A former Australian soldier has shared her personal experience of how the Australian army used to humiliate and denigrate soldiers they suspected were gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Content Warning: This article discusses suicide. 

Yvonne Sillett, a former soldier, has shared her experience with the royal commission looking into veteran suicides. The commission is currently hearing testimony from people who have been members of the Australian Defence Forces who have had suicide ideation or lost family members to suicide.

Appearing before the inquiry on Monday Sillett shared that she had been called before her superiors in 1988 to discuss her security clearance. She described her experience as a “witch hunt” for homosexual ADF members.

During the three hour long interrogation Sillett discovered that undercover army personnel had been following her for months and documenting where she spent her nights out and which friends she met. At the time the army considered homosexuals a threat to national security.

“I knew that would be the end of my career and my dream,” Sillett told the inquiry, describing the treatment by the army as “humiliating and degrading”. The following year, after she began experiencing suicidal thoughts, she was given an honourable discharge.

Since leaving the army she’s gone on to found a support group for LGBTIQA+ defence force members, but she’s never received an apology for how she was treated.

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual people were banned from serving in Australia’s Army, Navy and Air Force until November 23rd 1992 when Prime Minister Paul Keating announced the decision to remove the ban. Keating pushed ahead with the decision despite Defence Minister Robert Ray having publicly stated his support for the current rules.

At the time Keating said the decision to lift the ban “reflected community support for the removal of employment discrimination and brings the ADF into line with tolerant attitudes of Australians generally… The ADF acknowledges there are male and female homosexuals among its members and has advised the Government that these members are no longer actively sought out or disciplined because of their sexual orientation.”

Alexander Downer, who was the Opposition spokesperson for defence, said if his Liberal party was elected the ban would be reinstated if the chiefs of the defence forces asked for it. However when the Howard government came to power they did not follow through with the promise.

It would be 2010 before transgender people were allowed to serve in the military. In 2002 the Defence Force Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Intersex Information Service (DEFGLIS) was founded providing support for LGBTIQ+ service personnel and their families.

In 2021 Defence Minister Peter Dutton ordered that IDABOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia), could no longer be marked by defence force personnel.

OIP Staff

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Cabinet documents from twenty five years ago have revealed the Keating government’s concerns about allowing gay people to serve in the military.

The cabinet papers from 1992 and 1993 have been made public today and given Australians an insight into the concerns of the government. One issue that the cabinet debated was allowing gay people to be open about their sexuality in the armed forces.

The document’s reveal that then attorney-general Michael Duffy argued in favour of dropping the ban, while Defence Minister Robert Ray put forward the view that a ban on gay personnel should remain. Ray was putting forward the view supported by the Defence Forces’ leaders.

At the time the defence forces had two contradicting policies. A 1986 directive that banned homosexual activity stating that it was; “prejudicial to effective command relationships and to the maintenance of the high levels of morale and discipline necessary for the efficient functioning of the ADF”.

However in 1992 the defence forces had also adopted a policy stating that it had no concerns about the sexual activity of personnel as long as it did not effect operations.

Duffy argued that the two policies were inconsistent, while Ray put forward defence’s position that the band should remain.

“Homosexual behaviour or tendencies destroy the intimate bonding of the group because of the fear that the physical and psychological elements of military cohesion may be misrepresented and mistrusted as sexual in nature and, therefore, intrusive and threatening,” Ray argued in a Cabinet submission.

There was also concern that people wouldn’t want to sign up to serve in the defence forces if they knew gay people would be among the ranks.

“It is likely that a change in homosexual policy would influence the readiness of parents to permit their children to join the ADF and adversely affect its ability to recruit from the very important under-18 age bracket,” Ray argued in his submission.

The submission argued that while there were international human rights obligations in regards to not discriminating against homosexual people, a ban from the military could be justified because of the “inherent requirements of the job”.

The majority of the cabinet disagreed with the concerns and the ban was lifted in 1992.

Since 2009 same-sex domestic partners have had the same access military pensions and superannuation as mixed sex couples, and in 2010 the ban on transgender people serving was lifted.

OIP Staff

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Labor’s veteran’s affairs spokesperson Amanda Rishworth has dismissed concerns about the Australian Defence Forces proving medical care to transgender personnel.

Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has launched a campaign against the Australian Defence Forces providing funding to personnel who experience gender dysphoria.

The Western Australian MP has called on the ADF to tighten up its recruitment procedures to ensure that people who may experience gender dysphoria are not allowed into the armed services, and argued that the government should not provide assistance to personnel who want to access gender reassignment surgery.

Rishworth said politicians should not be arguing about what medical procedures ADF personnel do and don’t get. Rishworth made the comments while appearing on Sky News.

“I just don’t think it’s up to politicians to be arguing what medical procedures our ADF personnel do and don’t get,” Rishworth said.

“As I’ve said a number of times, gender dysphoria is a medically diagnosed issue.

“Medical issues get treated by the Australian Defence Force. People don’t get the opportunity to go out to other specialists outside the Defence Force.”

Ms Rishworth said those criticising the Defence Force’s funding of sex change operations were being “hysterical” and not understanding individuals’ circumstances.

“We rely on them to do a very difficult job, and that involves treating all medical conditions, and I just don’t think politicians should get in the business of telling the ADF what should or shouldn’t be treated.” the Labor MP said.

It was recently revealed that the Defence Force has spent 1.05 million treating 28 personnel with gender dysphoria between 2012 and 2017.

Rishworth’s comments echo a statement made by the military’s second highest ranking officer. Appearing before a Senate Estimates hearing last week Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, said some of the commentary around the issue was “bordering on hysterical”.

“These are people who are wearing the uniform of this country and serving this country. They deserve to be treated with (the) respect that any other member of the ADF is treated with,” Vice Admiral Griggs said.

“I have found the public debate to be almost bordering on hysterical,” Vice Admiral Griggs said.

“It’s a resolvable mental health condition, it sometimes requires surgery and sometimes it doesn’t,” Vice Admiral Griggs said.

Vice Admiral Griggs said the cost of training staff far outweighed the cost of proving for their health.

The expenditure has also been defended by Defence Minister Marise Payne and Defence Personnel Minister Dan Tehan.

OIP Staff

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The second highest ranking member of the Australian Defence Force has defended their support for personnel with gender dysphoria.

Appearing at a senate estimates hearing Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, said the cost of training staff outweighed the cost of proving their health.

“These are people who are wearing the uniform of this country and serving this country. They deserve to be treated with (the) respect that any other member of the ADF is treated with,” Vice Admiral Griggs said.

It was recently revealed that the Defence Force has spent 1.05 million treating 28 personnel with gender dysphoria between 2012 and 2017.

Asked to comment on the report Vice Admiral Griggs said he felt the commentary over the issue had bordered on hysterical.

“I have found the public debate to be almost bordering on hysterical,” Vice Admiral Griggs said.

“It’s a resolvable mental health condition, it sometimes requires surgery and sometimes it doesn’t,” Vice Admiral Griggs said.

“The aim here is not to lose talented individuals whom we have spent many, many millions of dollars in training. Many, many times more than one million dollars-worth of treatment.”

The support for transgender personnel has also been backed by Defence Minister Marise Payne and Defence Personnel Minister Dan Tehan.

Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has questioned the ADF’s support for transgender people and called on the army, navy and air force to develop stricter recruitment processes.

OIP Staff

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Western Australian Liberal MP Andrew Hastie is adamant that the defence force should change its policy which allows gender reassignment surgery for transgender service personnel.

The conservative MP disagrees with Defence Minister Marise Payne and Defence Personnel Minister Dan Tehan who have defended the funding.

The member for Canning has stepped up his campaign for a policy change, arguing that the armed forces are creating an incentive for people to undergo gender reassignment surgery by paying for the operation.

He also says he’s concerned about people with gender dysphoria “getting through” the army, navy and air forces recruitment processes.

Hastie made his most recent comments while chatting to Lyle Shelton, the Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, on his Voice for Values podcast.

“I have very deep reservations about the military being a test tube for social engineering and indeed being a place which incentivises sex change operations free of charge” Hastie said.

Hastie recently revealed he quit his career in the SAS because he was concerned that the Australian Defence Force (ADF) was involved in “social engineering”.

The MP said proving gender reassignment surgery to serving personnel could undermine Australia’s war fighting capabilities.

“The bottom line for the ADF is war fighting.” Hastie told Shelton, “Its primary mission is to win our wars and pursue our national objectives using lethal force.

“In order to have that you have to be very selective about who you enlist. We have rigorous standards for people at entry for army, navy and air force, and it’s troubling that people are getting through.”

Hastie said people experiencing gender dysphoria were real people, made of flesh and blood, who needed counselling and help.

The MP said the armed forces were knocking back people who had rugby injuries, mild allergies and athletes who had previously had cancer, and questioned why the recruitment processes were identifying these conditions but not detecting people who may be transgender.

Asked if he’d like to see a ban on transgender people serving in the military, similar to recent moves taken in the USA, Hastie said Australia should think “long and hard” about the issue.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I certainly want to raise the question.” Hastie said.

Hastie said his experience of serving in the military was that there had been a drop in morale while the Labor government was in power, and that decisions made because of “political correctness” were to blame.

“A man is a man and a woman is a woman” the MP said, arguing that military effectiveness is based on facts.

OIP Staff

24-10-17 An earlier version of this article suggested that the level of support given to people within the defence forces is greater than that given to people in the general public under Medicare. This has been disputed. OUTinPerth has removed the paragraph from the story while additional fact checking is undertaken.    

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The Minister for Defence Personnel, Dan Tehan, says he has reassured Western Australian politician Andrew Hastie that Australia’s military is focused on the defence of the nation, and allowing transgender personnel to undertake gender reassignment surgery is not reducing their effectiveness.

Hastie has spoken out about the defence force’s policy over the last week, arguing that the government should be changing the policy and not funding health care for transgender military personnel.

Military personnel are not issued a Medicare card, with all their health needs covered in the military’s own health budget. Gender reassignment surgery however is not completely available to the general population via Medicare, with only rebate available to cover some costs.

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Marise Payne defended the expenditure in parliament, after concern was raised by One Nation senator Pauline Hanson.

Appearing on Sky News, Tehan said he’d had a “good chat” with his colleague and listened to his concerns but also reassured him that the military was focused on defence. Tehan downplayed the suggested that there was a distinct difference of opinion between the government members.

“He [Hastie] want to make sure that the military, that our ADF, is focused on defending our nation, and that our men and women are focused on defending our nation, and what I was able to assure him is that is absolutely still the number of focus and commitment of the ADF,” Tehan said.

Asked if he would rule out there being a change in policy, Tehan said while there contrasting views within the government but the issue was not as simple as a black and white difference of opinions.

Tehnan said the number of people with gender dysphoria in the military was less than in the general population, and the amount of money spent on treating people with gender dysphoria was a minuscule part of the defence force’s health budget.

Former military officer Bridget Clinch wrote in The Guardian that it makes sense for the military to support personnel who want to transition. Clinch argues that the military having invested significant costs in training personnel is acting in its best interests by making sure they retain those people and their skills.

OIP Staff

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Western Australian Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has declared he’s committed to stopping transgender service personnel from receiving gender reassignment surgery on the tax payer’s dollar.

The former SAS officer discussed his opposition to the defence force policy in a recent speech that was reported in the media over the weekend.

“I do not see how these surgeries ­enhance our war-fighting capability as a nation. It’s a bad joke. Why is the ADF now a ­vehicle for radical social engineering?” Hastie said.

Outlining his opposition to people undergoing transition remaining in the forces Hastie said the military was no place for “the latest academic fad or trendy political orthodoxy”.

While Defence Minister Marise Payne has defended the expenditure, Hastie has declared he’ll continue to fight for a policy change.

Appearing on Sky News, Hastie told host Peter van Onselen the purpose of the army was to fight Australia’s wars.

“We need a really good war fighting capability, and we need to be selective with our personnel.” Hastie said.

The MP said there were many examples of people being denied permission to join the defence forces.

Hastie said one of his friends had been denied because of a rugby injury, while a constituent was knocked back because he had a mild shellfish allergy. The MP said the defence forces have knocked back people in remission from cancer because of their perceived higher health costs.

“We are selective, and my view is if you present with gender dysphoria then you absolutely need help, psychological help and counselling, but we need to be very very judicious about how we spend tax payers money.”

The member for Canning said the issue needed to be debated, and he felt that many people would be concerned about the direction the Australian Defence Force was taking.

Hastie said the policy was due to “mis-steps and negligence” by the former Labor government, and allowing gender reassignment surgery should not become normal practice.

“I will always push for things which I believe are in the national interest.” Hastie said, noting that he would continue to discuss the issue with colleague Dan Tehnan, the Minister for Defence Personnel.

OIP Staff

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Cabinet papers released today show that 25 years ago the Australian government was told that allowing gay and lesbian people to openly serve in the military would lead to enlisted defense force personnel being preyed upon by gay men.

Robert Ray who was Defence Minister at in the Keating government in the early 90’s, argued against allowing gay people to serve in the military.

“Protection from homosexual abuse is significant in situations where young and influential Service personnel are required to live in segregated, single-gender, barrack-style accommodation,’’ Senator Ray said in a Cabinet submission.

“The opportunity for abuse by homosexuals in these instances is, therefore, much greater than that by heterosexuals.’’

The Defence Minister’s position was backed by the senior officers in the Australian Defence Forces but was overruled in favour of a positive approach taken by then Attorney General Michael Duffy.

A formal ban on LGBT service personal was introduced in 1986, shortly after homosexuality was decriminalised in the ACT. The policy called for people who were revealed as being gay or lesbian to be terminated from their employment.

“Homosexual behaviour is not accepted or condoned in the Defence Force. The ADF policy on homosexuality is that when a member admits to or is proven to be involved in homosexual conduct, consideration is to be given to the termination of that member’s service.” the policy read.

In 1992 a new policy was introduced that stated, “The ADF has no concern with the sexual activities of its members provided they are not unlawful and are not contrary to or inconsistent with the inherent requirements of the ADF.”

The previous policy however was not rescinded, leading to the ADF having two opposing position statements. After the cabinet show down the 1986 policy was removed.

A cabinet note said the government could expect to have support from the gay community and social justice groups but would be criticised by veterans groups for the change in policy.

Shortly afterwards RSL National President Brigadier Alf Garland told the Sydney Morning Herald that his organisation believed that homosexuals were “sexual deviants who have a medical problem and should not be treated any differently to drug addicts”.

The gay community found an unexpected ally however in highly respected WWII prisoner-of-war Sir Ernest Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop who told the the same newspaper there had always been homosexuals in the armed services.

“Don’t let us delude ourselves … It is a mistake if you start labeling people too hard,” he said.

The Keating government’s decision to allow gay and lesbian defence force personnel to serve openly put them a decade ahead of other countries including the United States and Great Britain who did not address the issue until 2011.

Today the Defence Forces proudly march in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and the service has had many high profile gay, lesbian and transgender service people who have made a positive contribution to the armed forces.

Image: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (provided).

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The Sydney Morning Herald has revealed that former Prime Minister Tony Abbott is heading to the USA to speak at an event sponsored by a far right wing Christian group that opposes same sex marriage and abortion.

Mr Abbott will reportedly deliver a speech on the topic ‘The Importance of Family’ at a high profile dinner for elite decision makers organised by the Alliance Defending Freedom.

The organisers have told The Australian that Mr Abbott is speaking at a family event and described it as; “our overall objective is to inspire and motivate member state representatives at the highest political levels to remain staunch defenders of the traditional family in the face of immense pressure from the UN-system and other member states’’.

Who Are the Alliance Defending Freedom?

The current president of the The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is Alan Sears. Shears is a regular commentator on  Fox News and is the co-author of the book, ‘The Homosexual Agenda: Exposing the Principal Threat to Religious Liberty Today’.

In the book Sears and his co-author Craig Osten argue that America is accepting homosexuality because it is shown on television shows that promote alternative family structures and through the indoctrination of children.

Sears and Osten argue that instead of having anti-bullying programs in schools that protect LGBTIQ students, which they describe as tolerance training, instead there should be ‘truth days’ where homosexuality is openly discussed as a sin.

The organisation previously administered an event called ‘Day of Truth’ in opposition to US organisation Gay and Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s ‘Day of Silence’. The original event, which is held annually on US college campuses encourages people to speak about LGBTI bullying. Launched in 2005 the ADF event encouraged students to have discussions about the sinfulness of homosexuality.

The ADF passed the management of the event on to Exodus International in 2009. Exodus International was the world’s leading gay conversion therapy group, and has since disbanded. In 2010 the management of the event was passed on the evangelical group, Focus on the Family, who renamed it the ‘Day of Dialogue’.

Sears and Osten also argue in their book that homosexuality and pedophilia are “extrinsically linked”.

The Southern Poverty Law Centre lists The Alliance Defending Freedom is a key supporter of the World Congress of Families.

In 2014 then Abbott government Minister Kevin Andrews was forced to cancel his keynote address at the World Congress of Families conference after it was revealed that it was being hosted by the far right wing church The Hellfire Ministries. The church’s political arm is the nationalistic Rise Up Australia party.

The Alliance Defending Freedom is a large organisation that reportedly employs thousands of lawyers that assist people who are opposed to abortion, same sex marriage and other right wing causes.

The organisation has also reportedly been involved in helping create legislation for governments that want to outlaw homosexuality.

The news of Mr Abbott’s high profile speech to one of the leading right wing groups in America comes as he confirmed his intention to stay in politics and contest the next federal election.

So basically Abbott is going over to the US to speak to a Christian Taliban. Of course they can’t be evil, because Christian, right?

— Mark Pesce (@mpesce) January 25, 2016

Tony Abbott jets to US to address abortion and gay-marriage opponents. Aust just not wacky enough for Tone. https://t.co/yTXRSznovs

— Rhys Muldoon (@rhysam) January 25, 2016

@markgkenny ADF provide free legal representation to people like Hobart’s Archbishop Porteous. They do a great job. https://t.co/0RauHofyo0

— Lyle Shelton (@LyleShelton) January 25, 2016

@TheMurdochTimes @TonyAbbottMHR Ths is jst an attempt at guilt by associatn. All decnt ppl wld blieve in much tht thse ppl do eg TRAD FAMILY

— Jala Painter (@jala_1) January 25, 2016

Tony Abbott officially announces he will run in next election. Comedians breath sigh of relief.

— Tom Gleeson (@nonstoptom) January 24, 2016

USA please keep Tony Abbott, kind regards Australia.

— Sal (@Atheist_IMAGINE) January 25, 2016

Sources

• Sydney Morning Herald
• Southern Poverty Law Centre
• The Australian

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The Herald Sun has reported that the Army Reserve Intelligence Officer is facing a “notice to show cause for termination” from the Chief of the Defence Force.

A leak memo from Defence Chief David Hurley reportedly says, “”Your public comments demonstrate attitudes that are demeaning and demonstrate intolerance of homosexual persons, transgender persons and women and are contrary to the … cultural change currently being undertaken within the Army.”

The father of five from Queensland has been regularly criticised for the opinions he shares on social media and online.

Most recently on his website Mr Gaynor wrote about a comment the Prime Minister’s wife made regarding marriage equality. When Mrs Abbott said she believed that love and commitment should be recognised, Mr Gaynor indicated that he did not believe that there was much love in non-heterosexual relationships.

“…I dispute that there is much love in a relationship that hurts spiritually, physically, emotionally and eternally…”

Mr Gaynor said he believed the Prime Minister should resign if same sex marriage became law and that the Prime Minister was abandoning Catholic teachings.

Mr Gaynor has said that the charges against him are unfair as he is protecting Catholic values from unjust attack.

“It will be an unjust punishment that will become a badge of honour. I will proudly take it to my grave and fearlessly wear it when I face my God and Eternal King,” said Mr Gaynor in a statement.

A spokesperson for the Defence Force said that General Hurley had  yet to consider correspondence from Mr Gaynor and it would not be making a public comment while the matter was under consideration.

Earlier today Mr Gaynor took to his Twitter account highlighting that the Australian Defence Force had cleared his blog of being anti-women, anti-gay and anti-transgender.

Mr Gaynor re-shared his controversial blog from May this year where he argued that the military should not assist transgender personnel to undergo gender reassignment procedures.

OIP Staff

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