Installment number four of GALEforce should definitly start by sending out a massive ‘Thank You!’ to all those that braved the terrible weather on August 16th to attend the Families for Freedom Community Picnic and Support Day on Cottesloe Foreshore. Unfortunately, due to the freezing winds and pelting rain the formal activities for the day had to be rescheduled. However , despite the horrendous meterological circumstances, over 120 people turned up anyway – signing petitions, having photos taken for the Freedom Centre’s ‘Faces for Freedom’ project and leaving a glorious (if slightly damp) trail of rainbow carnage and diversity on the streets of Cottesloe.
The local community were pretty supportive. The Premier’s electorate took a little time to warm to the slightly bedraggled yet nonetheless enthusiastic crowds of GLBTI families and their supporters , holding ‘Honk if you support same-sex families’ signs and sheltering under brightly coloured umbrellas. But eventually the locals figured out that we weren’t contagious after all, and soon a cacophony of car-horns, applause and exuberant expressions of support thoroughly drowned out both the sound of the thunder and the occasional queerphobic insult hurled from a passing SUV.
If you missed out on our slightly soggy salutation to same-sex support (alliteration is FUN!) then fear not – for the Picnic has been rescheduled to take place at 12 noon on Sunday October 11th on Fremantle Esplanade. Hopefully, with a spot of improved weather we will be able to recreate the wonderful sense of support, diversity and acceptance of the first event ten times over.
The event will feature GLBTI speakers from key members from a diverse range of backgrounds, as well as face-painting and performances by the Gay and Lesbian Singers. Anyone – regardless of sexuality or gender identity is welcome. Families for Freedom are hoping to see more than 1,000 people gathered on the Freo esplanade in support of equal recognition and respect for all families – regardless of gender. So bring your family, bring your friends and let’s show KRudd and his cronies what family really means.
On the subject of family (Nice segue Kitty..) it looks like Queensland Premier Anna Bligh might be in need of a brief history lesson. Queensland has recently legalised altruistic surrogacy which – in a surprisingly progressive move – also includes same-sex couples. Encouraging – yes, but when asked about the prospect of Queensland allowing same-sex couples to adopt children her stance was a little less positive, claiming that there was no support for Queensland becoming the first state in Australia to allow the adoption of a child by a same-sex couple.
Hey..Psst…Anna…? WA and the ACT have had same-sex adoption for a couple of years now…
Is that what family comes down to? Bureaucracy? Is the ability to care for a child limited to how well they conform to outdated, gendered stereotypes of the nuclear family? Bollocks I say!
Family is about love – not the contents of someone’s trousers. If you agree, and want to find out more about the Families for Freedom campaign and the picnic on the eleventh, then check out www.families4freedom.info or email families4freedom@gmail.com . Until next time…
Kitty Hawkins
Gay and Lesbian Equality Co-Convenor
kitty@galewa.asn.au
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