Pride in Protest’s rally will take place at Sydney Town Hall on Sunday, 23 August, at 11am. The anti-transgender rally is expected to feature Giggle for Girls CEO Sall Grover.
A series of anti-transgender protests held in Australian cities in recent weeks will reach Sydney this weekend, with a counter-protest organised by Pride in Protest.
Grover was previously found by a federal court to have discriminated against transgender woman Roxanne Tickle after removing her from a now-defunct social media app that was designed as a space for women. Grover appealed the decision but was unsuccessful, with the appeal court finding that both she and her company had directly and indirectly discriminated against Tickle on the basis of gender identity.
While the case has progressed through the courts, Grover has become a leading advocate for removing gender identity protections from the federal Sex Discrimination Act.
Pride in Protest spokesperson Evan Van Jijl said the event was “clearly transphobic” and described Grover as a “TERF” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist).
“Many women in this country still aren’t protected by our Sex Discrimination Act. But transphobes are only interested in expanding the right for institutions to discriminate against women,” Van Jijl said.
“TERFs like Sall Grover celebrated when trans children were banned from accessing puberty blockers. These are the people who applauded when Chris Minns called for trans women to be housed in men’s prisons.”
“Trans people across the state are campaigning to end religious discrimination exemptions and expand our Anti-Discrimination Act. We’re fighting for changes that will improve the lives of many queer people.”
Grover did not appear at a similar event in Perth last month. However, former state politician Sophia Moermond read a message from Grover to attendees, while a pre-recorded message from Binary Australia CEO Kirralie Smith was played to the crowd.
Several weeks later, Smith lost an appeal against a finding that she had vilified two transgender women through campaigning related to their participation in a community sporting competition.
Smith will also be a speaker at the Sydney event alongside Professor Dianna Kenny who advocates against gender affirming treatment for young people experiencing gender dysphoria, while philosopher Professor Clive Hamilton, breastfeeding advocate Jasmine Sussex and solicitor Anna Kerr from the Feminist Legal Clinic.
While the counter-protest is occurring at Sydney Town Hall, the self-described women’s rights rally featuring Grover has announced it is moving to St Martin’s Place.
Update 21-08-26 7:10 An earlier version of this article attributed to comments to a different spokesperson. The error was in the media release from Pride in Protest.
