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Progressive Judaism Victoria (PJV) has launched a new program to educate Melbourne’s Jewish community to deal sensitively with issues of sexuality and gender identity.

The educational program — Keshet — hails from the US and aims to educate Jewish leaders to create more welcoming environments for young LGBTI people.

PJV board member Jonathan Barnett is behind the initiative’s introduction and said the program would focus on raising awareness in Jewish schools.
“It’s about training the trainers,” Barnett told the Star Observer. “Basically, significant teachers, educators, rabbis, youth leaders get the training and they pass it on to their peers.

“It’s not a one-off thing, it’s a continuing activity.

The program is split into two modules, with a two-day training session for leaders and subsequent workshops for young people and families.Barnett said the program will operate similarly to state anti-bullying initiative Safe Schools Coalition Victoria, but in a Jewish context.

“One of the reasons this got started was to provide an inclusive environment for LGBTI Jews of all ages,” he said. “But you can’t say to a 30-year-old, now we have a wonderful warm place for you, because as a 12-year-old, they had no one to talk to.

“As a 12-year-old the community turned their back on them. How are you going to get them involved as a 30-year-old? It’s not going to happen.”

The push for LGBTI inclusion in Melbourne’s wider Jewish community has been rocky in recent years, with resistance in conservative quarters to a change in attitudes towards homosexuality.

“It’s very slow, I agree,” Barnett said.

“But I have patience because it takes time and when you’re dealing with sexuality, when you’re dealing with religious people, when you’re dealing with children, it’s always a challenge.

“Religious fundamentalists of any persuasion are always an issue. Are you ever going to change them? No. But we can change everyone else.”
The program was also backed by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) in December.

JCCV president Nina Bassat said the organisation has given in-principle support for Keshet and will help behind the scenes.
“What we hope to get out of it … is that the community is better briefed and better educated on an issue which causes a great deal of angst to members of our community,” she told the Star Observer.

The JCCV released a report last year which found members of the Jewish community face discrimination, harassment and abuse because of their sexuality or gender identity.

INFO: www.pjv.org.au

Melbourne business group the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of Business Enterprise (GLOBE) will kick up its heels to celebrate its 20th birthday this weekend.

A gala dinner will be held on Saturday, February 4, 6.30pm, at the ANZ Pavilion, Victorian Arts Centre.

Former Australian Medical Association head Professor Kerryn Phelps, former Big Brother contestant Farmer Dave Graham and Melbourne jazz musician Jade Leonard will lead celebrations.

GLOBE president Peter Stephenson said he was looking forward to the night to celebrate the group’s achievements over the last two decades.

“For the past 20 years GLOBE has provided a place for professionals to network, meet with like-minded people and, most importantly, have fun,” Stephenson said.

“A lot of work from our members, both past and present, has gone into building GLOBE and we are looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate this milestone.”

GLOBE was set up during the 1992 Midsumma Festival when 16 people attended a meeting to form a business group specifically for the LGBTI community.

GLOBE has grown from a small social group to a respected community organisation, and still offers networking opportunities for members to meet other businesspeople in the LGBTI community.The group has always had a diverse membership base — business owners, career professionals, students, consultants, retirees and anyone with a general interest in business.

Over the years, through its community grants scheme, GLOBE has donated more than $25,000 to LGBTI community initiatives that would otherwise remain unfunded.

GLOBE is always looking for new members and holds regular monthly social events and breakfast meetings with guest speakers. It next meets socially on February 16 at 3 Degrees at the QV Centre, Lonsdale St.

INFO: www.globemelbourne.com.au

Bisexuals have issued a plea ahead of this weekend’s Pride March for an end to biphobic comments as they march down Fitzroy St, St Kilda.

Bisexual support group Bisexual Alliance Victoria (BAV) says it will not tolerate biphobic jeers from the crowd.

BAV president James Dominguez stressed that most people gathered to watch the LGBTI pride march are supportive, however, in the past some people along the route have yelled out hurtful remarks.

“It’s quite disappointing that it happens because it turns what is supposed to be a day of unity and celebration for everyone in the broader queer community into a stressful and alienating experience for our members,” Dominguez said.

“We will keep taking part though because this is one of the rare chances for us to remind everyone that we exist.

“Bisexuals tend to be invisible in the community as we are typically assumed to be either heterosexual or homosexual, based on the gender of our partner.”

Last year the Star Observer reported BAV members were sprayed with biphobic abuse while participating in Pride March.

Dominguez — who this month will march in Pride March for the fifth time — said he was aware of abuse every time the group marched.

“The things we hear every year are ‘make up your mind’, ‘you’re greedy’, ‘finish coming out’, ‘bisexuals don’t exist’, ‘get off the fence’ — negative things like that,” Dominguez said in 2011.

“We really want to let people know it’s unacceptable.”

Pride March is on Sunday, February 5, starting at the top of Fitzroy St and ending at Catani Gardens.

INFO: BAV is a non-profit support group for bisexual people and aims to promote acceptance of bisexuals in the LGBTI and mainstream communities. The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month. More at www.bialliance.org

Two federal MPs from opposite sides of the divide look set to reignite the debate on same-sex civil unions with revelations the pair are considering introducing a civil unions bill.

The Australian newspaper today reported Government Whip Joel Fitzgibbon and opposition counterpart Warren Entsch have discussed jointly sponsoring a bill to allow same-sex civil unions, instead of marriage.

Entsch confirmed talks had taken place and said he hoped to soon have advice on wording for a bill.

“My view is that a marriage proposal will not succeed,” Entsch said.

“I’m looking at what can be done. It’s not going to satisfy the hardliners, but I think it’s certainly going to make a difference for a very significant number of gay couples.”

In November the Labor Party moved to change its party platform to support same-sex marriage, however, instead of voting along party lines Labor MPs will be allowed a conscience vote on any legislation before Parliament.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has so far refused to allow a free vote for Coalition MPs on the issue, meaning any marriage equality bill is likely to fail.

Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national spokesman Alex Greenwich hit out at the civil union proposal saying it was premature and will only draw out the debate on marriage.

“Civil union legislation is damaging because it entrenches a second-class status for same-sex couples, [it’s] unnecessary because 80 percent of Australians already have access to state civil union schemes, and impractical because it would require referrals of powers from the states,” Greenwich said.

Last week the Greens called for another parliamentary inquiry into same-sex marriage, similar to one held in 2009, to help persuade MPs sitting on the fence.

Labor backbencher Stephen Jones is set to introduce a private members bill to allow for marriage equality when Parliament returns this month and a Greens bill has already been tabled, awaiting a vote.

“It makes no sense to bring this [civil unions bill] forward before support for marriage equality is tested in Parliament following the Senate inquiry, unless the aim is to take pressure off Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard over their opposition to a same-sex marriage,” Greenwich said.

“The gay and lesbian community and our families overwhelmingly support marriage equality over civil unions, so all a civil union scheme will do is prolong the debate rather than bring it to an end.”

“We call on Mr Entsch and Mr Fitzgibbon to test their bill before the upcoming Senate marriage equality inquiry rather than rushing it into Parliament.”

Former Howard government minister Amanda Vanstone has accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of stifling internal party debate on the issue of same-sex marriage.

In the opinion piece published in The Age online today, Vanstone said Abbott should also allow Coalition MPs a free vote when a bill calling for the legalisation of gay marriage comes before Parliament.

“One of the things that really aggravates members of Parliament is when a leader announces, through the media, a decision that has been made after Parliament has risen,” Vanstone said.

“As there is no party-room meeting over the break, the leader’s announcement and policy position gets all the airplay and permeates the public mind. MPs who disagree with the decision rightly see the timing as a tactic to weaken them

“…He should say he will look at the issue if and when it comes to Parliament. And he should give the party room the conscience vote that should never have been given away.”

Vanstone said Abbott’s decision to refuse Coalition MPs a conscience vote goes against Liberal Party tradition.

“The Liberal Party prides itself on the right of members to follow their conscience,” Vanstone said.

“It is a cherished Liberal principle.

“….It looks, smells and walks like a leader deliberately shutting the party room out of a decision. MPs will not warm to it.”

Australian tennis great Margaret Court has waded further in controversy, telling the Sunday Herald Sun she believes homosexuality may be the result of child abuse.

She told the newspaper “many, many” gays and lesbians she knew of had been abused which caused them to be attracted to the same sex.

When asked whether she believed sexual abuse led people to homosexuality, Court told the newspaper: “Yes. You look at a lot of them, that’s happened.”

The comments follow intense backlash from the LGBTI community after Court, a senior pastor at Perth’s Victory Life Church, recently indicated she believes homosexuality is a choice and supports so-called conversion therapy for same-sex attracted people.

In an opinion piece published in this week’s Herald Sun, Court reaffirmed her stance that homosexuality is a choice and voiced her opposition to gay marriage, because it is against the word of God.

In the editorial, Court said Australia is blind to its “sliding lifestyle” and losing touch with fundamental Christian values.

“Minorities are now making it harder for the majority,” she said.

“They are increasingly taking everything that is good in society and pushing it to the side.

“Looking back, you can see that there has been a steep decline, especially when it comes to the issue of sexuality.

Court then said homosexuals choose to be gay.

“In the Bible it said that homosexuality is among sins that are works of the flesh,” she said.

“It is not something you are born with. My concern is that we are advocating to young people that it is OK to have these feelings.”

“But I truly believe if you are told you are gay from a young age, soon enough it will start to impact your life and you will live it. If somebody is told they are gay they often start to believe it.”

Court said she is also opposed to same-sex marriage because children need a mother and a father.

“I can’t understand, if we are a blessed nation under a biblical Constitution, why there is such a push to change it? We will only start to tear away at the rich fabric and sustained values. Then God will take his hand off our nation and the lights will go out.”

“That is why I believe we need to protect marriage because it has been God-ordained from the beginning.

“God told man to be united with his wife and to multiply on earth.”

Sometimes it can be wise, to use a sporting analogy, to let some things go through to the keeper.

I know there are some LGBTI activists who will ardently disagree with me on this. I’m not saying homophobic comments shouldn’t be called out — I believe they most certainly should. Always. But we also need to afford people a little space and time to change their mind.

This week correspondence doing the rounds from the Rainbow Flags Over Rainbow Court Arena campaigners left me feeling a little uneasy. Amid all the frenzy this week about Margaret Court and her less than enlightened remarks about homosexuality, Martina Hingis’ name came up in a press release for comments she made in 1999 about French tennis champion Amélie Mauresmo.

So the story goes, the international tennis press was in a frenzy over Mauresmo’s coming-out ahead of the 1999 Australian Open. Before she was about to do battle with Mauresmo on the court, Hingis told a press conference that “she’s half a man” in reference to her famous upper body strength, and the fact that she had a girlfriend.

It was stupid remark, I don’t deny that for a second. But Hingis made her comments well over a decade ago — she was still a teenager at the time. The world (and hopefully Hingis) has changed a lot since then.

I understand Hingis was fairly unapologetic for her remarks at the time, which doesn’t bode well, but whether she still has a problem with someone because of their sexuality, we don’t know. That’s the point.

I will underline this point with a great confession of my own. When I was a teenager, in a school discussion about former Prime Minister John Howard’s gun control reform, I was against him. I shudder to think of this now. But it was context — I grew up in a rural area where my point of view (at the time) was widely shared.

I hasten to add the use of Hingis’ comments by the rainbow flags protestors to prove a point was a tiny throwaway line. It’s a small thing but I think it has wider implications. Some care should be taken that when justifiably flying off the handle at anti-gay remarks, others aren’t unfairly appointed to the same league.

Margaret Court’s comments speak for themselves. Unless someone has shared their recent thoughts, it’s unfair to assume someone holds the same view as a decade ago.

Brisbane filmmaker Phoebe Hart will lay her life bare on Australian television screens this week in an inspiring tale of self-discovery.

Hart was born with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS), or intersex condition, which means her body contains some male chromosomes.

In the intensely personal Orchids: My Intersex Adventure, Hart travels the country to hear stories from other people with intersex to help overcome her own battles with secrecy and shame.

“I had an idea I’d want to do this film for a long time but I didn’t have the confidence and felt afraid of exposing myself,” Hart told the Star Observer.

“I decided to finally do it, not only for my own cathartic reasons, but because by putting my story out there might help other people or families in a similar situation.”

Hart found out when she reached puberty she would never be able to bear children. It wasn’t until she was 17 years old that her parents revealed why.

“As I got a bit older I realised it was much more than not being able to menstruate, it was something that affected me more broadly,” she said.

“As a teenager it was quite rocky for me because I knew there was something wrong with me, I didn’t know exactly what it was and I knew other people knew more about it than I did.”

When she finally learned of her condition, she said things started falling into place.

Much to Hart’s surprise, she discovered her younger sister Bonnie also had AIS.

The close sisters had been separately guarding the same secret the whole time.

“It was a shock because I actually thought I was a one of a kind. I thought I was almost like an alien that had been dropped down on earth as some kind of social experiment.”

Bonnie is part of the film project which Hart says helped when it came time to interview her parents.

Hart says she does not harbour anger at her parents’ decision to keep her in the dark for so long.

“The way these intersex conditions were treated in the past doesn’t reflect how it is today, and it was all about doctors advising parents to keep this from their children because it might psychologically ruin them to know they are hermaphrodites.”

INFO: Orchids: My Intersex Adventure screens Sunday, January 29 at 10pm on ABC1.

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) has seen a rise in complaints relating to sexuality and gender identity.

VEOHRC Acting Commissioner Karen Toohey said the Commission had received almost 70 complaints relating to sexual orientation and gender identity in the 12 months between 2010 and 2011, mostly in the area of employment, but also in goods and services provision.

“This a significant increase on the previous year and indicates more GLBTI Victorians are aware of their rights and are taking action to stand up for them,” Toohey said.

“We all have the right to be who we want to be and to be treated fairly and with respect without fear of discrimination or harassment.”

The VEOHRC saw a rise in complaints about discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation with 32 complaints in 2009-2010, increasing to 53 in 2010-2011.

Complaints relating to gender identity jumped from three complaints in 2009-2010 to 14 in 2010-2011.