When Stevie Georgia took to the stage at the opening of the 2025 Better Together conference in Adelaide she had a simple message to share, drawing on her experience as a woman who is transgender she shared her thoughts on what true trans-allyship looks like.
The singer-songwriter from the Adelaide Hills opened up by saying, “You might struggle to make seriously dressed a a devil’s angel, but who wouldn’t take a devil’s angel seriously?”
“I really want to share my experiences as a trans woman.” she said, before jokingly adding – “and as a devil’s angel – but that’s only been that since this morning.”
“There’s a few things we need in the trans community right now.” Georgia told the hundreds of people in the audience. “We need you as allies to show up as your full self, there’s no degrees of being an ally. You are – or you’re not. So be brave, be strong, protect trans people with all your heart”
“The second thing, be an ally to all trans people, not just the ones closest to you. If you’re going to let your trans sibling in from the storm of discrimination and hate, you need to leave the door open for the rest of us as well.
“The third thing. Stand strong in opposition, on your values, on what you believe is needed for real genuine authentic trans inclusion. When mainstream politics is sliding towards hatred and bigoty, which it seems to be in many parts of the world, and away from inclusion and human rights, do we move with it? Do we move to the right? No – lets stick to our guns.
“And finally, allyship equal love. And we need the protection of your love, we need to feel the power of your love.”
Delivering a moment for reflection and contemplation Georgia sang the Frankie Goes to Hollywood song The Power of Love.
Jason Tuazon-McCheyne, the founder of The Equality Project, shared that the song had been an important one in his life.
Back in the 1980s as a fourteen-year-old who was still in the closet, and struggling to accept his identity in the religious community he was raised in, the arrival of the out and proud band Frankie Goes to Hollywood was a revelation.
“I had pictures of Boy George on my wall, but he wasn’t out. I was terrified of sex because I thought I was going to die, because of AIDS. I was terrified of being gay because I was in a Christian environment, but there was a song that Christmas which was a complete gift.” Tuazon-McCheyne said introducing Stevie Georgia.
The Frankie Goes the Hollywood track offered a reset ahead of the two day conference gettig underway with it’s simple message that “Love is the light, scaring darkness away.”
