Organization Spotlight: LGBTI Legal Service

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex Legal Service Inc is a newly established non-profit and unfunded community-based legal service which began service provision on July 7th, 2010. The service seeks to assist Queensland LGBTI communities to gain access to justice through the provision of legal and social welfare services. They will also be offering community legal education activities in order to increase awareness of legal rights and responsibilities for LGBTI communities in Queensland and will be actively involved in advocating for law reform and human rights.

Equal Love - Nov 28th Australian Marriage Rallies

The Australian Senate is due to release a landmark report on same-sex marriage and activists across the nation will be demonstrating on November 28th for marriage rights through the Equal Love campaign two days after the expected report comes out. The rallies will either express enthusiasm and call for government adoption of the report or will express outrage at the reports findings.

Rallies will be taking place in the following five cities:

Melbourne

November 28, 1pm
State Library

Sydney

November 28, 1pm
Sydney Town Hall
www.caah.org.au

Adelaide

November 28, 11am
Parliament House

Canberra

November 28, 1pm
Garema Place, Civic

Brisbane

November 28, 1pm
Queens Park, City
(Opp. Treasury Casino)

In the mean time sign the petition to the Prime Minister demanding marriage equality.

Australian National Day of Action for Same-Sex Marriage Aug 1st

The Equal Love campaign will be holding rallies in cities across Australia on August 1st demanding same-sex marriage equality. Many of the couples among the protesters will engage in a mass "illegal" weddings to show their frustration with the government and to publicly demonstrate their love and commitment.

Protest locations listed here.

Australian Prime Minister Vows to Fight Marriage Equality

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia has made hypocritical statements regarding same-sex marriage. He maintains his party respects same-sex couples, but still vows to fight against their right to marry.

"Mr Rudd said that while he welcomes debate on gay marriage, he will not support it. He added that his party “fully respects the integrity of same-sex relationships”.

Rudd said Labor will not change its opposition to same-sex marriage, commenting that marriage should be a union between a man and a woman" (AKA William).

The Prime Minister is on the wrong side of history, the people of Australia support equality and it's time the government stop interfering.

The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

E-contact form

P.M. Kevin Rudd on Twitter

Web Spotlight: Joy 94.9

Joy 94.9 is an independent radio station that serves the needs of the diverse GLBTIQ community by providing talks shows, news, current affairs, music and more by broadcasting on 94.9 fm in Melbourne and beyond.

Australian High School Publishes Piece About a "World Free of Homosexuals"

Gay activists are outraged after Xavier High School, a Catholic school in Albury, Australia published an anti-gay piece by a former student in its alumni newsletter.

"Writing in a letter to the editor in the newsletter, former Xavier student Matt Price entreated “a world free from homosexuals”, who he said lived lives devoted to drugs and sex.

His letter called for businesses not to employ homosexuals, with Price revealing that he lobbies CEOs with his message.

Price, who claims to be a ‘cured’ homosexual, said his new ‘heterosexual’ life allowed him to “lead/heal my spiritual life in the way I was guided as a child"(SX News).

This letter to the editor should never have been published as it incites violence and gives credence to the dangerous and unsuccessful efforts by the "ex-gay" movement. This sends a horrible message to gay youth at the high school and reinforces negative self thoughts and can inflict unnecessary harm.

Urge the school to apologize for publishing this heinous piece.

Xavier High School
E-contact form (right side bar).

Postal Address:
PO Box 518
ALBURY NSW 2640

Phone: (02) 6040 6388

Web Spotlight: Asexual Awareness Australia

Asexual Awareness Australia (A3) is an online resource and network for asexual people in Australia. Their goal is to bring the asexuals of the country together and provide support.

Asexual Meetups in United Kingdom and Australia this Weekend

Asexual meetup groups are springing up across the globe. This Saturday, February 7th there will be meetings in York and London (UK) and in Sydney, Australia.

For more info on these meetups and other future and potential meets up, check out the AVEN Meetup Mart.

Please also feel free to list any additional asexual meetups here, or if you wish to put out info for people to contact you over a potential meetup.

Australian Government Urged to Consider Intersex Classification

The Australian government is being urged to consider altering their forms to be inclusive of intersex people.

"Australia's human rights office is pushing the federal government to allow some people to classify themselves as a third gender, intersex, for legal documents and procedures.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission issued a paper titled "Sex Files -- The Legal Recognition of Sex: Proposed Reform" to transgender advocates across the country. The paper proposes the third gender classification to be included on legal documents such as drivers licenses and passports. The report was released in September, according to the agency's website, but the news media were not made aware of it until last week, the Sydney Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

Sex and Gender Education Australia, a transgender advocacy group, says forms should include "other" as a fourth option, allowing some not to identify as any sex.

The paper defines intersex as people who "cannot or do not identify as either male or female" and choose to be "identified on their birth certificate and passport as intersex." Additionally, those who cannot or choose not to have gender reassignment surgery would "not be automatically ineligible to request a change in their legal sex." (Advocate).

For detailed information on the proposal by the Human Rights Commission click here for their post on "sex files".

Also, join us in contacting officials of the Parliament of Australia to act to ensure that intersex people are recognized by the government.

Click here to email the Prime Minister and here to email select representatives of the federal government.

Australian Activists Set to Protest Pope's Visit

"The NoToPope Coalition is inviting all civil libertarians, sexual health workers, condom producers, gays/ lesbians/ queers, women's rights activists, abortion providers, Christians and faith/holders, to challenge NSW governments attacks on free speech."

The NoToPope Coalition will peacefully protest on Saturday July 19th 12 noon at Taylor Square, Darlinghurst.

Youth Against World Youth Day are rallying in Melbourne Sunday July 13, 1:30pm (speakers from 2pm), Step of Parliament House, Spring St, Melbourne. Call Jason 0407781406

A kiss-in and condom distribution action will take place in Brisbane on Saturday July 19th at 3pm in Queens Park. Call Luke 0400 195 203 Dominic Hale o431 638 772

For Adelaide's Kiss-in Queen Street, Bowden Saturday July 19th at 2.30pm for 3pm please contact: Troy-Anthony Baylis 0439 684 876 or Jess Cronin 0438 668 370

Lismore NoToPope event at Winsome Hotel contact Tara 02 6629 5358

For Newcastle call Star 0410 326 006

http://www.notopope.com/

Urge Australian Red Cross to Stop Blood Ban!

Tasmanian gay activists are angered that the prohibition on homosexual men from donating blood still exists. Recently the laws have been changed to allow 16 year olds to donate blood without parental consent. The new laws however still prohibit gay/bisexual males from donating blood.

Contact Australian Red Cross Blood Service

Churchie School Should Allow Same-Sex Prom Dates

According to Queerty:

"The all boys school Churchie, located in Australia’s Queensland state, rejected several gay kids requests to bring their same-sex beaus to the end-of-the-year dance. While headmaster Jonathan Hensman says he appreciates their asking, he simply cannot deviate from the dance’s historic trajectory.

"We don’t intend to change our practice. As well as being a social occasion, it’s an education forum and to that end the school decides what is appropriate behavior and what is not.

Not all students take their girlfriends. Some take a female friend. It’s about protocols and decorums."

Please contact the school headmaster and tell him that discriminating against gay students is wrong...

Email: Jonathan.Hensman@churchie.com.au