A locally organised rally in support of transgender liberation is planned to be held in the James Street Mall this weekend.

The event is a response to ongoing anti-trans rhetoric in politics, media and social media, providing an opportunity for trans folks to stand together, and for allies to stand up in solidarity.

“Transgender people are under attack throughout the western world. From attacks on existing equality legislation in the UK, to bans on affirming health care in the US. From Nazi’s in Melbourne to hate crimes in Northbridge,” the event description reads.

“Fortunately the queer community is strong, and we have come in large numbers to fight back against exclusionists getting a foothold in Australia.”

“But we can’t keep transgender politics stuck in purely defensive fight against those who hate us. We must also come together as a community in solidarity to fight for our liberation.”

“If we hold at the centre of our movement the most vulnerable in our community, we cannot rely on a movement led around or reactionary to the mainstream media. We must be proactive in building a movement that that leaves no-one behind, and has solidarity as its core. We must take control of the narrative of what it means to be trans.”

The event one of two LGBTIQA+ solidarity events planned for this weekend, with a photoshoot organised in response to recent homophobic attacks in the Northbridge Cultural Centre.

Join the Trans Liberation Rally from 3pm, Saturday 22 April.

Do you need some support?

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:

QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.

DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au

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Today is Transgender Day of Visibility, an international celebration of transgender and gender diverse lives, identities, achievements and triumphs.

This year, TransFolk of WA is marking Trans Day of Visibility with a low-key sundowner at South Beach in Walyalup, Fremantle.

“It has been a rather intense start to the year for our trans and gender-diverse community, and our families and friends,” a spokesperson for TransFolk of WA told OUTinPerth.

“We wanted to spend this Trans Day of Visibility bringing the community together for an evening of joy, to make friends and share in each others company.

“Celebrating trans joy after the month that’s been is an important part of celebrating who we are as trans and gender-diverse community. We look forward to seeing everyone there, including family and friends.”

The sundowner is also a fundraising opportunity for TransFolk of WA, with an option for attendees to donate and help support TransFolk of WA’s essential support services.

TransFolk of WA is a peer-led service providing regular online spaces and important resources for trans and gender diverse Western Australians, as well as recommending safe services and events bringing trans folks and allies together to celebrate and honour the community.

The team encourages all to bring a picnic blanket, camp chairs, food, games, your guitar, crafts, or a towel for swimming.

“This event is about existing. About celebrating everyday, ordinary trans joy,” the event description reads.

“About not having to fight for once and being allowed to relax, allowed to simply spend time with friends or make some new ones. To sit in nature and just be.”

Join TransFolk of WA from 5pm at South Beach, Fremantle. For more information, head over to Facebook.

Image: Stock image

Do you need some support?

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:

QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.

DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au

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The post Trans Day of Visibility: Join TransFolk of WA for community sundowner appeared first on OUTinPerth.

Equality Tasmania has welcomed an unreserved apology to the trans and gender diverse community from the Launceston Examiner for a false anti-trans letter published on Tuesday, March 7

The apology was published on today’s front page.

“The Examiner published a letter that caused distress to Tasmania’s transgender and gender-diverse communities,” the apology reads.

“The letter was published without any verification of the assertions it presented as facts. It also carried a headline that was hurtful and incorrect.”

The apology also acknowledges the recently-ousted editor, former Katherine Deves campaign manager Mark Westfield, had not offered an apology with the letter’s original retraction.

“A note published on March 8, 2023, explaining why the letter had been retracted, also fell short of the standards that we should meet as one of Tasmania’s leading newspapers. It offered an excuse when it should have offered an apology.”

“The Examiner accepts that the letter should not have appeared. We acknowledge that its publication, and comments in other forums that followed, caused hurt to members of our community who may already face the cruelty of vilification and harassment in their daily lives.”

“The Examiner therefore apologises unreservedly to the transgender and gender-diverse communities for the error. We let you down, and we are sorry.”

Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rose Boccalatte, thanked the Examiner team for publishing the apology.

“We thank the Examiner for fulsomely apologising for the fake, transphobic letter it published and for the hurt that letter caused,” Boccalatte said.

“At a time when many trans and gender diverse people feel overwhelmed by the noisy minority who vilify us and seek to roll back our rights, this apology comes as a welcome show of support and respect.”

“I can’t speak for every trans and gender diverse Tasmanian but I, for one, accept the apology and look forward to working with the Examiner to foster a more inclusive Tasmania for all LGBTIQA+ people.”

Do you need some support?

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:

QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.

DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au

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The post Advocates welcome Launceston Examiner apology for anti-trans letter appeared first on OUTinPerth.

Attorney-General John Quigley has just announced the McGowan Government will progress legislation to repeal the Gender Reassignment Act 2000 and abolish the Gender Reassignment Board.

Under the reforms, to update sex or gender information on a birth certificate, applicants will no longer be required to demonstrate that they have undertaken surgical or medical intervention.

Rather, they will be able to provide a certificate from their medical practitioner or psychologist confirming they have received clinical treatment in relation to their sex or gender identity. Applications will be processed by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

WA Labor committed to abolish the board back in 2017 at a state conference, aiming to bring Western Australia in line with other jurisdictions in Australia.

In recent months, local LGBTQIA+ organisations including TransFolk of WA, Rainbow Futures WA and PFLAG+ Perth were urging the McGowan Government to expediate action, following the resignation of the Board’s President.

To ensure the Board can deal with any pending applications – and any new applications received prior to the introduction of the reforms – the State Government has appointed Grantham Kitto as President of the Board. Kitto has been a lawyer for more than 30 years, and has been a member of the Board since February 2009.

The Board will prioritise existing applications – with Mr Kitto committing to complete eight cases ready for assessment – within the first week of his appointment.

“The McGowan Government is committed to LGBTIQA+ law reform and to improving the process of sex and gender recognition,” Attorney-General Quigley said.

“These reforms will bring Western Australia in line with the processes available for birth certificates throughout most of Australia – and are consistent with the process available for Australian passports.

“I thank Mr Kitto for agreeing to lead the Board while the State Government develops legislation to replace its functions with a modern and streamlined administrative process.

“I would also like to acknowledge and thank the current members of the board for their ongoing contribution.”

These reforms will take place alongside the State Government’s commitment to introduce a new Equal Opportunity Act for Western Australia, which will provide anti-discrimination protections to those who are trans, gender-diverse or non-binary without the need for recognition from the Gender Reassignment Board.

Leigh Andrew Hill

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A new report released by US based The Trevor Project has shared that there is an alarming high rate of suicide ideation among young transgender and non-binary Americans.

Reader advice: This report contains news about suicide, suicide ideation and transphobia. 

The figures have drawn attention to a growing mental health crisis among LGBTIQA+ youth as political action is taken against the rights of people who are transgender.

The Trevor Project is a not-for-profit group dedicated to LGBTIQA+ youth suicide prevention.  The project began in 1988 and was founded by the creators of the 1988 Academy Award winning short film Trevor that shared the story of a teenage boy who attempts suicide after being bullied by his peers.

Their latest survey asked nearly 34,000 queer and trans youth aged between 13 and 24 about their mental health over the last 12 months. The results showed alarmingly high rates of suicide attempts, depression and anxiety. The researchers found high rates of mental health concerns in states that had recently proposed legislation limiting the rights of transgender people, but there were also concerns in more liberal states too.

The data is released as over 150 bills targeting transgender rights were filed in state legislatures over the last year. There has also been a growing number of violent attacks targeting spaces where LGBTIQA+ congregate. Legislation targeting transgender people’s bathroom use, participation in sports, and access to medical care have been received wide coverage in the media.

The report also found that in many states 5% – 10% of young people reported that they had been threatened with the widely discredited practice of conversion therapy.

“For years, The Trevor Project’s research has worked to increase our understanding of the mental health challenges and suicide risk faced by LGBTQ young people across the United States. For the first time, these new data allow us to examine these young people’s experiences state by state,” said Carrie Davis, Chief Community Officer at The Trevor Project.

“Especially as we anticipate another record wave of anti-LGBTQ bills in 2023, these findings underscore the disparities in access to mental health care and systems of support among LGBTQ youth, a group consistently found to be at significantly increased risk for suicide due to the anti-LGBTQ victimization they face, and how they are mistreated in society at large.

“We hope that fellow researchers, lawmakers, youth-serving professionals, and allies in every state will use these data to uplift LGBTQ young people and advocate for policies that celebrate and support them – not isolate them further.” Davis said.

Do you need some support?

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:

QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.

DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au

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The post US survey shares alarming facts about trans and non-binary youth appeared first on OUTinPerth.

The Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) has announced they will offer access to Gender Affirmation Leave for their staff and they encourage other employers to follow suit.

Following internal staff bargaining throughout the last few months, the new CSA Staff Agreement 2022 will now offer employees access to six months of leave, of which four weeks is paid leave, to affirm their gender.

CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary, Rikki Hendon, said this was a welcome inclusion into the CSA Staff Agreement, and that the CPSU/CSA continues to push for positive and progressive change within the union movement and into the workforce more broadly.

“Undergoing gender affirmation procedures, whether it be medical procedures such as surgery or access to hormone replacement therapy or social and legal changes such as birth certificate changes for name or gender, is a time-consuming process for transgender and gender-diverse people.

“LGBTQIA+ rights are union business and we’re proud to be putting our values into action by introducing this new leave entitlement for our staff.

“We also encourage other employers, including but not limited to those in the public sector, to follow suit on such inclusions, and make their own organisations workplaces of choice for the LGBTQIA+ community.

“We want our union to be an employer of choice for the LGBTQIA+ community, and hope this is a positive step forward in that regard. Our union would be happy to assist other organisations, bargaining teams or workplace delegates in drafting and encouraging Gender Affirmation Leave in their agreements.” Hedon said.

The CPSU/CSA is the union for workers in the WA public sector in roles ranging from child protection workers to drivers licensing assessors. It negotiates the pay and conditions of more than 40,000 Western Australians.

In recent years Gender Affirmation leave has been introduced by many leading businesses including Coles, AN, Zurich, ABC, IBM, Accenture, Westpac, and Deakin University, and the Victorian public sector.

OIP Staff

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PFLAG+ Perth, the Parents, Families and Friends of the LGBTQIA+ community are calling on the McGowan Government to take action on the outdated Gender Reassignment Board. 

The organisation highlighted that there had been media reports revealing the board had stopped considering applications because its long-standing President resigned back in September.  The situation was first revealed by Youth Jam Radio on the 5th of December, with a report appearing in OUTinPerth the following day.

The West Australian delivered a personal perspective on the hold-up when they shared the story of transgender woman Bree Wilkinson. Wilkinson only discovered the board had been put on hiatus after she called the Department of the Attorney General to ask about the progress of her application 10 weeks after she’d submitting the required paperwork.  

“PFLAG+ Perth, the Parents, Families and Friends of the LGBTQIA+ community stand firmly with TransFolk of WA, Rainbow Futures WA and our Trans and Gender Diverse loved ones. We stand with Bree who bravely shared her story publicly. We note that to date there has been no resolution to this matter.” said spokesperson Kate Salinger. 

“We have today forwarded a letter to the Premier Mark McGowan and the Attorney General John Quigley requesting an urgent meeting to outline our concerns and distress. Concerns and distress caused by, firstly, the continued existence of the obsolete and archaic mechanism that is the Gender Reassignment Board, especially given WA Labor’s 2017 commitment to abolish it. Secondly, that its current impotent existence is causing considerably more harm to our loved ones than it usually does.”

Salinger said she hoped people would write to the Attorney-General John Quigley and encourage him to take action.

“As families and friends, we were heartened by the out-pouring of support shown by thousands of Western Australian’s two years ago when a local city official misspoke regarding our Trans and Gender Diverse loved ones. We hope that you can join us again, in writing to the Premier and Attorney General to bring this matter to a speedy conclusion. Ideally, the abolition of this costly, redundant and harmful Board.”

Last week a spokesperson for the Attorney General told OUTinPerth that the process of appointing a new President to the Gender Reassignment Board was well advanced. In parliament Quigley recently gave an update on proposals to completely scrap the board saying it was being considered by cabinet.

OIP Staff

Do you need some support?

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:

QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.

DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au

You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.

The post PFLAG call on McGowan Government to take action on gender board appeared first on OUTinPerth.

Jessica Hoyle, the Tasmanian woman who applied to have an exemption from Tasmania’s anti-discrimination laws so she could hold a women’s event that barred transgender women, says she’ll take her case to the High Court.

Appearing on The Rita Panahi Show Hoyle said she believed Tasmania’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner who denied her an exemption from the laws, and the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT), who upheld the decision, made the wrong judgement.

“I plan on taking this further, under advice from my barrister, so it looks like a judicial review of this whole decision.” Hoyle said. “From what my understanding is, this could lead to a constitutional challenge.”

Hoyle said the decision was affecting same sex attracted people across the country.

“It seems in Tasmania it is unlawful for lesbians like myself to hold events and to have any rights to freedom of association. It’s been a horrific two weeks for the rights of same-sex attracted women, and for gay men as well, and for the while lesbian community, not just in Australia, but Australia wide.” Hoyle said.

Hoyle first applied to Sarah Bolt, Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, for an exemption in 2021. When the request was rejected, she appealed against the decision.

The appeal was also unsuccessful. In the judgement the tribunal said many of the arguments put forward in the case were not backed up by research.

“Many of the assertions, particularly those regarding paraphilias, patterns of criminality and nefarious motivations for attending female-only events were unsupported by empirical research or compelling evidence.

“The wider public interest in protecting the rights of all members of the community from discrimination and prohibited conduct would not be advanced by the Tribunal yielding to such arguments.” the judgement read.

“Obviously we don’t matter and don’t exist to TASCAT.” Hoyle said during her most recent appearance on Sky News. “Our same-sex attraction isn’t valid, and we have no freedoms of association, and we have to include men into our spaces.

“I believe it’s been a huge disservice to same-sex attract women, which is lesbians.” Hoyle said, saying Tasmanian lesbians were now being exposed to “state sanction conversion practices” through being forced to admit transgender women to events.

OIP Staff, image: Sky News. 

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November 13 – 19 is Transgender Awareness Week, a time to raise awareness of trans and gender diverse identities, issues faced by trans folks, and celebrate trans individuals, groups and their achievements.

The week marks an opportunity for people, businesses and organisations to educate themselves on trans and gender diverse identities, how to promote meaningful inclusion and affirm those who do not conform to the gender binary.

Educating yourself can range from attending or organising workshops from support organisations like TransFolk of WA, watching trans-led stories and documentaries such as The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone on Stan, learning more about pronouns and making sure to stand up as an ally at work, school or university.

East coast organisation Minus18 have also developed a series of resources specifically for celebrating Trans Awareness Week, and have all sorts of tips and conversation starters to help your organisation mark the occasion the right way.

The week culminates with Transgender Day of Remembrance, a special event to remember and memorialise trans lives lost to transphobic violence and hold them in our hearts.

TransFolk of WA are hosting this year’s vigil on Sunday 20 November in Hyde Park. All are invited to come along and pay their respects, and bring a picnic rug or chair.

OIP Staff

Do you need some support?

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:

QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.

DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au

You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.

The post November 13 – 19 is Transgender Awareness Week appeared first on OUTinPerth.

For years anti-transgender activists have been campaigning to have transgender women excluded from the NSW Women of the Year Awards, and today they claimed the 2023 awards had revised the entry criteria limiting entries to only “women or girls”.

However, a spokesperson for the NSW Government has told OUTinPerth that there is no truth in the claim, and nominations naming women who are transgender will still be welcomed.

This morning Kirralie Smith from anti-transgender lobby group Binary posted to social media claiming the NSW government was implementing the rule change saying her group had spent years campaigning to have the wording “identifies as a woman” removed from the awards.

Sky News contributor and Save Women’s Sport Australasia co-founder, Katherine Deves, also posted the claim.

On Twitter Deves described it as a “small but significant win”.

Deves encouraged people to write to NSW Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor thanking her for “righting an affront to NSW women and girls”.

Taylor has previously refused to define women as excluding transgender women.

A spokesperson for the NSW government told OUTinPerth there had been no change, and they still welcomed nominations of women who are transgender.

“The NSW Women of the Year Awards is open to women and girls from all walks of life.” the spokesperson said.

“We have and will continue to actively encourage nominations from diverse communities.

“The NSW Women of the Year Awards recognise women and girls from all backgrounds and life experiences working to make a positive impact in the lives of the people of NSW.”

Nominations for the 2023 Awards are open until Friday 30th September.

Graeme Watson

Do you need some support?

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:

QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight)
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.

DISCHARGED: info@discharged.org.au / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au

Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au

You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.

The post Transgender women can still enter 'NSW Women of the Year' Awards appeared first on OUTinPerth.