The Advocate Editorial ‘Trans, gender diverse face fear, ignorance’ (Saturday Feb 4th 2023), promotes an ideological position, which may represent the personal views of Anthony Haneveer but do not represent the views of the vast majority of Advocate readership. Without speaking to any of the people at the Hobart Aquatic Centre protest last Friday, to ascertain the facts and evidence backing their claims, the editor has made outrageous assumptions about the views of those in attendance.
Contrary to his allegations, all those who attended the protest have supported the campaign for LGB+ rights and same sex marriage.
Rather, the editor has weaponised an ideological position to attack a group of men and women who have well founded concerns about the need for facilities that provide for a win win scenario for women and gender diverse people.
The protesters advocate for the reinstatement of single sex facilities in addition to ‘all gender’ facilities specifically for trans identified and gender diverse people in all public venues.
The editorial failed to explain the basic conflict that has arisen due to sex self
identification laws and women’s human rights.
It is in fact deeply offensive to girls and women to suggest that their safety and dignity must be subordinate to men who self identify as women. Further, the rights of culturally diverse people, Muslim and Orthodox Jewish women have been completely ignored from this discussion. The failure to mention lesbians rights in the editorial, highlights yet again a very male orientated perspective.
In the final analysis, real inclusion must consider the needs of all groups in our
community.
To suggest otherwise perpetuates an anti woman position and an aggressive intolerance to diversity of opinion.
Signed
Jessica Hoyle for LGB Tasmania
Lynne Robertson for Keep Gender Identity Out of Schools
Isla MacGregor for Women Speak Tasmania