Statement: Dr Monique Ryan – Independent for Kooyong

Statement from Independent for Kooyong Dr Monique Ryan for Aleph Melbourne in support of the LGBTIQ+ community.

Protecting the rights of vulnerable minorities, including the LGBTIQ+ community

Policy Priorities

The protection of the rights of vulnerable people, including those in the LGBTIQ+ community, is a major priority for Monique. She abhors the way the Religious Discrimination Bill has been weaponised – causing harm and distress to LGBTIQ+ people and other minorities including people with disability – and she would oppose any attempts to compromise the protections that are currently afforded by the Sex Discrimination Act and by state Anti-Discrimination Acts. 

Monique condemns the way that trans people have been exposed to ongoing harmful and cruel political posturing throughout this election campaign, and she is aware of the devastation that this hostility inflicts on individuals and communities. She opposes the Save Women’s Sports Bill – and supports the continuation of s42 of the Sex Discrimination Act – as both currently stand. She is concerned that this Bill would further marginalise a vulnerable group of people – especially trans and gender diverse children – who already experience a high degree of social exclusion and isolation. Trans people must be at the centre of discussions involving any legislation that directly impacts them. 

If Monique is elected she will work with LGBTIQ+ communities to move equality forward. That means removing anti-LGBTIQ+ exemptions from discrimination law, supporting better mental health services and school inclusion programs, ensuring equity in Medicare for trans and gender diverse people, and putting an end to conversion practices and unnecessary, non-consenting medical interventions on children with variations of sex characteristics.

Monique stands for a community that is inclusive, generous and welcoming.

Further information on Dr Monique Ryan’s policies is available here.

Dr Monique Ryan – Independent for Kooyong – a proud LGBTIQ+ ally

Jewish sessions @ Queer Screen 2022

Queer Screen

Enjoy these Jewish films at the Mardi Gras Film Festival, running from February 17 to March 3 2022. Session and booking details online.

IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Included in the QueerDoc Shorts session (available On Demand) is the screening of In The Image of God:

The fourth generation in his family to be born intersex, Jewish Rabbi Levi was assigned the female gender at birth and grew up thinking he was sick and defective. “In the Image of God” tells the story of his struggles and transitions, culminating today in a life as a religious leader and an LGBTQI+ activist living happily in Los Angeles with his wife.

PAST CONTINUOUS

Screening in Sydney as part of the Oz Doc Shorts session is Past Continuous:

At the age of 72, Ilan and Oscar finally have the right to join in a holy matrimony underneath the chuppah in a synagogue in Sydney. Now, with identical rings and official recognition, Ilan and Oscar are preparing for a journey into the grim past which still pains and troubles them and which, despite the many years that have passed, they still bear within them.

This is a story about an inspiring couple who managed to stay together against all odds.

Directed by Kineret Hay-Gillor, this short-form documentary is told in English and Hebrew with English subtitles.

Gender-diverse? Get noticed in the 2016 Census.

With the increasing visibility of gender diverse people in the Australian Jewish community, it’s important to get an accurate understanding of how many identify beyond the gender binary of female and male.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has advised that in the 2016 Census, respondents may identify a non-binary gender if they so choose.  This applies to people who do not always identify just as either one of male or female.

There are two official ways to achieve this:

  1. If you are using a paper census form, leave the Female and Male box boxes blank and write in your preferred gender identity in the space next to them.
  2. If you are using the online census form, call the Census Inquiry Service on 1300‑214‑531 and request a special online form that has an Other option for gender on it.

Source: Australian Census to offer ‘other’ option for gender question | SBS

UPDATE 03/08/16: Official ABS instructions here.

Training the GLBTI trainers | AJN

The Australian Jewish News
Friday January 4, 2013
Page 7

Training the GLBTI trainers
AJN STAFF

KESHET Australia – a local group representing the rights of the Jewish gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) community – is seeking expressions of interest from rabbis, educators, and community professionals to take part in a US training program.

Workshops in January and May this year will provide programs for “training the trainers”, said Keshet Australia convenor Jonathan Barnett.

The workshops, organised by the Keshet Training Institute in the US, will teach these individuals how to train their own organisational staff to treat GLBTI individuals in an affirmative and inclusive manner, he said.

Keshet Australia is offer a limited number of partial scholarships to applicants who show a commitment to sharing the insights gained at these workshops with colleagues in the Australian Jewish communities, Barnett said.

Barnett said applicants need to detail why the wish to attend the Keshet Training Institute and how they hope to share learned knowledge in their local Jewish communities.

Enquiries: president@keshet.org.au.

Clarifying the authority of the ECAJ « mikeybear

Clarifying the authority of the ECAJ « mikeybear.

The ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI | J-Wire

The ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI | J-Wire.


Paul Winter says:

The ADC is right to oppose all forms of dicrimination.

With regard to same sex “marriage”, it would be well advised to adopt the historical Jewish perspective which regards homosexuality as an abomination.

Progressive Jews do not regard homosexuality as an abomination and, as I read in the Jewish press, even Orthodox Jews love homosexual people as fellow human beings.

However, for millenia, marriage has been the union of a man and a woman for the bringing forth and the raising of children and for being role models for them. And that’s what marriage should remain.

In Australia, unlike as in the USA, all forms of relationship are treated as equal for all privileges and entitlements. We have no inequalities. Homosexuals claim to seek equality only to compel us to accept any type of relationship as equal to normal and time-honoured marriage. It isn’t and never will be.

If homosexual people want to formalise a relationship, let them enter upon something, like say, a partnering pact. My marriage of nearly five decades and the marriage of my children is something I treasure and respect and it is not something that people who chose alternative life styles are entitled to, nor are they entitled to demean those just because they cannot reconcile themselves to their social and sexual differences.


Otto Waldmann says:

Cannot understand what is all this fuss about.
Those who belong to a certain life style , as described above, have acquired in Australia – at least – complete freedom of whatever they want to do with themselves privately.
Is there a prohibition or shortage of gay bars, brothels or any other social venues for their enjoyment !!
Is the gay and lesbian mardi gras suddenly not allowed to parade through the main CBD !!?? Are the same gay and lesbians not employed in public places and , in certain institutions of general function, don’t they even dominate the “scene” ??!! Are there any obstacles in the public domain for the same to proclaim their sexual prefferences, such as open statements in all kind of forums about one’s sexual profile ??!! Such groups state quite strongly that they are gay or lesbian whenever interviewed on any OTHER topic. A certain Federal Minister is practically cellebrated for her lesbian relationship, child with two mothers included, the recently departed Greens bloke leader has been introducing us to his husband, Paul – see I even know his/her name !! – without fear or reaction to that at all. Is anyone stopping not a perfectly shaven transgender lovely lady strolling on his high heels around unhindered and perfectly ignored ??!! Are partnerships of this kind not allowed to function leglly in terms of inheritance ??! Aren’t they treated equally in terms of welfare benefits as partners !!?? And so on and on and on and on…….
Not good enough !!?? Too bad.


ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI Australians

[SOURCE]

B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission
PROMOTING DIVERSITY

CHAIRMAN: Dr Dvir Abramovich
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Geoffrey Zygier
PATRON: Greg Rosshandler, Yaniv Meydan
ASSOCIATE PATRON: Rosetta Bloom
COUNCIL OF ADVISORS:
The Hon RJL Hawke AC; The Hon JW Howard AC;
Professor Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE;
The Rt Hon Sir Ninian Stephen KG AK GCMG GCVO KBE;
Emeritus Professor Louis Waller AO, President

MEDIA RELEASE

ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI Australians
17 December 2012

Chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich today expressed the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission’s opposition to discrimination against GLBTI Australians. He noted as follows:

“I recently wrote to Attorney General Nicola Roxon to express this organisation’s general support for the federal government’s proposed Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Bill 2012 [see media release, 06/12]. In doing so, I congratulated the government on the inclusion of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people as grounds for complaint.”

“To further clarify the ADC’s views, the Commission has always opposed any form of bigotry, prejudice or hatred and will continue to fight for individual liberty and freedom from discrimination for all Australians on various grounds, including sexual orientation and/or gender identity.”

“Perhaps the most contentious and divisive of the ‘equal treatment’ issues in the Jewish and larger communities is same-sex marriage. While the ADC’s new Board has no position on marriage equality at this time, its management team will determine its policy on this and various other issues in 2013.”

“Local GLBTI media have circulated the ADC’s views; I draw your attention to the following link: http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2012/12/13/jewish-body-backs-lgbtiprotections/91482.”

Please address any enquiries to ADC Executive Director Geoffrey Zygier on 03 9272 5672.