This evening, Hobart City Council will meet to discuss, among other things, the following motion –
That:
1. Trans and Gender diverse posters not be displayed on a permanent basis, however be included on an annual program of display in the City’s public toilets.
2. The development and design of the posters to be in collaboration with relevant organisations including Women Speak Tasmania, Working it Out and Transforming Tasmania.
‘Councillor Holly Ewin has publicly opposed this motion and provided advice on her public Facebook page for those who wish to attend the Council meeting and protest the motion in person’, said Women Speak Tasmania spokesperson, Bronwyn Williams.
She apparently has the support of Lord Mayor, Anna Reynolds.
Councillor Ewin says –
PSA: despite the experiences some of you may have had at previous meetings, you are totally, 100% allowed to attend and protest (i.e. hold a placard, you do have to be quiet) at council meetings. if you want to protest noisily, this can be done right outside the building, thanks for highlighting this for those on council who may have forgotten, Anna Reynolds
‘Specifically, Councillor Ewin and others, including long time gay rights activist, Rodney Croome, oppose the involvement of Women Speak Tasmania in the design of trans and gender diverse posters for HCC public facilities’.
‘They also want the posters to be a permanent fixture in those facilities rather than part of a rotating roster of advisory signs’.
‘If these posters are to be placed in female facilities, why is it inappropriate for women to have a say in how they are designed and worded?’, asked Miss Williams.
‘Should women and girls be expected to accept the possible presence of male people in female facilities without having any input into a Council decision that should be made for the benefit of ALL users?’.
‘We hope HCC members will consider this proposal impartially, and not be swayed by the presence of placard holding protesters in the Council Chamber’.
‘Despite the protesters’ oft-repeated rhetoric, advocating for women’s and girls’ rights does not equate to transphobic bigotry. If HCC is determined to support the rights of trans persons to use safe public facilities, why not invest in dedicated unisex facilities? Surely that’s a better solution than inviting confrontation with the appropriation of existing single sex facilities as gender neutral’, said Miss Williams.
-ENDS-