Key women’s safety and equality organisations are speaking out over ongoing rhetoric against transgender women, fearing it could lead to greater violence and hostility.
Fair Agenda has led a joint statement, endorsed by more than 40 groups, calling for an end to the divisive debate, and a focus on safety for all women.
Louise Simms, executive director at Safe and Equal Victoria, said the threat of violence was front of mind.
“Violence is driven by rigid stereotypes and norms, [and] discrimination and divisive attitudes like this, so this is a real concern for us.” she told SBS News.
She also says the debate is exacerbating transphobic behaviour.
“People are becoming bolder in their expressions of these attitudes and I think having it play out publicly is giving people in communities some more confidence to express these attitudes,” she said.
The Fair Agenda statement calls on candidates and parties to focus on issues being faced by women, rather than stoking ideological divisions.
“There are real threats to women’s equality and participation in sport – including public allegations of sexual assault, harassment, or gendered abuse by male coaches in sports like gymnastics and swimming,” it says.
“Our political representatives should be prioritising the action needed to ensure all women are safe from abuse – in work, life and play – instead of targeting transgender women.”
Community groups under increased pressure
The issue came to a head in the last month after Prime Minister Scott Morrison backed his handpicked candidate for Warringah, Katherine Deves, and backbencher Claire Chandler in their campaign to ban transgender people from playing in single-sex sports.
But experts including Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins said the Sex Discrimination Act already allows sporting organisations to prevent transgender people from playing in single-sex sports.
Jackie Turner, transgender campaigner at Equality Australia, says the issue is further contributing to stigma against the community.
“The trans community already face really unprecedented rates of discrimination and marginalisation,” they told SBS News.
“We’re more likely to be fired from our jobs. We’re more likely to be estranged from our family and rejected by our friends or partners.”
Jenny Shoring, operations manager at A Gender Agenda and trans woman, says it’s also increasing the burden on support centres.
“There’s, you know, community groups that are now under increased pressure from increased phone calls, increased needs for support,” she told SBS News.
Debate ‘hugely regrettable’
Many are tired of the ongoing political debate, but at the Pride Centre in Melbourne on Thursday night, representatives from Labor, the Coalition and Greens came together with the LGBTIQ+ community on how to move forward.
The Coalition, Labor and Greens came together with the LGBTIQ+ community at the Pride Centre in Melbourne on Thursday.
“I’m sorry there’s been so much discussion about these issues during [the] election campaign, I don’t think it is in anyone’s interests for these issues to be pushed into the heat of election campaign,” he told the forum.
“I’m acutely aware of how vulnerable our trans community is.”
Both major parties announced funding for LGBTIQ+ support groups, and the Greens party is calling for a minister for equality in Parliament.
Labor frontbencher Penny Wong says the debate has been used as a political tactic.
“I wish it were easier, but the fact is equality has never come that easy, it always has to be fought for,” she told the forum.
Jeremy Wiggins, CEO of Transcend Australia said there could be “fatal consequences”.
“We’ve heard of reports [of] young people being physically attacked by random strangers, so I think it’s really important our political leaders take responsibility in how they hold these conversations,” he told SBS News.
“I’d really like to see a change in direction here and stop using us to be able to gain political points.”
Additional reporting by Tanya Dendrinos and Sean Wales.
