of the same-sex marriage debate. Some religious groups equate equal rights for LGBTIQ people with an erosion of their own liberty. However, various world religious freedom rankings place Australia in the Top 10 with the most recent evaluation placing us fourth. Sydney’s Catholic …
Why these faith groups want the religious discrimination bill delayed
LGBTIQ faith group Equal Voices has called for the Morrison Government’s controversial religious discrimination laws to be delayed to allow more consultation. Attorney General Christian Porter finally unveiled a draft government’s proposed religious discrimination legislation on Thursday. But LGBTIQ advocates slammed the draft bill for going too far. Equal Voices is an Australia-wide network of …
ACL unhappy with religious discrimination bill
Martyn Iles from the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) complained yesterday that the draft religious discrimination bill does not go far enough. Meanwhile Shelley Argent, national spokesperson for PFLAG says the bill “tells our children they are inferior.” Iles wrote that the draft allowed the “crazy situation” where Rugby Australia could still sack Israel Folau. “While …
Big problem with Morrison government’s new religion laws
LGBTIQ advocates have criticised the Morrison government’s draft religious discrimination laws, which were unveiled today. Attorney-General Christian Porter said the government’s draft Religious Discrimination Act is similar to other existing anti-discrimination laws, like those covering age, race and disability. He said the laws would ensure religious people were protected from discrimination, in a “necessary and …
How to have your say on religious freedom and transgender rights
Just.equal has launched a new LGBTIQ community survey to get your thoughts on the current “religious freedom” and transgender rights debates. The survey comes as Attorney-General Christian Porter is expected to unveil his religious discrimination legislation on Thursday. It also comes following the Victorian parliament passing birth certificate reforms in Victoria. But News Corp’s The …
Gay couple petitioning to change ‘outdated’ blood donation policy
A gay couple from Canberra are petitioning for changes to the Red Cross Blood Service’s “outdated” donation policy restricting gay men from donating blood. Change.org petitioner Ky Ruprecht said his partner Connor went to donate at a Red Cross van, but was turned away. At the time, Connor was not even aware of the deferral …
Melbourne rally against religious exemptions this weekend
A Melbourne protest rally this weekend will oppose religious legal exemptions and LGBTIQ discrimination in the name of “religious freedom”. The Morrison government will unveil its controversial religious discrimination legislation within weeks. But advocates are concerned about the detail of the bills and their impact on the LGBTIQ community. Marriage equality campaigner Ali Hogg and …
What is this year’s most cringeworthy anti-gay comment?
The tenth annual GLORIA awards will return next month to name and shame the year’s most outrageous, ridiculous and ignorant comments about LGBTIQ people. The GLORIAs — the Gay and Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous, and Ignorant Awards — culminate in a “boo-off” at a New South Wales parliament event to decide the worst comment of the …
Dangerous substances found at Groovin the Moo pill testing trial
The Pill Testing Australia group has called on state governments to trial pill testing after they detected risky substances at a Canberra music festival. The group ran the pill testing trial at Groovin The Moo in Canberra in April, for a second consecutive year. The trial’s aim was to “provide a health service to reduce …
Dear Christians, we are not the enemy…
The debate in Australia over religious freedoms would suggest that Christians and LGBTIQ communities are implacable foes. Advocates of religious freedoms legislation portray the issue as a fight to save Christians from persecution by the ‘Rainbow Cult’, a term frequently employed on Australian Christian Lobby Facebook page. However, the LGBTIQ communities are not enemies of …
Australians oppose religious ‘right’ to discriminate, poll finds
A new poll has found Australians “overwhelmingly” believe religious organisations should not have the right to discriminate against LGBTIQ people and others. The Galaxy/YouGov poll, commissioned by PFLAG Australia, revealed 63% of Australians don’t believe religious organisations should have the right to discriminate against LGBTIQ people, unmarried mothers, divorcees and de facto partners. The figure …
Health body rejects News Corp claim of national transgender inquiry
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has rejected a claim it is conducting a “national inquiry” into the “safety and ethics” of medical treatment for transgender children. On Saturday, The Australian newspaper claimed the RACP had “agreed to do the inquiry” with the backing of Health Minister Greg Hunt. Hunt had received a submission …