When Women Speak Tasmania’s planned North West forums were cancelled by Devonport Library and The Hive, we expected local media to report fairly. Instead, The Advocate chose to frame us through a biased lens — echoing activist talking points and misrepresenting our position.
Journalist Sarah Fittock contacted us with questions, but the story published implied WST is “anti-trans.” This is false. As we explained:
“Anyone who suggests we are an anti-trans group wishes to discredit us, because they don’t support women’s sex-based rights.”
Our forums were designed to discuss the impact of gender law reforms on women and girls in sport, facilities, and the law. These are legitimate matters of public policy, yet The Advocate reduced our message to a caricature and ignored crucial facts about the cancellations.
Our Corrections Were Ignored
Before The Advocate’s article went to print, we wrote to the journalist asking for corrections. No reply was ever received. In particular:
- The Hive cancellation: Manager Chris Clark did not cancel because of “room size.” He wrote to us that he feared disruption by activists and had “reasonable grounds” to believe staff and patrons could be at risk. His decision was based on safety concerns, not capacity.
- Devonport Library cancellation: The Acting Director stated that our booking was cancelled because of “inclusion policies” and the view that WST makes “public statements” not welcoming to LGBTQIA+ people. In other words, the event was cancelled on the basis of a personal judgment that we are “anti-trans” — not because of logistics.
Both venues clearly cancelled due to activist pressure and hostility, not the neutral reasons reported by The Advocate.
Why It Matters
Tasmania needs a press that reports fairly, not one that silences or distorts women’s voices. The Advocate failed to check facts, ignored our request for corrections, and preferred to cast WST as “anti-trans” rather than reporting the truth: that activists used a thugs’ veto to shut down public forums.
Women Speak Tasmania will continue to hold open, respectful discussions about laws that affect women, girls, and the whole community. We will not be silenced by intimidation — or by biased reporting.