Stand Up Against Hate
Attacks are on the rise against our community. We need to stand together to make sure LGBTIQ+ people are protected.
The LGBTQ+ community should be safe to live free from hate. Take action now!
Background
What is hate?
It can take many forms such as graffiti, vilification, vandalism, threatening presences at community events and venues, unfair and sensationalised media attention and even targeted complaints against queer books.
What we’ve seen:
- A rise in anti-LGBTIQ+ hate across Australia driven by increasingly organised extremists and online radicalisation.
- LGBTIQ+ events such as drag story times and youth programs have been cancelled due to threats and protests.
- Attempts to ban queer books from public libraries.
- An alarming rise in real-world violence including a spate of “gay bashings” connected to online dating apps like Grindr.
In some states there are insufficient protections for LGBTIQ+ people who experience hate. SA and WA have no laws protecting our community from vilification and the harm it causes.
There are federal protections from threats of violence but the legislation, passed in 2025, failed to include serious vilification.
NSW also missed an opportunity to fully protect our community when it left LGBTIQ+ people out of its racial hatred reforms.
With attacks on the rise, especially against the trans community and gay men, there is urgent need for stronger measures against hate.
These should include:
- Laws in all states that currently lack these protections.
- Stronger laws at a federal level.
- Greater focus on initiatives that prevent hate and ensure our communities are protected if it does occur.
- Greater investment for LGBTIQ+ community-led responses to support survivors and for public education.
Let’s build the public pressure to protect the LGBTIQ+ community from hate and ensure effective anti-vilification laws exist no matter where you live.
