Dear Governor General
I am concerned that you are making an unwise and inappropriate decision by being patron of Equality Australia.
Equality Australia is currently interfering in the court case Giggle v Tickle by opposing the Lesbian Action Group’s position re the existence of and the definition of lesbian. Lesbians are same sex attracted females. There are no men who are lesbian.
Equality Australia are a misogynist and homophobic group who think any man can be a lesbian.
Equality Australia is one of a number of groups who describe themselves as LGBTIQA++ but fail to take any action in support of lesbians, gays and bisexuals. In fact they function to disable our communities. And restrict our freedom of association.
It is not appropriate for the Governor General to be seen to be anti-lesbian. Or to be taking sides in a community battle.
The court case Giggle v Tickle is looking at the Sex Discrimination Act and the affects of the 2013 changes to the Act which took away the rights of women, removed the definition of sex, man and woman and replaced those women’s rights with rights for those who claim a gender identity.
As someone who is familiar with the law, I hope you can see the evident problems with having a law that acknowledges something that is not real or provable – gender identity – as opposed to having laws that support something that is real and provable, (and understood by the most of the population) – sex.
Without sex in the relevant Act, same sex attracted people cease to be protected by the Act. Without sex in the Act, discrimination against women because of our sexed bodies cannot be addressed.
Equality Australia are supporting law that discriminates against women and lesbians in particular. (As well as gay men and bisexuals.)
The Lesbian Action Group is rightfully pointing out that the Act as it currently is, discriminates against lesbians and takes away the right of women to single sex groups and spaces like single sex schools, single sex religious practice, single sex cultural practices like women’s business in aboriginal community, and single sex spaces required for safety and dignity.
The Act evidently needs reinterpretation and repair.
As a woman and a lesbian I am asking you to resign as patron of Equality Australia.
Thank you for your time.
Silver Moon
Member: LGB Alliance Australia, LGB Tasmania.