Trans and gender diverse people deserve to be free to live their lives and make their own choices.
But today in Australia, trans and gender diverse people continue to be on the front lines of the fight for LGBT equality. We are the ones who are attacked most visibly and directly – whether it be during debate about the Safe Schools program or over the course of the divisive marriage equality postal survey. And as opponents of LGBT equality grow increasingly frustrated at their failure to halt progress, they are narrowing their focus to specifically target us – establishing new anti-trans organisations and recruiting politicians to spew hate and misinformation.
Fifty years ago, trans and gender diverse women of colour in the US decided they’d had enough of the daily oppression and violence they were experiencing. Their fight back ignited the Compton’s Cafeteria and Stonewall riots, and kicked off the global march towards equality for LGBT people.
We must continue this fight. Because trans and gender diverse people have always existed, and we will always exist. We are growing increasingly visible, increasingly organised, and we are clear on what we need. We’re standing up for ourselves, and our rights, and we want you to stand with us.