Stand Up, Fight Back: Protest Follows NSW Religious Vilification Bill Passed

Multiple LGBTQI community groups and supporters gathered in Sydney over the weekend, protesting the Religious Vilification Bill passed by the state government earlier in the week.

On Saturday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside of Sydney Town Hall criticising the NSW Labor Government’s bill for providing exemptions for potentially harmful actions on the grounds of religious beliefs.

The bill, which was introduced in late June, has seen LGBTQI activist groups oppose the amendment saying it does not adequately protect queer communities from exemptions.

Following the bill being passed on Wednesday, Community Action for Rainbow Rights (CARR) were joined by supporters from unions and organisations in speaking out against the bill and marching across Sydney.

LGBTQI Rights “Under Attack”

In an earlier statement, co-convener of CARR April Holcombe called out the bill in favouring support for religious groups during a poignant time for LGBT people.

“The NSW vilification bill is a signal of support for the religious right, at a time when LGBT+ rights and trans rights in particular are under serious attack,” says Holcombe.

“The bigotry of the religious right is massively unpopular. Seventy four per cent of people across Australia oppose the existing right of religious institutions to discriminate against trans and gay students and staff,” she explains.

At the protest, Holcombe noted that the reform will counteract protections for LGBT people, in reference to two teachers, Karen Pac and Steph Lentz, who had been fired from their respective school’s because they were gay in 2021.

“The priorities of the Labour government are to give more broad and vague protection to corporations and to institutions and they have no commitment to overturning those exemptions,” continued Holcombe.

‘Were Still In That Struggle’

Speakers at the protest included 78er, David Abello, who spoke out regarding the sustained fight for LGBTQI rights and recognition.

Recalling the actions from 78er’s towards progressing LGBTQI rights today, Abello says, “We won a lot of things in that struggle and then lost them again.”

“We’re still in that struggle… and this is what happens when the legislative framework jumps around and who is speaking to power becomes a contest within power,” says Abello regarding the bill.

Also speaking at the rally, Parents for Transgender Youth Equity member, Lannen Stapleton, discussed the bill’s effect to potentially increase limitations for gender affirming-care for trans-youth.

“So many adolescents and their supportive families are suffering because transphobic adults stand in the way…this means they might need more affirmation procedures in the future,” says Stapleton.

“Sydney remains the only capital city in Australia without a multidisciplinary gender clinic for trans youth.”

“We should all be demanding fully funded, multidisciplinary trans clinics accessible for all youth across New South Wales alongside inclusive, age appropriate education in all schools,” she continued.

Act To Receive Advice

Following community concern, it was announced the bill is expected to be sent by the government to the law reform commission.

Announced by NSW Greens LGBTI spokesperson and speaker at the protest, Amy Cohn, she says the government have “promised” to send the bill to the commission group to receive recommendations on the current amendment.

Cohn continued to encourage protests saying, “now it’s more important than ever to stay loud, to stay united, to keep the pressure on so that the Law Reform Commission will make those changes that we need.”

“They need to undo those ridiculous clauses that went through this week and they need to add in those protections that we have been fighting for so many years, to end with the ridiculous exemptions for some types of employers to be able to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ folks,” continued Cohn.

Whilst it is still unknown when recommendations on the bill will be provided, activists are expected to continue protests regarding LGBTQI discrimination after multiple incidents within the community over the past year.