Tasmanian Liberal senator Claire Chandler is set to appear at an online event alongside Walt Heyer, the American activist who argues that people who are transgender should be treated as having a psychological illness.
Heyer transitioned in 1983, and lived as a woman for eight years, before transitioning back to living as man. He has previously shared that he faced a lot of stigma and discrimination around being transgender, and eventually decided to return to identifying as male.
He’s subsequently spoken widely about his belief that his gender dysphoria was a result of sexual abuse he experienced in childhood, the experience of being dressed in girl’s clothes by his grandmother, and corporal punishment dolled out by his parents.
In 2015 US organisation Media Matters warned journalists that Heyer’s opinions should be treated with caution, and his statements did not align with current medical research. Heyer runs several websites including Walt Heyer Ministries and Sex Change Regret.
Heyer and Chandler will be the guests at an online forum for conservative group Family Voice Australia. Gender Politics: Transgenderism is scheduled for Monday 21 June.
At the recent Liberal party conference the Tasmanian senator successfully put forward a motion calling for support for sports facilities and services to deny access to transgender people.
“These single sex services and facilities continue to play a critical role in society, particularly in protecting the privacy, safety, dignity, health and well-being of women and all Australians have a right to speak freely about the reality of biological sex and express views and the importance of single-sex services.” the motion read.
The motion sought to “condemn the abuse and threats of violence against women advocating in relation to these matters particularly on social media.”
Opposing transgender women participating in sport, and arguing against transgender youth being able to access medical treatment has become a primary focus of Senator Chandler. An analysis of her official Facebook page reveals that close to 40% of her posts are about transgender issues, with over 40 posts in 2021.
OIP Staff
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