Wednesday, 15 May 2024

 Moira DEEMING (Western Metropolitan) (12:01): (525) My question is for the Minister for Equality. Does the minister acknowledge that same-sex-attracted people, so lesbians and gay men, could feel that they have very little in common with the ‘TQ+’ part of the acronym that is used in our government documents?

The PRESIDENT: I have got a concern that it is asking for an opinion. I do not know, Mrs Deeming, if you want an opportunity to rephrase the question so it is not an opinion.

Moira DEEMING: Thank you, President, for the opportunity. Could the minister provide any research that corroborates the use of grouping the ‘LGB’ with the ‘TQ+’ in our advocacy and research papers and in our laws as a group that is cohesive – that they are advocating for the same things and the same rights?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:02): Thank you, Mrs Deeming, for that question. It is actually really significant timing that you are asking this question today, because this Friday is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia, and key to the reason for this day is that it was not that long ago – it was 1990 – when the World Health Organization determined homosexuality not to be a disease. The genesis of LGBTIQA+ advocacy in civil rights has been based – and this is all but universally recognised – in the discrimination, isolation, harassment, disadvantage, violence and all too often loss of life experienced by LGBTIQA+ people because of who we are.

I say ‘who we are’ because I am proud and determined to be visible as a member of our LGBTIQA+ communities. I know that there are others in this place who are also determined to be visible. I am also determined to make it clear to people now and for the duration of my time in this Parliament that when we talk about equality not being negotiable and we talk about Australia’s first-ever equality portfolio being here in Victoria – work that was driven by Martin Foley as one of the most progressive allies and leaders in this space – it has been about making sure that equality is not negotiable for everybody across our LGBTIQA+ communities.

I also just want to make it really clear that when we are talking about the ‘G’ and when we are talking about the ‘L’ and when we are talking about the ‘I’ and we are talking about the ‘Q’, trans people also fit within all of these definitions. I know and I think you know, Mrs Deeming, people who are trans who identify as queer, who identify as gay, who identify as lesbians. If we are getting to the point in this discussion where we are saying that in our identities, in our gender, in our sexuality there is room only for a certain number of variations across the entire spectrum of human experience, then we are contributing to the very discrimination, isolation, exclusion, disadvantage and lesser life outcomes experienced that we know only too well. (Time expired)

 Moira DEEMING (Western Metropolitan) (12:05): Minister, all across the world there is actually a divide that is growing up. It is growing up in Australia and in the UK and multiple other countries – Canada, Sweden – where lesbians, gay men and bisexuals have tried to separate themselves in legislation, in being referred to as a cohort in the way that you have described, because they actually have differing objectives and their rights are conflicted with the ‘TQ’. For example, lesbians – I have raised this before by way of example. For same-sex-attracted females trying to have female-only events for female same-sex-attracted people who are lesbians, in their minds you cannot be a male who is a lesbian. So the transgender identity that you are talking about, without disrespecting it, is something that they disagree with. (Time expired)

The PRESIDENT: That is more of a comment. The minister does not have to respond to a comment.

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:06): I will respond, President, with your indulgence. Mrs Deeming, when I said ‘all but universally’ accepted, that is what I meant. LGBTIQA+ identity is stronger for the collective engagement in what it means to be other. I know only too well, having grown up feeling other my entire life, that it takes the support, the care, the visibility and the engagement of people around us to make sure that that disadvantage is understood, that it is ameliorated and that there is strength in a variety of different lived experiences. Please be under no doubt: here in Victoria equality is not negotiable; here in Victoria we will continue to stand up for the rights of trans and gender-diverse people; and within the equality portfolio I am determined – this government is determined – to make sure that trans and gender-diverse people are as central to that work as any other letter in the rainbow alphabet.