A glimmer of hope here in Australia. The Queensland (state) govt has just announced it will suspend "the use of hormone treatment and gender-affirming hormones (puberty blockers) in new trans patients under the age of 18". The federal (national) govt then announced a review of "Australian standards of care and treatment guidelines for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents". It's going to take time but there's a possibility that an expert committee would be "driven by evidence and conducted by our most eminent medical researchers and clinicians". Hallelujah (spelling?). Fingers crossed it won't be derailed. Here's a link to a report from our ABC, hope it works: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-31/federal-review-treatment-guidelines-trans-gender-diverse-kids/104882406?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web
- AusPATH (localised WPATH) and Transcend would be advising
- That it will be conforming to Labor's LGBQTIA wellbeing framework
So! Absolute bullshit. This is an election ruse and to derail Queensland's Liberal push to challenge the use of Puberty Blockers & Hormones - as it's proving to be an issue for the voters.
Maybe a ruse, but I'd be declaring that Transcend/ AusPATH (same shit, different label) be advising no matter what my intention, just to shut them up during the process. Otherwise the activists would derail the entire process before it starts. Looking at the ABC's recent propaganda campaign featuring Eloise Brook, even Brook seems uncomfortable and slightly ashamed spouting her hollow sales pitch about the 'benefits' of gender-affirming 'care'. The face of someone who can feel the ship sinking, but has decided to keep piping to her mesmerised rats.
It'll be interesting to see whether the NHMRC has the integrity to seek out, evaluate and follow the medical evidence, or is also corrupted by ideologues.
I did that 23&Me thing, hoping I'd find some exotic heritage, only to be told I'm 99.8% "British and Irish"! Bloody waste of money! And I have more neanderthal DNA than the average person, apparently. Hmph
I was excluded from a LGBT+ gov funded event on account of being a same sex attracted woman who doesn't believe that men can be lesbians. And apparently by law I have no grounds for a discrimination case.
In Australia it is fine to exclude lesbians from *community events but only the female ones. Such bullshit.
Retrospective queering of Shakespeare's characters is bloody tiresome. To me, it just reads as wishful slash fiction dressed up as serious academic study: I might love the idea of Titania nobbing Helena and Hermia in a bosky glade while Cobweb and Mustardseed watch, but I'm not convinced this justifies writing a thesis on it. And why bother when there's already such good old-fashioned gender-bending fun in Shakespeare already? Twelfth Night is still my favourite (first experienced at Stratford at the impressionable age of 12, then repeat-watched obsessively in the form of Trevor Nunn's hammy but lovely film). I think one of the most reliable litmus tests for Lezza-ness is whether your interest levels plummet at the point when Viola's disguise is revealed, and it all goes safely hetero... Anyway, another great episode, with much to ponder on. Cheers, both!
Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night is wonderful. No director gets Shakespeare like him. I reckon Olivia fancies Viola more than Sebastian... oops I just queered it ;)
With reference to the Lesbian Action Group (LAG), in 2023 the group applied to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) for an exemption under the federal Sexual Discrimination Act (SDA) so that they could run female born lesbian-only events at Victoria's state of the art Pride Centre. Pride Centre operations are underpinned by gender ideology which claims, amongst other things, that men can become women can become lesbians, so they had refused approval for LAG to run public events excluding male born 'lesbians'. It would have been possible and so simple, generous and just for the Pride Centre and the AHRC to grant the exemption but they refused. What happened to live and let live?
LAG appealed to the Administrative Review Board (ART) against this decision and from all accounts ran an outstanding case as opposed to a somewhat ill-prepared case by AHRC. LAG also lost this appeal but on spurious grounds. The official documentation can be found at this site:
As a lesbian elder involved in one of the first formal lesbian political and social groups from 1970 - 72 (ALM), I am so delighted to know of the work current LAG members and their legal team are doing. Age and health issues make me an observer these days but I want to record that LAG have set up a fabulous social group for their lesbian women members only, which they are allowed to do under a quirk of the legislation. This seems to be working well, and they also run a group for younger lesbian women. On their web page, they are collecting the lived experience accounts so essential to lesbian history. As stated earlier I am a non-active member of LAG for health reasons so those amazing women who are actually doing the work - please correct any mistakes!
One of the great lesbian poets, Adrienne Rich, in speaking about the profound power of women working together, said this -
3 days on (3 Feb), I found this engrossing interview between Carole Ann from LAG and Sall Grover from Terf TV about the LAG appeal against the Australian Human Rights Commission decision already noted. The interview rounds out the story. LAG announced today that it will go to the Federal Court about the latest hurdles! Yay!!!
Our hurdle in the law is that the Australian Human Rights Commission has declared that sex is not binary, and that anyone can change their sex over their lifetime. This is now reinforced by Sex Self ID laws in every state.
So even though it is near impossible to win under these circumstances, it is important that we try. We need to make noise. We need to bring it to the attention of the general public. Otherwise nothing will ever change.
I realised today how little I actually know of the legislative background to these issues, so reading quietly now. Let us know what we can do to help. The financial appeal is one thing and you will let us know of others, even though we are Twi-lighters?
This haranguing is not non crime hate,which is bxxxxxxs,it is a breach of the peace.You can report an incident,the police can record it,then if you want the figures you have an account.Nuanced policing works from the public side as well as the institutional.Use the existing procedures,the law is the law as interpreted by the people.Whats the value of the idea of a civil state if it’s only to benefit the functionaries? Discuss.
The infuriating aspect of both LAG decisions, along with Tickle v Giggle, is that the Australian Human Rights Commission, keep interfering as amicus curie.
It would seem that the only way to get genuine questions asked, and judged, on the SDA is by going all the way to the High Court !
Admittedly ive read only the top line report but if LAG really do propose to exclude bisexual women along with transexuals then it is ill thought out and rightly rejected.
Well I thought the issue was about keeping men out of women only spaces so why conflate with female sexuality? Not sure how discriminating against bisexual women could even work in practice never mind the principles of it? Regarding headlines I was mainly responding to the comments made in podcast - so are you saying this was incorrect?
I’m sure you don’t need me to define bisexuality but since you keep asking I would say bisexuals are lesbian some or all of the time depending on whom they are in a relationship with. So how would LAG view bisexual women that are currently in a heterosexual relationship - would they be excluded even if they were wanting to attend alone or with female friends? and what about those that aren’t in a relationship? It all becomes a bit like discussing angels dancing on a pin head…
Our case is to be able to have lesbian only events. That means events without non lesbians. We lost the case on the grounds that we would be discriminating against men who say they are lesbians. In the view of the Australian Human Rights Commission it was ok for us to meet without heterosexual men and women, bisexual men and women, and gay men, but we couldn't meet without men who claim to be lesbians. Again I ask you "Are bisexual women lesbians?' And what 'dodgy principles' are you referring to?
Julie- Glenna Goldis called you out ;) on Kara Dansky’s Woman’s Hour on Substack! Personally I would love to hear you and Glenna debate the biology of homosexuality. I think both of you are, to use my favorite British word, brilliant.
A glimmer of hope here in Australia. The Queensland (state) govt has just announced it will suspend "the use of hormone treatment and gender-affirming hormones (puberty blockers) in new trans patients under the age of 18". The federal (national) govt then announced a review of "Australian standards of care and treatment guidelines for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents". It's going to take time but there's a possibility that an expert committee would be "driven by evidence and conducted by our most eminent medical researchers and clinicians". Hallelujah (spelling?). Fingers crossed it won't be derailed. Here's a link to a report from our ABC, hope it works: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-31/federal-review-treatment-guidelines-trans-gender-diverse-kids/104882406?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web
The Federal government is Labor - the review is an election ruse. The assistant Minister of Health Ged Kearney informed us that: https://x.com/gedkearney/status/1885196970018418929
- AusPATH (localised WPATH) and Transcend would be advising
- That it will be conforming to Labor's LGBQTIA wellbeing framework
So! Absolute bullshit. This is an election ruse and to derail Queensland's Liberal push to challenge the use of Puberty Blockers & Hormones - as it's proving to be an issue for the voters.
I was excited I admit reading the https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/health-care-for-trans-and-gender-diverse-australian-children-and-adolescents
And did an analysis:
https://indefenseofchildren.substack.com/p/australias-gender-healthcare-policy
Then saw the Ged review - it's a con.
Maybe a ruse, but I'd be declaring that Transcend/ AusPATH (same shit, different label) be advising no matter what my intention, just to shut them up during the process. Otherwise the activists would derail the entire process before it starts. Looking at the ABC's recent propaganda campaign featuring Eloise Brook, even Brook seems uncomfortable and slightly ashamed spouting her hollow sales pitch about the 'benefits' of gender-affirming 'care'. The face of someone who can feel the ship sinking, but has decided to keep piping to her mesmerised rats.
It'll be interesting to see whether the NHMRC has the integrity to seek out, evaluate and follow the medical evidence, or is also corrupted by ideologues.
Updated - https://indefenseofchildren.substack.com/p/update-australias-gender-healthcare
I did that 23&Me thing, hoping I'd find some exotic heritage, only to be told I'm 99.8% "British and Irish"! Bloody waste of money! And I have more neanderthal DNA than the average person, apparently. Hmph
Me too!
“Not all” Ruths are 🥑! Never assume! 😂
incoming rant
I was excluded from a LGBT+ gov funded event on account of being a same sex attracted woman who doesn't believe that men can be lesbians. And apparently by law I have no grounds for a discrimination case.
In Australia it is fine to exclude lesbians from *community events but only the female ones. Such bullshit.
Retrospective queering of Shakespeare's characters is bloody tiresome. To me, it just reads as wishful slash fiction dressed up as serious academic study: I might love the idea of Titania nobbing Helena and Hermia in a bosky glade while Cobweb and Mustardseed watch, but I'm not convinced this justifies writing a thesis on it. And why bother when there's already such good old-fashioned gender-bending fun in Shakespeare already? Twelfth Night is still my favourite (first experienced at Stratford at the impressionable age of 12, then repeat-watched obsessively in the form of Trevor Nunn's hammy but lovely film). I think one of the most reliable litmus tests for Lezza-ness is whether your interest levels plummet at the point when Viola's disguise is revealed, and it all goes safely hetero... Anyway, another great episode, with much to ponder on. Cheers, both!
Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night is wonderful. No director gets Shakespeare like him. I reckon Olivia fancies Viola more than Sebastian... oops I just queered it ;)
With reference to the Lesbian Action Group (LAG), in 2023 the group applied to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) for an exemption under the federal Sexual Discrimination Act (SDA) so that they could run female born lesbian-only events at Victoria's state of the art Pride Centre. Pride Centre operations are underpinned by gender ideology which claims, amongst other things, that men can become women can become lesbians, so they had refused approval for LAG to run public events excluding male born 'lesbians'. It would have been possible and so simple, generous and just for the Pride Centre and the AHRC to grant the exemption but they refused. What happened to live and let live?
LAG appealed to the Administrative Review Board (ART) against this decision and from all accounts ran an outstanding case as opposed to a somewhat ill-prepared case by AHRC. LAG also lost this appeal but on spurious grounds. The official documentation can be found at this site:
https://lesbianactiongroup.org.au/. If you check the LAG X page you can see a link to an interview with Carole Ann.
As a lesbian elder involved in one of the first formal lesbian political and social groups from 1970 - 72 (ALM), I am so delighted to know of the work current LAG members and their legal team are doing. Age and health issues make me an observer these days but I want to record that LAG have set up a fabulous social group for their lesbian women members only, which they are allowed to do under a quirk of the legislation. This seems to be working well, and they also run a group for younger lesbian women. On their web page, they are collecting the lived experience accounts so essential to lesbian history. As stated earlier I am a non-active member of LAG for health reasons so those amazing women who are actually doing the work - please correct any mistakes!
One of the great lesbian poets, Adrienne Rich, in speaking about the profound power of women working together, said this -
"My heart is moved by all I cannot save:
so much has been destroyed
I have to cast my lot with those
who age after age, perversely,
with no extraordinary power,
reconstitute the world."
Isn't this what we are all doing?
3 days on (3 Feb), I found this engrossing interview between Carole Ann from LAG and Sall Grover from Terf TV about the LAG appeal against the Australian Human Rights Commission decision already noted. The interview rounds out the story. LAG announced today that it will go to the Federal Court about the latest hurdles! Yay!!!
https://x.com/ActiveLesbians/status/1886236947406094698
Thanks Kate for setting it all out so clearly.
Our hurdle in the law is that the Australian Human Rights Commission has declared that sex is not binary, and that anyone can change their sex over their lifetime. This is now reinforced by Sex Self ID laws in every state.
So even though it is near impossible to win under these circumstances, it is important that we try. We need to make noise. We need to bring it to the attention of the general public. Otherwise nothing will ever change.
I realised today how little I actually know of the legislative background to these issues, so reading quietly now. Let us know what we can do to help. The financial appeal is one thing and you will let us know of others, even though we are Twi-lighters?
This haranguing is not non crime hate,which is bxxxxxxs,it is a breach of the peace.You can report an incident,the police can record it,then if you want the figures you have an account.Nuanced policing works from the public side as well as the institutional.Use the existing procedures,the law is the law as interpreted by the people.Whats the value of the idea of a civil state if it’s only to benefit the functionaries? Discuss.
"Oh good God, it's so early in the morning, Julie." LMAO 🤣🤣
The infuriating aspect of both LAG decisions, along with Tickle v Giggle, is that the Australian Human Rights Commission, keep interfering as amicus curie.
It would seem that the only way to get genuine questions asked, and judged, on the SDA is by going all the way to the High Court !
Julie: "walk around the house authenticating yourself" omg lol it seems as ridiculous as it sounds.
Kathleen, congrats on your native american & middle eastern roots results! That is so kool.
Please, share the recipe for the soup, Julie 🙏
please!
Admittedly ive read only the top line report but if LAG really do propose to exclude bisexual women along with transexuals then it is ill thought out and rightly rejected.
I'd be interested in hearing your reasoning for this opinion.
Are bisexuals lesbians?
And it is always a bad idea to make comments based on media headlines!
It is not something we argued for in court. I said, in fact, that it is an issue up for discussion.
Well I thought the issue was about keeping men out of women only spaces so why conflate with female sexuality? Not sure how discriminating against bisexual women could even work in practice never mind the principles of it? Regarding headlines I was mainly responding to the comments made in podcast - so are you saying this was incorrect?
I’m sure you don’t need me to define bisexuality but since you keep asking I would say bisexuals are lesbian some or all of the time depending on whom they are in a relationship with. So how would LAG view bisexual women that are currently in a heterosexual relationship - would they be excluded even if they were wanting to attend alone or with female friends? and what about those that aren’t in a relationship? It all becomes a bit like discussing angels dancing on a pin head…
Our case is to be able to have lesbian only events. That means events without non lesbians. We lost the case on the grounds that we would be discriminating against men who say they are lesbians. In the view of the Australian Human Rights Commission it was ok for us to meet without heterosexual men and women, bisexual men and women, and gay men, but we couldn't meet without men who claim to be lesbians. Again I ask you "Are bisexual women lesbians?' And what 'dodgy principles' are you referring to?
Can’t wait to read Julie’s lesbian book when it’s out.
If we’re talking women playing men’s roles in Shakespeare: Maxine Peake as Hamlet 💜
Julie- Glenna Goldis called you out ;) on Kara Dansky’s Woman’s Hour on Substack! Personally I would love to hear you and Glenna debate the biology of homosexuality. I think both of you are, to use my favorite British word, brilliant.
You can find the actual decision and other documents about the LAG case at https://lesbianactiongroup.org.au