GLCS Receives $5000 Donation
Gay and Lesbian Community Services has received an anonymous donation of $5000. In a statement released to queer media this month, GLCS Chairman Mark Woodman said ‘GLCS has rarely if ever had the funds to advertise our services in the mainstream press, something that is essential if we are to reach same sex attracted and gender diverse people who are not ‘out’ or connected with the queer community. This inability to adequately advertise our phone line and support groups has been a source of enormous frustration for generations of GLCS members and volunteers, who see a unique and vital service being underutilised.
‘This generous donation will allow us to role out a series of adverts and advertorials in XPress magazine and selected outer metropolitan and regional Community Newspapers over the next three to six months. Based on the experiences of WAAC who advertise their mensline service in a similar way we are very confident that we will reach same sex attracted men and women and people struggling with gender identity who would otherwise be unaware of our phone line.’
Trans* Partner of Lesbian outed on Page 3
On March 29, The West Australian reported on Senator-to-be Louise Pratt’s partner of several years with the headline ‘Lesbian senator-elect Louise Pratt admits she is in a loving relationship with a man who used to be a woman’. Ms Pratt’s partner, Aram Hosie, campaigns on behalf of the trans* community as chair of the WA Gender Project. The first of the two articles The West ran on page 3 focused on Mr Hosie’s transition and trans* rights while the second discussed which Federal MP partner entitlements Mr Hosie would be entitled to. Mr Hosie’s cooperation in giving an interview for the article has led to unprecedented page three coverage of the issues facing trans* Western Australians. Whilst Ms Pratt declined to comment in The West on her personal life, she indicated her support for her partner and their ‘loving relationship’.
Note: Aram Hosie is a regular contributor to OUTinPerth.
Goldfields Cultural Studies Conference
Planning is in the early stages for a Cultural Studies Conference in Kalgoorlie this December. Calls for papers are expected this month for the conference, which has the working theme of ‘Futures.’ Conference organisers this month met with representatives from OUTinPerth about possible ways to involve the local GLBT community. OUTinPerth will have further details about the conference in coming months.
Wheelie Bin Sentencing Under Appeal
Jessica Stasinowsky and her lover Valerie Parashumti were sentenced this month to strict security life imprisonment for their brutal murder of Stacey Mitchell. The pair pleaded guilty early in the trial and Jessica Stasinowsky’s lawyers have since appealed the sentence, saying it failed to take into account Stasinowsky’s personal history, early plea and young age.
