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 LGBTIQ+ community should be safe to live free from hate. Take action now!
Stop Book Bans in Albany
Hi there, My name is Millie Reid and I'm a volunteer with Albany Pride.
I live in a beautiful little town in southern WA. It's a home and a community - a place where everyone can feel safe and accepted.
Unfortunately some ugly things are happening here.
A fringe group has mobilized a crowd of people and some extreme politicians and together they are calling for a ban on sex education books in our public libraries.
They are attacking the LGBTQ+ community here. My community.
They’re getting a lot of attention and have already done a lot of damage; I know there are young people out here feeling unsafe and attacked.
This group call themselves “Keeping Children Safe” but I know that by attacking LGBTIQ+ people, they’re doing the opposite.
They’ve brought on a vote at our local council and I am asking for your show of support.
By signing this petition I can bring your voice with me to the special electors meeting next week. Help me prove that we have so much more support than this hateful group.
Background
- There's been a rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate across Australia, driven by increasingly organised extremists.
- LGBTIQ+ events such as drag story times and youth programs across Victoria and NSW have been cancelled due to the presence of anti-LGBTIQ+ protestors.
- It takes many shapes from: graffiti, hate speech, vandalism, threatening presences at community events and centres, unfair and sensationalised media attention and even targeted complaints against queer books.
- Our community does not have adequate protections under the law -- this has to change.
In many states there are insufficient protections for LGBTIQ+ people who experience hate. There are no national laws and at the state level, SA, WA, and VIC have no laws protecting the LGBTIQ+ community from hate speech and vilification.
With attacks on the rise, especially against the trans community, there is urgent need for stronger measures to protect the community.
These should include:
- As a first step, national anti-vilification laws and laws in all states that currently lack these protections.
- Greater focus on initiatives that prevent hate and ensure our communities are protected if it does.
- Greater investment for LGBTIQ+ community-led responses to support survivors and undertake 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.
