5th October 2021
Dear Editor Jenna Cairney,
We seek both corrections and an apology from Mercury journalist Kenji Sato for his factually incorrect, biased and possibly defamatory reporting in the article titled ‘Offensive’ anti-trans forum sparks outrage’ published in the
Mercury on 4 October 2021.
The corrections required are –
- Women Speak Tasmania is not ‘anti-trans’. Women Speak Tasmania campaigns for women’s human rights. Women Speak Tasmania supports trans rights but not at the expense of women’s rights, safety and dignity.
- The source of information for this article was first raised in a phone call from Isla MacGregor (Women Speak Tasmania) to Mercury editor Jenna Cairney last Wednesday 29 September and discussed in a meeting later that day between Mercury journalist Kenji Sato and Isla MacGregor.
On Friday morning 1 October, Isla MacGregor sent Kenji Sato the attached Media Release, the RTI documents she received from Hobart City Council containing copies of complaints regarding the forum, and a media contact
list. - Women Speak Tasmania is not planning any event. The forum has been organised by Lynn Robertson and Stassja Frei from the Coalition for Biological Reality – due to COVID lockdowns it has been re-scheduled for 27
November 2021. The title of the forum is – Gender Identity in Law – Impacts on Women, Children and Transgender People – Balancing the Conversation – Other than quotes from transgender person Pauley Johnson, a speaker at the coming forum, no mention in the article was made of the other high profile speakers – Senator Claire Chandler, Professor Dianna Kenny, Kath Deves (lawyer from Save Women’s Sports Australasia), Dr Holly Lawford-Smith (University of Melbourne) and Professor Patrick Parkinson (University of Queensland Law School). - It is noted that not one of the three women Kenji Sato interviewed for this story was quoted in the article but two men were quoted about matters concerning the RTI documents forwarded to Mr Sato from Isla MacGregor –
not the forum. In the interests of fair reporting, it would have been necessary and appropriate to quote women he interviewed regarding a forum organised by a women’s human rights organisation and supported by four other women’s human rights organisations.
We request the Mercury interview Stassja Frei from the Coalition for Biological Reality to cover the substantive and factually based issues being raised at this public interest forum.
Regards,
Isla MacGregor
Women Speak Tasmania