Zero tolerance call for Oxford Street
ACON CEO Stevie Clayton called upon Clover Moore to declare Oxford St a homophobia-free zone with a zero tolerance policy at the City of Sydney’s second GLBT Community Forum on Monday night.
Safety on Oxford St was again a major point of discussion on the evening with Surry Hills Police Commander Donna Adney, Stevie Clayton and the City’s new cultural quarter coordinator Deborah Mills all expressing a commitment to tackling issues of drunken disorder-liness and homophobic violence along the strip.
Clayton commended the shift in attitude from the Surry Hills police since Adney’s appointment, but called on the City to go even further by declaring Oxford St a no homophobia area.
There needs to be a zero tolerance policy towards homophobia, Clayton said.
You can’t just target violence itself. The police need to be able to step in and tell people off when they start hurling verbal abuse.
Supt Adney seemed keen to promote a stronger sense of GLBT identity on the strip, declaring the trend of young men coming to Oxford St to re-assert their masculinity by beating up gay people unacceptable.
It’s like going to a brothel and not expecting to see prostitutes. Don’t go to the Midnight Shift and think that you’re not going to see gay men, Adney said.
She noted there had been some improvement in the rate of drunken disorderliness, but called for an even stronger commitment from licensees.
I went to the last Liquor Accord meeting and told the licensees that if there wasn’t a demonstrable change then we would move swiftly, she said.
I have been speaking to Clover about the possibility of lock-outs or placing further restrictions on trading hours.
There has been some improvement, albeit short, and we are in winter. We would like to see more done by venue operators, including a code of conduct for patrons.
At the end of the day no-one benefits from drunken violence. Somone who’s been bashed doesn’t buy drinks, people who are too scared to come to Oxford St don’t buy drinks and people who are too drunk to stand up don’t buy drinks either.
As a heterosexual man I’m concerned that I’ve been prevented from treading public streets without being accosted by homosexuals or repudiated by lesbians. We coexist in our lifestyles, accommodation and employment without a hint of objection but you insist, with Clover Moore’s assistance, to create an enclave in Darlinghust, Newtown and Enmore which prevents the coexistence of our lifestyles. This is a growing trend that can only amount to friction and animosity between out types. Clover Moore should rethink her ambitions or she’ll be outed.
Paul – This may come as a surpise to you, but there are so-called masculine men that take part in the Mardi Gras. I hate to tell you this Paul but has and allways will be feminine gay men, Its your problem if you cant accept that part of the gay community. Get over it !!!
I’m confused with Paul’s comments on Femininity and on Masculinity. I feel that typecasting gay men into stereotypes is wrong causing there to be a general consensus out there that Mas men = tops and Fem guys = bottom. I believe that men and women have a combination of these different energies. I also feel that a Childs upbringing also inflicts why some gay men are more feminine than others but does it really matter?
I feel there is more of a push to celebrate more masculine men in the gay community hence why there is a myriad of gay muscle men. The portrayal is reveal continuously in magazines like DNA and Paul Freeman books. Gay men like to think they are trendsetters but it seems that the gay community is behind the times because the international fashion industry is celebrating thin and feminine men aka Dior and Gucci latest shows. It’s a funny contraction.
Perhaps paul also needs to learn how to spell! “Registories” – haha I love it!
people here should check out our self proclaimed activist Paul Mitchell’s comments on this site on the subject of bareback sex!
Paul Mitchel, you seem to have a hell of a lot to say, so I’d like to ask you some questions
1) If you are an activist, what have you done for the community other than post your incoherant ramblings on this forum (which I am sure must be driving the editor of SSO bonkers) ?
2) You have some very firm, if not inconsistent, opinions about Oxford St – yet you say you never come to the strip. How on earth can you comment on something you openly admit to not being a part of?
3) You also make some very harsh claims about Mardi Gras – but have you actually been a part of a Mardi Gras working committee? Do you understand the complexity of the event? The amount of money it generates for the NSW and Australian economies? Its roots and core goals?
4) You quite rightly point out that all discrimination must end now, yet you happily discriminate against so-called ‘sissy boys’ in your posts. It seems you lack the very tolerance you claim to be an activist campaigning for.
5) You quote percentages and figures from so-called reports you have read, yet when challenged to provide sources for these figures, you go all quiet. Are you just extracting these figures from your very clearly confused head?
Paul – it seems for someone who claims to be as progressive and active within our community as you do, you type an awful lot of broad assumptions and drivel on this forum (over and over and over again).
I suggest you stop and think about what you are typing before you actually put finger to keyboard and stop boring other users of this forum and the staff at SSO with your ill-thought-out nonsense.
“Mardi Gras is a -œtotal utter disgrace to all masculine gay men out there like me. ”
Perhaps you’d like to join me for a drink one night Paul to discuss Mardi Gras and masculinity?
I never realised the two were mutually exclusive.
Or perhaps, you’re little more than a victim of the stereotyping you rail against?
I am glad I had the full guts to really kick-off a dabate, I should be a politician!!!
Paul Mitchell- “I am studying public relations at TAFE”
Good for you Paul! If there’s anyone who needs help relating to the public it’s you.
So,…..I’m guessing some Australian gays feel very comfortable in the major areas (uh,except Paul Mitchell) but there is still SOME homophobia in the smaller areas.
Is that accurate?
Kevin
Los Angeles
Paul. So So true. You took the words right out of my mouth. Need I say more.
Paul Mitchell ..just stop it ! you are boring us to tears.
During my 68 years on this planet, some of the kindest most gentle and caring people i have EVER met have been “sissy boys” … if Paul Mitchell, or anyone else cannot or will not accept the individual differences between us in the LBGTQI communities, then please do the rest of us a BIG favor and continue to stay away from Oxford Street. If Paul Mitchell and others who have never been around to support the Oxford Street gay communities don’t want to be there, then don’t go. It is so convenient and so easy to critique people, places and things that one knows precisely NOTHING about.
I had the privilege of working with Stevie Clayton in previous incarnations of the GLRL. IMO, Stevie is the most astute and talented active leader in the LBGTQI community. As the CEO of ACON, Stevie has built on the organisational skills and dedication of others to create a stronger and more effective ACON. Her YEARS of service give her the right and the status to be a respected spokesperson for the communities. Please remember that Stevie has received the honour of the Order of Australia. That single honour is a tangible reward that indicates the quality and quantity of her work and dedication to the LBGTQI people of greater Sydney and NSW.
Oxford Street MUST become a homophobia free zone … it MUST become a violence free zone … regardless of the perpetrators of the violence. It is unacceptable for anyone, gay or straight or of any persuasion to be physically attacked in the street. Collectively we MUST demand that our government act to stop the physical violence against the LBGTQI people everywhere.
My trust is, I hope, properly placed in the new area commander at Surry Hills. Homophobia, Islam-o-phobia, Westie-phobia are all destructive and non productive. Violence begets more violence, and our hope must rely on our own wits, our own attention to personal safety and our NSW Police Service. Superintendent Adney has a duty to address these issues and solve the problems of violence in Oxford Street and the surrounding areas.
I got offended by TT (today tonight) saying the word “fag”. This is totally unacceptable and unsatisfactory.
I liked the shirt “pope go homo” – I thought it was funny!!!
Chris we are not mates.
I am guessing that Brendan is an ADF member?
So Brendan is now accusing me of not being a -œreal activist”. Wow that is rich, thanks for that Brendan I really appreciated that.
If I was a politician, I will introduce this bill called the; “One hundred Percent Equality For Gays Bill 2008”.