A GROUP that likens transgenderism to a “cult” and a “social contagion” is holding a public forum at Hobart Town Hall.
Women Speak Tasmania plans to hold its event on November 27 despite public backlash, with 18 people writing letters of complaint to Hobart City Council.
One of the speakers will be Hobart sociologist Geoff Holloway, who has written a paper describing transgenderism as a social contagion spread among young people.
“I could turn up to the birth registration office and say I could be a wombat and you’d have to affirm my right to be a wombat. That’s how serious it is,” Dr Holloway said.
“It’s ridiculous. It’s a complete denial of sex as binary. The trans lobby are using this to assert their rights as trans: men want to become recognised as trans women.”
Hobart Councillor Jax Fox said they could not believe council was renting out the Town Hall to a bunch of “TERFs”, trans-exclusionary radical feminists.
The group has been rejected by venues twice before, but not by Hobart City Council.
“I cannot imagine any other venue anywhere else in Hobart would be comfortable with hosting such an event,” Cr Fox said.
“It’s illogical, it’s offensive, it’s anti-science, it’s anti-peer-reviewed-research, and it’s totally discriminatory.”
Former Tasmanian anti-discrimination commissioner Robin Banks said she opposed the group’s anti-trans ideology, but believed the event should nonetheless go ahead.
“I think it should be permitted to go ahead, but it’s really unfortunate that they don’t understand the harm they do to people’s lives through their commentary,” she said.
“These are people who don’t do any harm to them. There are a lot of people who are just trying to get on with their lives in a world that doesn’t understand their circumstances.”
Equality Tasmania spokesman Matty Wright said he deplored the group’s views, but agreed they had a right to hold the forum.
Mr Wright said they planned to hold a “peaceful presence” in support of trans Tasmanians.
“This confected moral panic over trans inclusion divides and distracts Tasmanian women from the real problems women face like sexual assault, partner abuse, and unequal pay,” he said.
“Trans and gender-diverse people have long been an integral part of our community and have made an immense contribution to Tasmanian society.”
One of the speakers will be de-transitioned trans woman Pauley Johnson, who has reverted back to male pronouns after coming out as trans.
Mr Johnson still presents as female on occasion, but no longer identifies as such.
“I have a desire within me to be a woman, but that doesn’t make me a woman,” Mr Johnson said.
“At the moment, gender is being pushed as this pseudo-religious inner soul of a person which is unchangeable. I don’t go along with that anymore.”
Hobart City Council CEO Kelly Grisby said the council did not have a role in approving the content of an event held under a venue hire arrangement.
“The Town Hall ballroom, along with other public venues, is available for hire by any person or organisation for events that are within the law,” Mr Grisby said.
“As detailed in the recently endorsed Community Inclusion and Equity Framework and Community Commitments, the City of Hobart is committed to creating a city that supports and values our LGBTIQ community.”
by Kenji Sato
Source: The Mercury
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