Page 1658 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 2 June 2021
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I particularly thank our panellists who shared their personal stories and opened up with the audience so as we could best contribute to this important policy space: Representing A Gender Agenda, Alistair Ott, a Wiradjuri non-binary queer brother boy; Jacquie Reid, a lifeline lesbian feminist activist; Kat Reed, the CEO of Women with Disabilities ACT and the ACT Young Canberra Citizen of the Year; and Yenn Purkis, a disability and non-binary community leader.
Friday, 28 May 2021 also marked the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Day. This day began in 2020 and is run by the Australian-based LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation. Evidence shows intimate partner violence is reported at similar rates in stereotypical gender relationships as they are in heterosexual relationships. A 2018 survey, by Women’s Centre for Health Matters found that 35 per cent of LGB women in Canberra have experienced domestic violence. Bisexual women and transgender people are more likely than their peers to experience domestic violence. We know that homophobia, transphobia and biphobia all create environments of stress and precarity for LGBTQIA+ people, and they drive those conditions of violence.
As the ACT Greens spokesperson for both LGBTQIA+ people and for the elimination of family and domestic violence, I am looking forward to being an enthusiastic and earnest participant in Deputy Chief Minister Berry’s sexual assault law reform task force. I am very focused on being able to contribute effectively and poignantly where and when I can to ensure that the needs of LGBTQIA+ people are advanced and advocated for as part of this process.
We are going into the America’s Pride Month. Yes, there are some things where America is ahead of us—they have a whole month where their nation is littered with rainbow flags whereas we tend to just have the occasional day. We know we do not act in a microcosm in Australia and that sexuality and gender diverse Canberrans will be exposed to a plethora of pride-based social media posts and a bit of rainbow capitalism from all the smart businesses trying to source a bit of that pink dollar. That is why it is really important to make sure that we in this place are focused on issues particularly around domestic violence.
One of the things that I grow increasingly concerned about as a young but not too young queer person is that sometimes we as the Canberra community want rest on our laurels and merely embrace all the good that we have done. As we embark on this very important community conversation and body of policy and law reform work as it relates to family and domestic violence, we must ensure the lived experiences of sexuality and gender diverse Canberrans are brought fiercely into that conversation so they are not left behind and that sexuality and gender diverse Canberrans, like all Canberrans, can live in safe, healthy and happy homes.
Ginninderra electorate—events
MR CAIN (Ginninderra) (5.40): I would like to provide a brief summary of events I have attended recently in Ginninderra, where I have had the good fortune to meet many brilliant people who are making a difference in their local community and to
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