Rodney Croome AM
@RodneyCroome
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Policy officer, Equality Tasmania. Board Member, Just.Equal. Tasmanian of the Year 2015. LGBTIQA+ human rights advocate.
Joined January 2015
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This is exactly what I needed to see this morning in Parliament Gardens on my way to address Tasmanian MPs about LGBTIQA+ equality. It gave me strength.
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1/6 If the Religious Discrimination Bill goes through in its current form with the support of both major parties I will hand back my Order of Australia.
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Barnaby Joyce is a hypocrite to oppose LGBTI equality in the name of "traditional marriage" while breaking his vow of lifelong commitment and having a child out of wedlock. Joyce insisted on a plebiscite that put LGBTI relationships under scrutiny so he can't claim "privacy" now.
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1/3: A big thank you to my Equality Tasmania colleagues for ensuring over 400 people turned out to affirm trans and gender diverse people, in response to British activist, Kelly-Jay Keen’s anti-trans speech in Hobart.
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How dare the Tas Libs lump together paedophilia and transgender law reform as threats children need protection from. Trans folk are some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Anyone who whips up prejudice for tawdry political gain should hang their head in shame.
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Hopefully, this will be prompt other Pacific nations like the Solomons to follow suit.
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1/2: A lot of people were shocked to hear Peter Dutton raise the issue of “radical gender theory” in his budget reply speech. I wasn’t. It is the current culture war in the US so of course there will be attempts to bring it here (again).
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Fr Bob was a brave advocate for LGBTIQA+ equality. He stood up for the recognition of same-sex relationships when few others would. Our conversations were a great inspiration for me. He was always true to his Christian values of love and inclusion.
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A huge thank you to Robin Banks for this wonderful and thoughtful belated Christmas gift. Robin knitted me a jumper similar in pattern and colour to the now-infamous jumper I was arrested in at Salamanca Market in 1988 defending our gay law reform stall.
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1/3: The decision to ban police from Mardi Gras was a mistake. Beau Lamarre-Condon's alleged crime was not motivated by gay-hate. LGBTIQA+ partner abuse is a serious problem the police ban is distracting the nation from.
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Ulverstone was once dubbed “Australia’s most homophobic town” in the national press. Today we raised the rainbow flag over its Council chambers. Never doubt profound change for the better is possible.
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Some welcome affirmation at the Equality Tasmania Salamanca Market stall this morning.
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2. The silver lining to Joyce's hypocrisy is that he has exposed what "traditional marriage" really means for people like him. It is not a set of standards for heterosexual couples to live up to. It is a euphemism for prejudice against LGBTI people.
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6/6 “Anyone around my age would remember a time when homosexuality was a crime and would remember the laws that followed to protect Tasmanians were incredibly hard fought for. Our laws are considered first rate (and) still remain the strongest in Australia.”
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For the first time in its 35 year history, Equality Tasmania has received state government funding. It will be to work with the government and other community organisations to develop Tas Gov’s LGBTIQ+ Action Plan. We’re very excited! More here:
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At this evening’s meeting, Hobart City Council overwhelming defeated an anti-trans motion and affirmed its support for trans and gender diverse Hobartians. More details here:
Here are some happy trans people and allies after the Council debate.
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2/6 It has been a very hard decision, but ultimately the right one. I was given the award to honour my role in the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Tasmania and the inauguration of a “New Tasmania’ with the passage of our gold-standard Anti-Discrimination Act.
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The Government has let the homophobic cat out of the religious bag.
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Here’s my response to Hobart City Councillor, Louise Elliot’s, dissatisfaction with my correspondence to the HCC asking for LGBTIQA community consultation before anti-trans meetings are booked.
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3/6 If the Federal Bill passes, it will not only undermine that achievement, but show our leaders no longer value it and see it instead as a threat to freedom and faith.
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Eric Abetz says LGBTIQA+ people should have the choice to engage in conversion practices. Here’s my response:
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“Hobart is the worst place”. - Posie Parker
I take that as a badge of honour and look forward to wearing it on a t’shirt.
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1/2: Today is the 26th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Tasmania on May 1st 1997. Although Tasmania subsequently took the lead on LGBTIQA+ legal rights there is still much to do, including a ban on conversion practices and unnecessary intersex surgeries.
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“If this move goes ahead, I predict that the result will be a rise in religious intolerance and also anti-religious hostility to replace the more relaxed [live and let live] tradition of modern Australia.”- Michael Kirby
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According to this poll, 85% of Australians think marriage equality has had a neutral or positive impact. So why is the Government wasting everyone’s time trying to protect churches from the so-called negative impact? The nation has moved on. It’s time our leaders did too.
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4/6 In the article attached to this thread I explain why Tasmania is being sacrificed on the altar of a few votes in Western Sydney.
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5|6 But to be honest, no-one has summarised what’s at stake in Tasmania better than Tasmanian Federal Liberal member, Bridget Archer. Here’s what she said yesterday about the Federal Bill overriding of our Anti-Discrimination Act:
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“The transgender community have much higher rates of violence perpetrated against them, then even women do so. And I’m so proud of Tasmania, the other day showing up in huge numbers in Hobart to reject this hateful agenda.” - Bridget Archer
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By saying LGBTQ+ students shouldn't have leadership roles in faith-based schools, the Presbyterian Church has shown why we need stronger national laws protecting LGBTQ+ people in those schools.
News report:
Just.Equal MR:
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“Australia must speak loudly and clearly against these horrific laws, including directly to Uganda and also within the Commonwealth.” - Brian Greig for Just.Equal Australia
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“Those groups which tarnish the name of spirituality by using it to justify prejudice do a disservice to all people of faith, and they endanger all those who fall under their care.” - Daniel Cash, Melbourne Grammar school captain
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After four months’ break, largely due to post-Covid fatigue, Rafael and I are back out in the wilderness. Today we said “hello” to Cradle Mountain. It seemed pleased to see us.
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The Aus Human Rights Commission has admitted to a) being silent about recent hateful attacks on LGBTIQA+ people & b) not lobbing FedGov for LGBTIQA+ vilification protections. This country really needs an LGBTIQA+ Human Rights Commissioner! More:
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Congratulations to the Pride Group at Sorell High School for permanently raising the rainbow flag over their school today. This is the first time a Tasmania school has installed a new flag pole to ensure the rainbow flag is always flying.
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“It’s vile and despicable that a memorial to someone who died because of anti-trans hate has now been vandalised with more anti-trans hate.” - Yours Truly on behalf of Equality Tasmania
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“The bill says this is about freedom for faith, but it’s not, it’s really about privilege for prejudice.” - Yours Truly
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Rose Boccalatte is spot on in today’s Launceston Examiner.
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I recently met a woman whose cis-heterosexual husband was arrested under Tasmania’s old cross-dressing laws on his way to the Rocky Horror Picture Show dressed as Frank-N-Furter. He was later convicted. Laws enforcing dress-codes are an affront to human rights.
"Whether we are transgender or cisgender, we are all harmed by state-mandated gender norms."
Absolutely.
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Tas Greens leader, Rosalie Woodruff, makes a ban on LGBTIQA+ conversion practices a key issue for negotiations about who holds government in Tasmanian, citing it twice in her election night speech.
#politas
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Yesterday I received an honorary doctorate for my LGBTIQ equality work. A big thank you to UTas for the honour and to my partner, family and friends for their love and support.
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It’s disappointing a baseless moral panic about trans people has been deployed so effectively to divide those who should work together for the betterment of LGB people, trans and women. Don’t fall for this divide and rule campaign. Find common ground in equality and freedom.
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Trans women are women. It’s time Albo said so.
Just.Equal:
Commentary:
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3/3: I say all this as someone arrested four times for staffing a gay law reform stall in Hobart, who was a criminal for being gay until I was 35 and who has worked with police ever since to overcome that awful legacy.
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3/3: For the record, about twenty people turned up to hear someone from Britain chide us colonials about what laws we should have and how we should behave.
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With the resignation of Elise Archer and Michael Ferguson now acting Attorney-General, Equality Tasmania is seeking an assurance the Government's LGBTIQA+ reform commitments, including a ban on conversion practices, will be honoured:
#politas
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Every community deserves safety. I look forward to C’wealth funding for safety and security at LGBTIQA+ venues, festivals and events, especially given escalating threats from far right groups. National LGBTIQA+ vilification laws are essential too.
The
@AlboMP
Government will help protect places of worship, religious schools and associated organisations with a new $40 million grants program to improve security and safety.
The Securing Faith-Based Places grants program will open for applications in July 2023.
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Religious leaders say a proposed national law against LGBTQ discrimination in religious schools is a threat even though a Tasmanian law has prohibited such discrimination for 26 yrs without any of the dire outcomes they predict. Time for a reality check.
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“Mark Latham’s comment shows that, despite marriage equality, there is still deep prejudice against gay men in parts of the community.” - Yours truly
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A chalk rainbow at the Equality Tasmania stall welcomes everyone to Salamanca Market.
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To everyone in NSW sharing this map, your state has the worst LGBTIQA+ laws in Australia. Tasmania has some of the best. Your work has only just begun. Get on with it.
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“It is not freedom from discrimination that they are seeking but the freedom to discriminate against others.” - Anthony Haneveer, deputy editor of the NW Tasmanian Advocate, tells the unfortunate truth about the federal Religious Discrimination Bill
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“Excluding LGBTQ+ students from leadership positions sends the message that these students do not fully belong in the school community and will encourage further discrimination against them.” - Yours Truly for Just.Equal Australia
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Equality Tasmania is transforming and growing. It’s wonderful to be working with my fellow board members on the next iteration of Australia’s oldest LGBTIQA+ rights group.
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2/3: And also thank you to my hard working colleagues for doing their utmost to keep the large pro-trans crowd as peaceful and non-confrontational as they could.
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Before the election Anthony Albanese promised to protect LGBTIQA+ people in faith-based schools from discrimination. Now he has sold us out by giving the Coalition a veto. Tell him to fulfill his promise:
02 6277 7700, A.Albanese.MP
@aph
.gov.au
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“We have asked Mr Morrison to meet and talk with transgender and gender diverse Australians so he can better understand the terrible impact of prejudice and ignorance." - Yours Truly
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Congratulations to Ruby Rubock for talking about her journey to happiness in the NW Advocate. Trans women telling their stories is the best antidote to the fear and misunderstanding that still makes life tough for many trans and gender diverse people.
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The anti-LGBTIQA+ movement has shifted from championing parents’ rights to taking those rights away. More from Yours Truly in the Canberra Times:
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In an important move for many of us, the NW Tasmanian Advocate says “sorry” for historic anti-LGBTIQA+ discrimination.
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2/2: It just seems so bloody-minded given inclusion of trans and gender diverse students in schools is so clearly needed and widely supported, and given this kind of nonsense cost the Coalition seats at the last election.
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The Launceston City Council has confirmed the anti-trans letter published in today’s Launceston Examiner was false. What should you do when you believe your own fear campaign but it has no basis in fact? Make stuff up, it seems.
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Is having the legal right to expell students from faith-based schools because they're gay or transgender really "the jugular" of Australian Christianity? Most Australian Christians define their faith by values like love and charity, not whose education they can ruin.
After spending the marriage plebiscite saying there would be “no consequences”, now Rodney Croome goes for the jugular. In the new 🏳️🌈 world order, religious schools must drop their religious distinctive. Or else.
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The scare campaign to stop a federal ban on LGBTIQA discrimination in faith-based schools fails at the first hurdle, the fact states already have these bans without the sky falling in. Tasmania’s ban is 26 yrs old and how many schools have closed due to “loss of ethos”? Zero.
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In this article I write the hypocrisy of the anti-trans LGB movement. The barbs they throw at trans and gender diverse people were also thrown at same-sex attracted people until about ten minutes ago.
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To mark International Day of Transgender Visibility, Equality Tasmania has released a report into accessing gender affirmation services. Thanks to Ruby, Ash and Sharon for their work on this project.
MR:
Report:
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The Tasmanian Upper House has passed transgender reforms that are the best in Australia and some of the best in the world. Now the bill goes back to the Lower House for final assent.
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Today, I was in the Australian Parliament with representatives of Taiwan’s LGBTIQA community meeting government and non-government members about Australia and Taiwan working together to promote and protect LGBTIQA+ equality in the Asia Pacific. It was inspiring.
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I am against the Mardi Gras police ban, and now the uniform ban, because I was abused by police, not despite it. More here…
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Spot on! This is not about drag, it’s about the revival and weaponisation of a raft of old anti-LGBTIQA prejudices. Attacks in DST should be of concern to all LGBTIQA+ people and our allies.
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I wish I was wrong. But after saying it wouldn’t weaken existing discrimination protections, Labor voted with the Government to take away existing protections for teachers and other staff in faith-based organisations in Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT.
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Today, the Hobart Mercury forgot to put text in the Bible text-of-the-day box. So, let’s do it for them…
“All the anti-LGBTIQA things Jesus ever said.”
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My first public bagpipe solo at Tas Pride party in the park today. I didn’t muck it up! Thanks to my tutor and pipe major, Gaynor Spriggs, for her support.
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"Tasmanians want housing and they want reconciliation and we should talk about that instead of being bullied by whoever walks into town with a briefcase." - Richard Flanagan
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2/3: To ensure our safety from partner abuse we need to work with police. LGBTIQA+ police need our support now as much as ever. Progress is made through building bridges, not tearing them down. Grief should unite us, not drive us apart.
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Remember when Ulverstone was called “Australia’s most homophobic town”? On Monday we raise the rainbow flag over the Ulverstone Council Chambers.
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Anti-LGBTIQA+ prejudice did not end with marriage equality. It reinvented itself.
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Note to
@LyleShelton
, no country has repealed
#marriageequality
because the sky never falls in:
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The most touching moment at the weekend reunion in Latrobe of the many descendants of nineteenth century Scottish immigrants, George and Margaret Aitken, was this: my partner, Rafael, recognised as my spouse on one of the many-branched family trees on display.
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1/2: What a wonderful moment. On Tuesday Tasmania Police filmed me for an upcoming video promoting their LGBTIQA+ liaison officers. It was great to meet Megan and Scott who are part of the Tas Pol LGBTIQA+ support network. But it was really special meeting Jack who helped…
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“If we had stronger anti-vilification laws, if police were willing to enforce the laws that they have, and if councils worked to ensure that their local laws were enforced, then we will be able to deal with these issues early on.” - Sean Mulcahy.
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Here’s the Equality Tasmania Salamanca Market stall today. It is still a visible and vibrant presence for Tasmania’s LGBTIQA+ community after 35 years. Thanks to Richard Hale for his dedication to the stall and for the photo.
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Etch this letter in stone! Brian Greig points out in today’s West Australian how the religious right has exposed the true objective behind the Religious Freedom-to-Discriminate Bill.
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Equality Tasmania held a vigil today outside the Hobart Town Hall. Inside, there were about 80 supporters of excluding trans women from women’s sport and services. At our vigil there were 250 supporters of trans equality.
MR
Photos
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Before the state election TasGov promised to oppose an inquiry into trans youth health care, but now it supports one. This is a betrayal of the LGBTIQA community and the medical experts who unanimously agree such an inquiry would be unnecessary & harmful.
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Today, I took another LGBTIQA+ history walk for participants in the national Community Legal Services conference in Hobart. I had flashbacks to being a Summer guide at Port Arthur when I was an undergraduate. I forgot how much I enjoyed that job. Maybe I should do this more.
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Moderate Liberals are making a terrible mistake, allowing the Religious Privilege Bill through in return for “protections” for LGBTIQ+ kids. The “protection” is so weak, and so weakened by the rest of the Bill, it will make virtually no difference at all.
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Thanks to Don College for asking me to talk to two Legal Studies classes today about how far Tasmania has come on LGBTIQA+ law reform and what remains to be done. This rainbow flag in the library represents the hope for a better future I attempted to impart to students.
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Equality Tasmania says a recent UK review of gender care for young people should not be replicated here or slow down local conversion legislation.
ET President, Rowan Richardson, here:
And here:
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1/4: Inevitably, I’ve been criticised for pointing out that beneath the glitz of Sydney World Pride is a city that has such a serious problem with anti-LGBTIQ+ prejudice it has repeatedly dragged the rest of the nation down.
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1/2: The Launceston Examiner has repudiated the anti-trans letter it published earlier this week. The Launceston City Council has denied the events described in the letter ever occurred. The letter was entirely made up. See thread for more detail.
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The anti-trans message so prominently displayed in Hobart in June is now in Launceston as well. Equality Tasmania plans to display trans-affirming messages in both cities but we need your help. Please donate here:
More here:
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1/5: Why is Bridget Archer the only Liberal Religious Discrimination Bill rebel who held her seat? Why did the Liberal push to win Labor seats in Western Sydney by nominating Katherine Deves fail?
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Three cheers for Jacqui Lambie for opposing the Religious Freedom-to-Discriminate Bill and for wanting the LGBTIQ+ community to have a “bloody Merry Christmas” without it hanging over our heads.
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Today, both major parties united against a Greens’s motion about ending the gay blood ban. Clearly, we need to educate more politicians about the need for this important reform. More details here:
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"The fact that more and more Tasmanian councils are supporting equality and inclusion for LGBTIQA+ people shows Tasmania is changing for the better.” - Yours Truly on behalf of Equality Tasmania
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