Over 100 Organisations Pledge To Stand With Australia’s Trans Communities

Douglas Magaletti
November 7, 2023

Image: Trans Justice Project Facebook

Over 100 organisations have signed a statement of solidarity with the trans and gender-diverse community, in the lead-up to Transgender Awareness Week.

Among the commitments in the statement include ensuring places of work are educated and inclusive, promoting affordable and accessible gender-affirming care, and protecting the bodily autonomy of trans people.

‘Our Bodies Are Not Objects To Be Weaponised’

The statement read, “We pledge our support for policies which seek to promote affordable and accessible gender-affirming care for everyone who needs it.

“We oppose any move that would seek to block or restrict trans people’s access to this vital health care, or any move that would threaten the bodily autonomy or self-determination of trans people seeking access to care. We commit to ensuring our workplaces and/or services are informed and inclusive.”

According to the Trans Justice Project, the signatories include human rights, gender equity, and LGBTQIA+ organisations, including the Victorian Pride Lobby, ACON, Thorne Harbour Health, Trans Health Australia, Zoe Belle Gender Collective, Amnesty International Australia, Equality Australia, GetUp!, Fair Agenda, and Safe + Equal.

Renee Carr, Executive Director at Fair Agenda, one of the signatories, said, “Anything that threatens the bodily autonomy of people, especially trans and gender diverse people, sets a dangerous precedent that endangers the rights and freedoms of all women. Our bodies are not objects to be weaponised for political purposes.”

‘Unprecedented Escalation In Attacks On The Trans Community’

A 2023 report from the Trans Justice Project and the Victorian Pride Lobby found that 1 in 2 trans participants experienced anti-trans hate, 1 in 10 trans participants experienced anti-trans violence, and 9 in 10 participants witnessed online anti-trans hate in the last year.

According to the Director of the Trans Justice Project Jackie Turner, “Trans people deserve to thrive. We deserve to be able to build good lives, have the freedom to be ourselves, and to feel safe in our communities. But right now our lives are under attack from an anti-trans lobby, who are trying to take away our freedoms and our rights.”

“The last year has seen an unprecedented escalation in attacks on the trans community; including in-person abuse, legislation and legal challenges attempting to remove our rights and protections, and the proliferation of disinformation created with the aim of restricting our access to gender-affirming health care.”

Turner continued, “Together, we are calling on our leaders to stand with us against the attacks on our community, and commit to opposing any move that would threaten the safety, rights, or health care of trans and gender-diverse people.”