Attack on freedom of speech

Two feminists have accused a former anti-discrimination commissioner of trying to stop them from speaking at a human rights forum because of their opposition to transgender reforms.

Bronwyn Williams and Isla MacGregor were invited by the Tasmanian branch of the global Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom to give a speech at an event in Hobart on Wednesday next week.

The two women, whose Women Speak Tasmania group is a vocal critic of transgender reforms before the Tasmanian parliament, were to speak about “Transgenderism and the impact on the human rights of women and girls”.

Image: Robin Banks.

However, in an email to the WILPF, obtained by The Australian, former state anti-discrimination commissioner Robin Banks — a key advocate of the transgender reforms — warns the organisation against giving the duo a platform.

“The giving to this group a platform for their hateful views … will be seen by many in the LGBTIQ community as an endorsement of those views,” Ms Banks wrote to prominent WILPF members on Friday.

“This is (sic) the very real potential to damage the reputation of an extraordinary and compassionate long standing human rights group.

“If there is any way that I can help you to negotiate what I think is a very difficult situation, I am happy to do so.”

Miss Williams and Ms MacGregor said Ms Banks’ email was a blatant and “gobsmacking” attempt to “no platform” them.

“It’s an attack on freedom of speech, particularly the rights of women to participate in public debate on issues that relate to their human rights,” said Ms MacGregor, who has addressed past WILPF events.

However, Ms Banks denied seeking to have the women banned from speaking. “It was not my intention that WILPF prevent Women Speak Tasmania from speaking, but rather (I was) hoping that WILPF would seek to balance Isla MacGregor and Bronwyn Williams’ views with those of others,” Ms Banks said.

The two women were unsure if their talk would go ahead but WILPF immediate past president Linley Grant insisted it would.

“They will be speaking,” Ms Grant said. “(Ms Banks) suggested someone else might like to speak as a counter balance and we are considering that.”

Miss Williams and Ms MacGregor have lobbied MPs to block Labor and Greens amendments that would end the automatic inclusion of a baby’s sex on its birth certificate, allow people to change official gender merely via statutory declaration, and extend anti-hate speech laws to include “gender expression”.

They warn the reforms, to be voted on in March, could jeopardise the safety and sanctity of female-only organisations and services, from domestic violence shelters to the Girl Guides.

In her email to WILPF’s Tasmania president and immediate past president, Ms Banks claims Women Speak Tasmania has a “nasty and untruthful campaign targeting members of Tasmania’s gender diverse community”.

“They do not support the human rights of people who are gender diverse,” wrote Ms Banks. “Indeed, they deny their very humanity and existence.”

Ms MacGregor and Miss Williams said these statements were “lies”. “We absolutely support their (transgender people’s) rights,” Ms MacGregor said.

Source: the Australian

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnational-affairs%2Fwomen-say-theyre-being-stopped-from-speaking-at-a-forum-over-opposition-to-tasmania-transgender-laws%2Fnews-story%2Fb4051620b86621fff4be30afa7fa4796&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium#story-comments