‘There is no place in Australia for violence, harassment or bullying of LGBTI people,’ is the message from the Australian Human Rights Commission for International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) Day.
However, Western Australia’s Equal Opportunity Commission has announced that unlawful sexual orientation discrimination is still happening in the state.
Acting Equal Opportunity Commissioner Alan Macdonald said there were laws in place to address discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation; yet ‘there still wasn’t anything in place to protect people with different gender identities, such as transgender people, who were often vulnerable’.
‘Even though sexual orientation discrimination has been unlawful in WA since 2002, the EOC still receives complaints from gay and lesbian people who feel they have been discriminated against,’ Macdonald said in a statement.
The acting commissioner said that to make a complaint in WA, transgender people required a gender recognition certificate which generally required a person to have undergone gender reassignment surgery.
‘As many people with different gender identities choose not to have this procedure, it means they are often left vulnerable without any way of seeking redress for the stress and humiliation they may suffer from being discriminated against,’ he said.
The Australian Human Rights Commissioner Catherine Branson urged Australians to stand up against the homophobia and transphobia existing in our workplaces, schoolyards, businesses, and being played out on streets and other public places around Australia.
‘It is extremely concerning that in the 21st century we still have a society where people are bullied, harassed or discriminated against because of who they are and who they love,’ Ms Branson said in a statement.
‘Everyone in Australia should be treated fairly, and should be able to live their life free of violence, harassment and bullying.
‘IDAHO should be a catalyst for us to keep on trying to make that aspiration a reality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people.’
This weekend Gay and Lesbian Equality WA is hosting an IDAHO Day event at Bar 138 from 5.30pm. Visit www.galewa.asn.au for more information.
Benn Dorrington
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