Tasmanian Gay and Lbian Rights Group - Wiser.Directory

Contents:

• GAY NVERSN SURVIVOR WARNS UNLS TASMANIA BANS OUTRIGHT, 'TREATMENT' ULD TAKE OFF
• TAG ARCHIV: GAY LAW REFORM TASMANIA
• IT'S ONLY 25 YEARS SCE BEG GAY STOPPED BEG ILLEGAL ATRALIAWHEN TASMANIA CRIMALISED HOMOSEXUALY ON 1 MAY 1997, BEME THE LAST ATRALIAN STATE TO DO SO. TODAY, LGBTIQ+ ADVOT THERE SAY THERE’S STILL WORK TO BE DONE, PARTICULARLY TO PROTECT ATRALIANS WHO ARE TRANSGENR AND TERSEX.PUBLISHED 1 MAY 2022 7:34AMUPDATED 1 MAY 2022 8:09AMBY SARAH MNRSOURCE: SBS NEWSIMAGE: POLICE LEAD GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME AWAY OM PROTTS AT SALAMAN MARKET 1988. (SUPPLIED / ROGER LOVELL, THE MERCURY (SUPPLIED BY RODNEY CROOME).)THE LATE 1980S WERE TOUGH FOR RODNEY CROOME. AGED HIS 20S AND NOT LONG AFTER G OUT AS GAY, HE CID TO BEE AN LGBTIQ+ ADVOTE HIS HOME STATE OF TASMANIA.“I DISVERED THEN, THAT BEE I WAS GAY, I LIVED A POLICE STATE,” HE SAYS.HE RELLS GOG TO A GAY MUNY MEETG AND LEARNG NOT TO E HIS SURNAME AS POLICE RMANTS ULD BE HIDN WH THE GROUP. HE WAS ALSO TOLD POLICE ULD BE WAG OUTSI TO ADD ATTEN’ R REGISTRATN PLAT TO THEIR SO-LLED “PK LIST”.TASMANIA'S STATE LAW AT THE TIME STILL CRIMALISED HOMOSEXUALY, MEANG SEX BETWEEN MEN WAS PUNISHABLE BY MORE THAN 20 YEARS PRISON. THE RT OF ATRALIA HAD CRIMALISED .POLICE ATTENDG A GAY LAW REFORM STALL AT HOBART'S SALAMAN MARKETS 1988. SOURCE: AAP / ROGER LOVELLTHE LAST TIME A PERSON WAS CHARGED WH HOMOSEXUALY OFFENC TASMANIA WAS THE MID-1980S, MR CROOME SAYS, BUT THE LAW “WAS STILL ED AS A JTIFITN BY THE ERNMENT AND OTHERS TO DISCRIMATE”.THE WORST EXAMPLE ME 1988 WHEN HE AND A SMALL GROUP OF ADVOT SET UP A STALL AT HOBART’S INIC SALAMAN MARKETS. THEY WERE ARMED WH NOTHG BUT A TABLE AND A PETN AND WERE ASKG PEOPLE TO SIGN SUPPORT OF CRIMALISG HOMOSEXUALY.“WHEN THE HOBART CY COUNCIL FOUND OUT WE WERE THERE, THEY LLED THE POLICE AND HAD ALL ARRTED,” MR CROOME SAYS.“THERE WERE MORE THAN 130 PEOPLE ARRTED OVER SEVEN WEEKS … THE BIGGT ACT OF GAY RIGHTS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ATRALIAN HISTORY.”POLICE LEAD GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME AWAY OM PROTTS AT SALAMAN MARKET 1988. SOURCE: SUPPLIED / ROGER LOVELL, THE MERCURY (SUPPLIED BY RODNEY CROOME).RICHARD HALE, A FOUNDG MEMBER OF THE TASMANIAN GAY LAW REFORM GROUP, WAS ARRTED TWICE DURG THAT TIME.“WE NEVER KNEW OM WEEK TO WEEK EXACTLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN … AND SOME PEOPLE WERE TREATED QUE ROUGHLY,” HE SAYS.“WHEN YOU’RE THE PADDY WAGON BY YOURSELF … OR YOU WERE HELD A POLICE CELL FOR A LONG TIME AND YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOG TO HAPPEN NEXT, THOSE THGS WERE QUE SRY.”THERE WERE MORE THAN 130 PEOPLE ARRTED OVER SEVEN WEEKS … THE BIGGT ACT OF GAY RIGHTS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ATRALIAN HISTORY.RODNEY CROOMEANTI-GAY RALLI NTUED TO THE 1990S TASMANIA, MR CROOME SAYS. HE ATTEND SOME ULVERSTONE, A TOWN ON THE STATE’S NORTH AST, TO UNTER MONSTRATE.“HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WOULD GO ALONG AND LISTEN TO HATRED AND BILE ABOUT . I REMEMBER HEARG THOSE PEOPLE SHOUTG, ‘KILL THEM! KILL THEM!’”“ULVERSTONE WAS LABELLED AS ‘ATRALIA’S MOST HOMOPHOBIC TOWN’ THE TERNATNAL PRS.”HOW THEY WON THE FIGHTIN THE EARLY 1990S, TASMANIA’S UPPER HOE REJECTED LEGISLATN TO CRIMALISE HOMOSEXUALY, SO MR CROOME TOOK THE BATTLE TO THE UNED NATNS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMTEE.“IT WAS THE FIRST SUCH SE OM ATRALIA AND THE FIRST SE ABOUT CRIMALISATN BROUGHT TO THE UN OM ANYWHERE THE WORLD,” HE SAYS.IN APRIL 1994, THE UN LED MR CROOME’S FAVOUR, BUT THE BATTLE WASN’T OVER; HE’D NEED TO NVCE CANBERRA.GAY ACTIVISTS PROTTG HOBART AUGT 1988. SOURCE: AAP / ROGER LOVELL“WE ASKED THE FERAL ERNMENT TO E S POWERS UNR THE FERAL NSTUTN, PARTICULARLY TERMS OF OBSERVG TERNATNAL TREATI, TO ENACT A LAW THAT WOULD OVERRI THE TASMANIAN LAW,” HE SAYS.“BUT THAT DIDN’T VALIDATE THE TASMANIAN LAWS PLETELY, THE ONLY BODY THAT ULD DO THAT WAS THE HIGH COURT, SO AFTER THE FERAL LAW WAS PASSED, WE WENT TO THE HIGH COURT.“AFTER THAT, THE TASMANIAN ERNMENT KNEW THE GAME WAS UP. THE LIBERAL ERNMENT AT THE TIME ALLOWED A NSCIENCE VOTE, AND THE LAW WAS CHANGED.”RODNEY CROOME, CENTRE, AT A 1997 PRS NFERENCE FOLLOWG THE SUCCSFUL PASSAGE OF GAY LAW REFORM TASMANIA'S UPPER HOE. SOURCE: FACEBOOK / EVOLUTN PUBLISHG, AQUA ATRALIAN QUEER ARCHIVMR CROOME SAYS HE AND OTHER ADVOT HAD BEEN NNG “NOT ONLY A MPAIGN FOR LAW CHANGE BUT A MPAIGN TO CHANGE HEARTS AND MDS”.“WE WENT OUT AND SPOKE TO EVERY GROUP THAT WOULD LISTEN TO : SERVICE CLUBS, UNN BRANCH, SCHOOL GROUPS, SPORTG GROUPS; WE WENT ACROSS TASMANIA AND MA OUR SE.”MR HALE WAS AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHEN THE FAL VOTE HAPPENED ON 1 MAY 1997.“IT WAS THE EVENG, AND WAS THE END OF A NE-YEAR MPAIGN,” HE SAYS.“THERE WAS GREAT RELIEF. I’M A B SHIVERY JT THKG ABOUT .”IT PASSED BY JT ONE VOTE.LASTG IMPACTLYNN JARVIS IS THE CEO OF WORKG IT OUT, TASMANIA’S ONLY DITED LGBTIQ+ SERVICE AND TN PROVIR. IT WAS TABLISHED AS A DIRECT RULT OF THE LAW CHANGE TO CRIMALISE HOMOSEXUALY.DR JARVIS SAYS YOUNGER PEOPLE TASMANIA’S LQBTIQ+ MUNY ARE OFTEN SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN ABOUT THE STATE’S HISTORY.RODNEY CROOME AT SALAMAN MARKETS 2004. SOURCE: AAP / LIBBY SUTHERLAND“IF YOU’RE A YOUNG PERSON NOW, I’M SURE 25 YEARS AGO SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER LIFETIME AGO.“WHAT PEOPLE WENT THROUGH TO GET THAT REFORM WAS HORRIFIC … THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE VIEWS OF A WHOLE MUNY.”NOW, SHE SAYS, “WE HAVE AS A RULT SOME OF THE MOST PROGRSIVE LEGISLATN AND PROTECTNS PLACE OF ANY STATE OR TERRORY ATRALIA, AND SOMETIM THE WORLD”.IN 2017, 63.6 PER CENT OF PEOPLE TASMANIA VOTED ‘Y’ ATRALIA’S POSTAL VOTE TO LEGALISE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, ABOVE THE NATNAL TOTAL OF 61.6 PER CENT.THE FOLLOWG YEAR, TASMANIANS WERE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO APPLY TO HAVE HISTORIL NVICTNS FOR HOMOSEXUAL ACTS REMOVED OM THEIR CRIMAL RERDS.POSIVE CHANGE HAS ALSO E FOR TASMANIA’S WIR LGBTIQ+ MUNY, TRANSGENR WOMAN AND ADVOTE MARTE DELANEY SAYS.IN 2004, SHE BEGAN MEETG WH SUCCSIVE TASMANIAN ATTORNEYS-GENERAL, LLG FOR CHANG THE STATE’S BIRTH CERTIFITE LEGISLATN.MARTE DELANEY HAS FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF TRANSGENR ATRALIANS. SOURCE: SUPPLIED“15 YEARS LATER, RULTED PROBABLY THE WORLD’S BT AND MOST CLIVE BIRTH CERTIFITE LAWS,” SHE SAYS.TASMANIA NOW MAK GENR ON BIRTH CERTIFIT OPTNAL AND REMOV THE REQUIREMENT FOR TRANSGENR PEOPLE TO HAVE SURGERY ORR TO HAVE THEIR GENR REGNISED.WORK TO BE DONEDPE THE WS, THOSE WORKG WH THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY AGREE THERE’S STILL MORE TO BE DONE.MR CROOME, WHO WAS NAMED TASMANIAN OF THE YEAR 2015, WOULD NOW LIKE TO SEE THE STATE BAN GAY NVERSN PRACTIC. ADVOT ALSO AGREE MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SUPPORT TRANSGENR AND TERSEX PEOPLE THE STATE.READ MORE'HAVE A SHRED OF EMPATHY': COVERAGE OF KATHERE DEV' MENTS IS HARMFUL, TRANSGENR ADVOT SAY“A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE STILL FEEL DISTRSED ABOUT LIVG AS THEIR TE SELV OUR MUNY,” DR JARVIS SAYS.LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE ARE STILL ED AS A “POLIL WEDGE” NATNAL BATE TOO, SHE ADDS, REFERENCG RECENT ARGUMENTS ABOUT TRANSGENR WOMEN'S PARTICIPATN SPORT.“THE LIV OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE ARE STILL EQUENTLY BATED THE PUBLIC DOMA AND I WOULD JT LIKE TO REMD EVERYBODY THAT THAT HAS REALLY SER NSEQUENC ... ON THE HEALTH AND WELLBEG OF THE MUNY.”MR CROOME AGRE. RODNEY CROOME TODAY. HE SAYS MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT ATRALIA'S TRANSGENR AND GENR DIVERSE MUNY. SOURCE: SBS NEWS / SARAH MNR“OF URSE, WE’RE THE MIDST OF AN ELECTN MPAIGN, WHERE THE LIV OF SEXUAL AND GENR MORI ARE AGA BEG ATTACKED, PARTICULARLY TRANS AND GENR DIVERSE PEOPLE,” HE SAYS.“I THK ’S IMPORTANT THAT WE RELL THE MPAIGN [TO CRIMALISE HOMOSEXUALY] TASMANIA, AND THE SUCCS OF THAT MPAIGN, TURNG TASMANIA AROUND, TO GIVE HOPE AND SPIRATN FOR DOG THE SAME THG AGA TO THE FUTURE.”SIMONE-LISA ANRSON IS THE TASMANIAN REPRENTATIVE FOR INTERSEX PEER SUPPORT ATRALIA AND WANTS FURTHER LEGAL REFORMS TO SUPPORT THOSE WHOSE SEX CHARACTERISTICS DO NOT NFORM TO FEMALE OR MALE STEREOTYP.“TO STOP NON-NSENSUAL SURGERI ON FANTS, YOUNG PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE THAT HAVEN’T BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH RMATN ABOUT WHAT THE SURGERI ARE AND WHAT THEY DO TO THEIR BODI,” SHE SAYS.READ MORE'MY PARENTS REJECTED ME FOR BEG GAY'MERRAN NEWMAN IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF PFLAG TASMANIA (PARENTS, FAI AND IENDS OF LBIANS AND GAYS), AND SAYS THERE ARE STILL NEEDS THE MUNY GOG UNMET. THE ANISATN SUPPORTS PEOPLE LIVG RAL PARTS OF THE STATE.“SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT JT LGBTIQ+, SOME PEOPLE ALSO HAVE A DISABILY, OR THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH DISTRS, OR THEY’RE LONELY. WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE SOMEHOW. WE HAVE TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, AND WE DON’T ALWAYS KNOW.”‘RABOW ISLAND’IN 2008, HOBART CY COUNCIL OFFICIALLY APOLOGISED FOR THE ARRTS THAT BEGAN AT SALAMAN MARKETS, ROLVG “THAT ACTNS SUCH AS THE WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGA”.TASMANIA POLICE ACKNOWLEDG ON S WEBSE “TASMANIA WAS THE LAST STATE TO CRIMALISE MALE-TO-MALE RELATNSHIPS,” AND SAYS “THIS HAS LEFT A LEGACY OF STIGMA AND DISCRIMATN THAT TASMANIA POLICE SEEKS TO ADDRS”. THE FORCE NOW EMPLOYS LGBTI LIAISON OFFICERS, HAS ENURAGED OFFICERS UNIFORM TO TAKE PART THE TASPRI PARA SCE 2015, AND SAYS HAS “A STRONG MMENT TOWARDS HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSY OUR MUNY”.THE YELLOW LE MEMORIAL AT SALAMAN MARKETS PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE 130 PEOPLE ARRTED 1988. SOURCE: SBS NEWS / SARAH MNRTHE TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLY APOLOGISED FOR LAWS CRIMALISG HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVY AND THEIR IMPACT 2017."MANY TASMANIANS HAVE NTUED TO SUFFER OM DISTRS AND DISADVANTAGE AS A RULT OF THE CRIMALISATN OF NDUCT THAT IS NOW ACCEPTED AS LAWFUL,” THEN-PREMIER WILL HODGMAN SAID.THERE IS HOPE THE MUNY THAT UNR NEWLY-APPOTED STATE PREMIER JEREMY ROCKLIFF, THGS N ONLY IMPROVE.MR ROCKLIFF VOTED FOR MARRIAGE EQUALY AND HAS BEEN A SUPPORTER OF OTHER PRO-LGBTIQ+ LAWS. LAST YEAR, WHILE MISTER FOR MUNY SERVIC AND VELOPMENT, HE ANNOUNCED GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE MUNY, SAYG “ALL TASMANIANS SHOULD BE TREATED WH DIGNY AND RPECT – REGARDLS OF THEIR RELATNSHIP STAT, SEXUALY, GENR INTY OR TERSEX CHARACTERISTICS”.MR CROOME SAYS HE’S PROUD OF HOW FAR THE STATE HAS E SCE HIS WORK BEGAN.RECENTLY, ULVERSTONE, ONCE LABELLED ‘ATRALIA’S MOST HOMOPHOBIC TOWN’ AND WHERE THOSE ANTI-GAY RALLI WERE HELD, HE ATTEND A RABOW FLAG RAISG.“IT WAS AWFUL, AND YET NOW ULVERSTONE, THEY RAISE THE RABOW FLAG. HOW N ANYONE NOT BE PROUD OF THAT?”QLIFE PROVIS ATRALIA-WI ANONYMO LGBTI SUPPORT AND N BE REACHED THROUGH S ONLE CHAT SERVICE OR ON 1800 184 527.WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR STORY WH SBS NEWS? EMAIL SHARETAGSLIFEREMEND FOR YOU
• THE PK TRIANGLE: THE GAY LAW REFORM DEBATE TASMANIA - SOFTVER
• REFORMG TASMANIA’S TRMATIC GAY NVERSN PRACTIC
• HURDLE FOR TASMANIA'S GAY MARRIAGE LAW REFORM
• TASMANIAN GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS GROUP
• GAY LAW REFORM: 'A BIG VTMENT FOR A BIG RETURN'
• CONCEPT: GAY LAW REFORM

GAY NVERSN SURVIVOR WARNS UNLS TASMANIA BANS OUTRIGHT, 'TREATMENT' ULD TAKE OFF

The first lls for the crimalisatn of homosexualy Tasmania occurred the mid-1970s wh the formatn of the Tasmanian Homosexual Law Reform Group Lncton and the g out of a Lncton-based doctor and environmentalist, Dr Bob Brown. Wh months of the formatn of the TGLRG, a Hobart Cy Council ban on the Group's stall at Salaman Market prompted weekly protts and arrts that grew to Atralia's largt-ever gay rights civil disobedience leadg, turn, to a Council backdown.

When the mory Field ernment's legislatn to crimalise homosexualy was rejected by the Legislative Council the followg year, law reform advot took their se to the Uned Natns Human Rights Commtee.

The laws were further discreded when thori refed to prosecute Tasmanian gay men who turned themselv to the police wh tails of their illegal sexual activy. Pro-reformers rpond wh ralli, protts and a muny tn mpaign which saw support for reform crease om 33 percent 1988 to almost 60 percent 1997 � the hight level of support for gay law reform any Atralian state. The achievement of gay law reform Tasmania fally erased crimal sanctns agast homosexualy om all Atralian statut, but as well as brgg one era to an end hered another .

TAG ARCHIV: GAY LAW REFORM TASMANIA

The Tasmanian gay law reform bate saw the applitn of new Green prott methods and ias to the gay rights movement, the importatn of far right cultural polics to Atralian polil bate, and the lotn of gay rights firmly wh the ternatnal human rights agenda, all for the first time. Further readg: M Morris, The pk triangle, Sydney, 1994; G Willett, Livg out loud, Sydney, 2000; R Croome, 'At the crossroads', C Pyb & R Flanagan (eds), The rt of the world is watchg, Sydney, 1990; 'Gay Law Reform and the failure of nsens polics', M Haward & P Larmour (eds), The Tasmanian Parliamentary Acrd and public policy 1988�92, Canberra, 1993; and 'Achievg jtice' Victorian Law Foundatn, A jt society, Melbourne, 1998.

Members of Tasmania's LGBTQI+ muny say the state has e a "very long way" the 25 years sce beg the last jurisdictn the untry to crimalise homosexualy. Key pots:Until May 1, 1997, sex between two nsentg men Tasmania was illegalThe maximum penalty was 21 years jail, which was the harsht penalty the wtern worldMembers and advot of the LGBTQI+ muny say thgs have improved signifintly, but there is still work to be doneThe Greens troduced legislatn to repeal the anti-homosexualy laws, which passed the Upper Hoe on May 1, 1997 by jt a sgle vote.

IT'S ONLY 25 YEARS SCE BEG GAY STOPPED BEG ILLEGAL ATRALIAWHEN TASMANIA CRIMALISED HOMOSEXUALY ON 1 MAY 1997, BEME THE LAST ATRALIAN STATE TO DO SO. TODAY, LGBTIQ+ ADVOT THERE SAY THERE’S STILL WORK TO BE DONE, PARTICULARLY TO PROTECT ATRALIANS WHO ARE TRANSGENR AND TERSEX.PUBLISHED 1 MAY 2022 7:34AMUPDATED 1 MAY 2022 8:09AMBY SARAH MNRSOURCE: SBS NEWSIMAGE: POLICE LEAD GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME AWAY OM PROTTS AT SALAMAN MARKET 1988. (SUPPLIED / ROGER LOVELL, THE MERCURY (SUPPLIED BY RODNEY CROOME).)THE LATE 1980S WERE TOUGH FOR RODNEY CROOME. AGED HIS 20S AND NOT LONG AFTER G OUT AS GAY, HE CID TO BEE AN LGBTIQ+ ADVOTE HIS HOME STATE OF TASMANIA.“I DISVERED THEN, THAT BEE I WAS GAY, I LIVED A POLICE STATE,” HE SAYS.HE RELLS GOG TO A GAY MUNY MEETG AND LEARNG NOT TO E HIS SURNAME AS POLICE RMANTS ULD BE HIDN WH THE GROUP. HE WAS ALSO TOLD POLICE ULD BE WAG OUTSI TO ADD ATTEN’ R REGISTRATN PLAT TO THEIR SO-LLED “PK LIST”.TASMANIA'S STATE LAW AT THE TIME STILL CRIMALISED HOMOSEXUALY, MEANG SEX BETWEEN MEN WAS PUNISHABLE BY MORE THAN 20 YEARS PRISON. THE RT OF ATRALIA HAD CRIMALISED .POLICE ATTENDG A GAY LAW REFORM STALL AT HOBART'S SALAMAN MARKETS 1988. SOURCE: AAP / ROGER LOVELLTHE LAST TIME A PERSON WAS CHARGED WH HOMOSEXUALY OFFENC TASMANIA WAS THE MID-1980S, MR CROOME SAYS, BUT THE LAW “WAS STILL ED AS A JTIFITN BY THE ERNMENT AND OTHERS TO DISCRIMATE”.THE WORST EXAMPLE ME 1988 WHEN HE AND A SMALL GROUP OF ADVOT SET UP A STALL AT HOBART’S INIC SALAMAN MARKETS. THEY WERE ARMED WH NOTHG BUT A TABLE AND A PETN AND WERE ASKG PEOPLE TO SIGN SUPPORT OF CRIMALISG HOMOSEXUALY.“WHEN THE HOBART CY COUNCIL FOUND OUT WE WERE THERE, THEY LLED THE POLICE AND HAD ALL ARRTED,” MR CROOME SAYS.“THERE WERE MORE THAN 130 PEOPLE ARRTED OVER SEVEN WEEKS … THE BIGGT ACT OF GAY RIGHTS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ATRALIAN HISTORY.”POLICE LEAD GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME AWAY OM PROTTS AT SALAMAN MARKET 1988. SOURCE: SUPPLIED / ROGER LOVELL, THE MERCURY (SUPPLIED BY RODNEY CROOME).RICHARD HALE, A FOUNDG MEMBER OF THE TASMANIAN GAY LAW REFORM GROUP, WAS ARRTED TWICE DURG THAT TIME.“WE NEVER KNEW OM WEEK TO WEEK EXACTLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN … AND SOME PEOPLE WERE TREATED QUE ROUGHLY,” HE SAYS.“WHEN YOU’RE THE PADDY WAGON BY YOURSELF … OR YOU WERE HELD A POLICE CELL FOR A LONG TIME AND YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOG TO HAPPEN NEXT, THOSE THGS WERE QUE SRY.”THERE WERE MORE THAN 130 PEOPLE ARRTED OVER SEVEN WEEKS … THE BIGGT ACT OF GAY RIGHTS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ATRALIAN HISTORY.RODNEY CROOMEANTI-GAY RALLI NTUED TO THE 1990S TASMANIA, MR CROOME SAYS. HE ATTEND SOME ULVERSTONE, A TOWN ON THE STATE’S NORTH AST, TO UNTER MONSTRATE.“HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WOULD GO ALONG AND LISTEN TO HATRED AND BILE ABOUT . I REMEMBER HEARG THOSE PEOPLE SHOUTG, ‘KILL THEM! KILL THEM!’”“ULVERSTONE WAS LABELLED AS ‘ATRALIA’S MOST HOMOPHOBIC TOWN’ THE TERNATNAL PRS.”HOW THEY WON THE FIGHTIN THE EARLY 1990S, TASMANIA’S UPPER HOE REJECTED LEGISLATN TO CRIMALISE HOMOSEXUALY, SO MR CROOME TOOK THE BATTLE TO THE UNED NATNS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMTEE.“IT WAS THE FIRST SUCH SE OM ATRALIA AND THE FIRST SE ABOUT CRIMALISATN BROUGHT TO THE UN OM ANYWHERE THE WORLD,” HE SAYS.IN APRIL 1994, THE UN LED MR CROOME’S FAVOUR, BUT THE BATTLE WASN’T OVER; HE’D NEED TO NVCE CANBERRA.GAY ACTIVISTS PROTTG HOBART AUGT 1988. SOURCE: AAP / ROGER LOVELL“WE ASKED THE FERAL ERNMENT TO E S POWERS UNR THE FERAL NSTUTN, PARTICULARLY TERMS OF OBSERVG TERNATNAL TREATI, TO ENACT A LAW THAT WOULD OVERRI THE TASMANIAN LAW,” HE SAYS.“BUT THAT DIDN’T VALIDATE THE TASMANIAN LAWS PLETELY, THE ONLY BODY THAT ULD DO THAT WAS THE HIGH COURT, SO AFTER THE FERAL LAW WAS PASSED, WE WENT TO THE HIGH COURT.“AFTER THAT, THE TASMANIAN ERNMENT KNEW THE GAME WAS UP. THE LIBERAL ERNMENT AT THE TIME ALLOWED A NSCIENCE VOTE, AND THE LAW WAS CHANGED.”RODNEY CROOME, CENTRE, AT A 1997 PRS NFERENCE FOLLOWG THE SUCCSFUL PASSAGE OF GAY LAW REFORM TASMANIA'S UPPER HOE. SOURCE: FACEBOOK / EVOLUTN PUBLISHG, AQUA ATRALIAN QUEER ARCHIVMR CROOME SAYS HE AND OTHER ADVOT HAD BEEN NNG “NOT ONLY A MPAIGN FOR LAW CHANGE BUT A MPAIGN TO CHANGE HEARTS AND MDS”.“WE WENT OUT AND SPOKE TO EVERY GROUP THAT WOULD LISTEN TO : SERVICE CLUBS, UNN BRANCH, SCHOOL GROUPS, SPORTG GROUPS; WE WENT ACROSS TASMANIA AND MA OUR SE.”MR HALE WAS AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHEN THE FAL VOTE HAPPENED ON 1 MAY 1997.“IT WAS THE EVENG, AND WAS THE END OF A NE-YEAR MPAIGN,” HE SAYS.“THERE WAS GREAT RELIEF. I’M A B SHIVERY JT THKG ABOUT .”IT PASSED BY JT ONE VOTE.LASTG IMPACTLYNN JARVIS IS THE CEO OF WORKG IT OUT, TASMANIA’S ONLY DITED LGBTIQ+ SERVICE AND TN PROVIR. IT WAS TABLISHED AS A DIRECT RULT OF THE LAW CHANGE TO CRIMALISE HOMOSEXUALY.DR JARVIS SAYS YOUNGER PEOPLE TASMANIA’S LQBTIQ+ MUNY ARE OFTEN SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN ABOUT THE STATE’S HISTORY.RODNEY CROOME AT SALAMAN MARKETS 2004. SOURCE: AAP / LIBBY SUTHERLAND“IF YOU’RE A YOUNG PERSON NOW, I’M SURE 25 YEARS AGO SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER LIFETIME AGO.“WHAT PEOPLE WENT THROUGH TO GET THAT REFORM WAS HORRIFIC … THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE VIEWS OF A WHOLE MUNY.”NOW, SHE SAYS, “WE HAVE AS A RULT SOME OF THE MOST PROGRSIVE LEGISLATN AND PROTECTNS PLACE OF ANY STATE OR TERRORY ATRALIA, AND SOMETIM THE WORLD”.IN 2017, 63.6 PER CENT OF PEOPLE TASMANIA VOTED ‘Y’ ATRALIA’S POSTAL VOTE TO LEGALISE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, ABOVE THE NATNAL TOTAL OF 61.6 PER CENT.THE FOLLOWG YEAR, TASMANIANS WERE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO APPLY TO HAVE HISTORIL NVICTNS FOR HOMOSEXUAL ACTS REMOVED OM THEIR CRIMAL RERDS.POSIVE CHANGE HAS ALSO E FOR TASMANIA’S WIR LGBTIQ+ MUNY, TRANSGENR WOMAN AND ADVOTE MARTE DELANEY SAYS.IN 2004, SHE BEGAN MEETG WH SUCCSIVE TASMANIAN ATTORNEYS-GENERAL, LLG FOR CHANG THE STATE’S BIRTH CERTIFITE LEGISLATN.MARTE DELANEY HAS FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF TRANSGENR ATRALIANS. SOURCE: SUPPLIED“15 YEARS LATER, RULTED PROBABLY THE WORLD’S BT AND MOST CLIVE BIRTH CERTIFITE LAWS,” SHE SAYS.TASMANIA NOW MAK GENR ON BIRTH CERTIFIT OPTNAL AND REMOV THE REQUIREMENT FOR TRANSGENR PEOPLE TO HAVE SURGERY ORR TO HAVE THEIR GENR REGNISED.WORK TO BE DONEDPE THE WS, THOSE WORKG WH THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY AGREE THERE’S STILL MORE TO BE DONE.MR CROOME, WHO WAS NAMED TASMANIAN OF THE YEAR 2015, WOULD NOW LIKE TO SEE THE STATE BAN GAY NVERSN PRACTIC. ADVOT ALSO AGREE MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SUPPORT TRANSGENR AND TERSEX PEOPLE THE STATE.READ MORE'HAVE A SHRED OF EMPATHY': COVERAGE OF KATHERE DEV' MENTS IS HARMFUL, TRANSGENR ADVOT SAY“A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE STILL FEEL DISTRSED ABOUT LIVG AS THEIR TE SELV OUR MUNY,” DR JARVIS SAYS.LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE ARE STILL ED AS A “POLIL WEDGE” NATNAL BATE TOO, SHE ADDS, REFERENCG RECENT ARGUMENTS ABOUT TRANSGENR WOMEN'S PARTICIPATN SPORT.“THE LIV OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE ARE STILL EQUENTLY BATED THE PUBLIC DOMA AND I WOULD JT LIKE TO REMD EVERYBODY THAT THAT HAS REALLY SER NSEQUENC ... ON THE HEALTH AND WELLBEG OF THE MUNY.”MR CROOME AGRE. RODNEY CROOME TODAY. HE SAYS MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT ATRALIA'S TRANSGENR AND GENR DIVERSE MUNY. SOURCE: SBS NEWS / SARAH MNR“OF URSE, WE’RE THE MIDST OF AN ELECTN MPAIGN, WHERE THE LIV OF SEXUAL AND GENR MORI ARE AGA BEG ATTACKED, PARTICULARLY TRANS AND GENR DIVERSE PEOPLE,” HE SAYS.“I THK ’S IMPORTANT THAT WE RELL THE MPAIGN [TO CRIMALISE HOMOSEXUALY] TASMANIA, AND THE SUCCS OF THAT MPAIGN, TURNG TASMANIA AROUND, TO GIVE HOPE AND SPIRATN FOR DOG THE SAME THG AGA TO THE FUTURE.”SIMONE-LISA ANRSON IS THE TASMANIAN REPRENTATIVE FOR INTERSEX PEER SUPPORT ATRALIA AND WANTS FURTHER LEGAL REFORMS TO SUPPORT THOSE WHOSE SEX CHARACTERISTICS DO NOT NFORM TO FEMALE OR MALE STEREOTYP.“TO STOP NON-NSENSUAL SURGERI ON FANTS, YOUNG PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE THAT HAVEN’T BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH RMATN ABOUT WHAT THE SURGERI ARE AND WHAT THEY DO TO THEIR BODI,” SHE SAYS.READ MORE'MY PARENTS REJECTED ME FOR BEG GAY'MERRAN NEWMAN IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF PFLAG TASMANIA (PARENTS, FAI AND IENDS OF LBIANS AND GAYS), AND SAYS THERE ARE STILL NEEDS THE MUNY GOG UNMET. THE ANISATN SUPPORTS PEOPLE LIVG RAL PARTS OF THE STATE.“SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT JT LGBTIQ+, SOME PEOPLE ALSO HAVE A DISABILY, OR THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH DISTRS, OR THEY’RE LONELY. WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE SOMEHOW. WE HAVE TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, AND WE DON’T ALWAYS KNOW.”‘RABOW ISLAND’IN 2008, HOBART CY COUNCIL OFFICIALLY APOLOGISED FOR THE ARRTS THAT BEGAN AT SALAMAN MARKETS, ROLVG “THAT ACTNS SUCH AS THE WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGA”.TASMANIA POLICE ACKNOWLEDG ON S WEBSE “TASMANIA WAS THE LAST STATE TO CRIMALISE MALE-TO-MALE RELATNSHIPS,” AND SAYS “THIS HAS LEFT A LEGACY OF STIGMA AND DISCRIMATN THAT TASMANIA POLICE SEEKS TO ADDRS”. THE FORCE NOW EMPLOYS LGBTI LIAISON OFFICERS, HAS ENURAGED OFFICERS UNIFORM TO TAKE PART THE TASPRI PARA SCE 2015, AND SAYS HAS “A STRONG MMENT TOWARDS HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSY OUR MUNY”.THE YELLOW LE MEMORIAL AT SALAMAN MARKETS PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE 130 PEOPLE ARRTED 1988. SOURCE: SBS NEWS / SARAH MNRTHE TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLY APOLOGISED FOR LAWS CRIMALISG HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVY AND THEIR IMPACT 2017."MANY TASMANIANS HAVE NTUED TO SUFFER OM DISTRS AND DISADVANTAGE AS A RULT OF THE CRIMALISATN OF NDUCT THAT IS NOW ACCEPTED AS LAWFUL,” THEN-PREMIER WILL HODGMAN SAID.THERE IS HOPE THE MUNY THAT UNR NEWLY-APPOTED STATE PREMIER JEREMY ROCKLIFF, THGS N ONLY IMPROVE.MR ROCKLIFF VOTED FOR MARRIAGE EQUALY AND HAS BEEN A SUPPORTER OF OTHER PRO-LGBTIQ+ LAWS. LAST YEAR, WHILE MISTER FOR MUNY SERVIC AND VELOPMENT, HE ANNOUNCED GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE MUNY, SAYG “ALL TASMANIANS SHOULD BE TREATED WH DIGNY AND RPECT – REGARDLS OF THEIR RELATNSHIP STAT, SEXUALY, GENR INTY OR TERSEX CHARACTERISTICS”.MR CROOME SAYS HE’S PROUD OF HOW FAR THE STATE HAS E SCE HIS WORK BEGAN.RECENTLY, ULVERSTONE, ONCE LABELLED ‘ATRALIA’S MOST HOMOPHOBIC TOWN’ AND WHERE THOSE ANTI-GAY RALLI WERE HELD, HE ATTEND A RABOW FLAG RAISG.“IT WAS AWFUL, AND YET NOW ULVERSTONE, THEY RAISE THE RABOW FLAG. HOW N ANYONE NOT BE PROUD OF THAT?”QLIFE PROVIS ATRALIA-WI ANONYMO LGBTI SUPPORT AND N BE REACHED THROUGH S ONLE CHAT SERVICE OR ON 1800 184 527.WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR STORY WH SBS NEWS? EMAIL SHARETAGSLIFEREMEND FOR YOU

"I remember one MP sayg that we should all be sent to an island, which seemed ironic bee we are an island, and of urse, there were those horrible anti-gay ralli that were held around the state. (ABC News: Maren Prss)Lynn Jarvis, CEO of Workg Out Tasmania, said even though the state was late to crimalise homosexualy, then "me up wh some great laws".

When Chris Csabs was around 12 years old, he overheard a nversatn between two men at his church, rellg a time when a gay man me off the street for pots:The lear of the Catholic Church Tasmania has exprsed "grave" ncerns over remendatns to ban nversn practicTasmania's Liberal Premier has backed the ban on the practic, which aim to "cure" a person of their homosexualyEqualy activists warn Tasmania uld bee a "haven" for the practic unls they are banned outrightThe churchgoers were discsg how "seven homosexual mons me out of that man". (ABC News: Le Bown)Tasmania at risk of beg a 'dumpg ground' Advot for a ban on gay nversn practic Tasmania have lnched a new petn followg the recent release of a TLRI report remendg the ernment take petn has been signed by almost 1, 000 people sce was listed on the Tasmanian parliament webse and is sponsored by Kristie Johnston MHA, pennt member for the Hobart seat of Clark. Ahead of a potential ban on nversn 'therapy' Tasmania, a petn beg phed by the Atralian Christian Lobby says the muny has been "taken by surprise" by the ph to outlaw nversn practic and urg be pots:Tasmania looks set to ban gay nversn therapy followg a report urgg law reformTwo petns are currently seekg to fluence parliamentarians ahead of a potential vote on the legislatnOne LGBTIQ advote said nversn therapy practic, such as those she unrwent, "damag people long term"Conversn practice, or therapy based on the belief a person's genr inty or sexualy n be changed is still legal more than half of Atralian jurisdictns.

Queensland, the ACT, and more recently Victoria have banned the practice, while the ernments of South Atralia and Wtern Atralia are workg on legislatn that would do the Tasmania, the last state to crimalise homosexualy, the practice is legal — but potentially not for much longer, wh the state's Premier Jeremy Rockliff sayg his Liberal ernment will ban the practice.

THE PK TRIANGLE: THE GAY LAW REFORM DEBATE TASMANIA - SOFTVER

Advot for a ban on gay nversn practic Tasmania lnched a petn followg the release of a Tasmanian Law Reform Instute report remendg the ernment take petn, sponsored by Inpennt Member for Clark Kristie Johnston, has garnered 4, 993 signatori as of opposn petn, sponsored by Tasmanian Liberal Member for Bass Lara Alexanr, has so far gathered 2, 352 opposn petn, which is beg promoted by the Atralian Christian Lobby, urg people to monstrate their opposn to the "radil and opprsive remendatns the Tasmanian Law Reform Instute (TLRI) Report" ACL's Tasmanian director Christopher Brohier said his anisatn "do not support any ercive or abive practice".

“I disvered then, that bee I was gay, I lived a police state, ” he rells gog to a gay muny meetg and learng not to e his surname as police rmants uld be hidn wh the group. Source: AAP / Roger LovellThe last time a person was charged wh homosexualy offenc Tasmania was the mid-1980s, Mr Croome says, but the law “was still ed as a jtifitn by the ernment and others to discrimate” worst example me 1988 when he and a small group of advot set up a stall at Hobart’s inic Salaman Markets. ”There were more than 130 people arrted over seven weeks … the biggt act of gay rights civil disobedience Atralian CroomeAnti-gay ralli ntued to the 1990s Tasmania, Mr Croome says.

”How they won the fightIn the early 1990s, Tasmania’s upper hoe rejected legislatn to crimalise homosexualy, so Mr Croome took the battle to the Uned Natns Human Rights Commtee. Tasmania now mak genr on birth certifit optnal and remov the requirement for transgenr people to have surgery orr to have their genr to be doneDpe the ws, those workg wh the LGBTIQ+ muny agree there’s still more to be Croome, who was named Tasmanian of the Year 2015, would now like to see the state ban gay nversn practic. “I thk ’s important that we rell the mpaign [to crimalise homosexualy] Tasmania, and the succs of that mpaign, turng Tasmania around, to give hope and spiratn for dog the same thg aga to the future.

REFORMG TASMANIA’S TRMATIC GAY NVERSN PRACTIC

“To stop non-nsensual surgeri on fants, young people, and people that haven’t been given enough rmatn about what the surgeri are and what they do to their bodi, ” she Newman is the chairperson of PFLAG Tasmania (parents, fai and iends of lbians and gays), and says there are still needs the muny gog unmet. Recently, Ulverstone, once labelled ‘Atralia’s most homophobic town’ and where those anti-gay ralli were held, he attend a rabow flag raisg. Rights and ntentAbstractThe state of Tasmania, the smallt the Commonwealth of Atralia, has recently reformed s law relatg to relatnships by amendg over 100 piec of legislatn to clu a range of relatnships, cludg lbian and gay partnerships, among those given regnn and legal entlement.

Sectn snippetsThkg about relatnship reform and sexual cizenshipSce the early 1990s lbian and gay polil anisatns and dividuals each state of Atralia have mpaigned for law reform to regnise same sex relatnships, often amg their mands as a ll for the extensn of the already ‘wispread regnn of habg heterosexual upl’ (known Atralia as facto upl) (Millbank & Sant, 2000: 185). Further, ‘the New Tasmania’, an enactment of enomic-ratnalism-wh-social-cln, is cint wh what Nast scrib as ‘the g polil and enomic age of gay whe men’ (Nast, 2002: 899). Special reportWeekend Atralian(5 April 2003)Amerin Friends Service CommteeThe GLQ archive: AFSC Hawai'I Gay liberatn program: activist materials addrsg tourismGLQ(2002)S.

The legislatn of gay sex between nsentg adults Tasmania has been on the ont pag nstantly over the past two years as the bate shifts om the Tasmanian Government to the feral Government to the Uned Natns.

HURDLE FOR TASMANIA'S GAY MARRIAGE LAW REFORM

The thor scrib the stggle for gay law reform over twenty years, which spl church, reopened old wounds between north and south, and led to the velopement of a policised gay and lbian muny and the formatn of anti-gay groups. After relentls mpaigng om gay rights activists, Tasmania was the last state Atralian to crimalise gay relatnships 2015, 64 percent of Tasmanians voted favour of legalisg gay marriage.

But spe how far our southernmost state has e, Tasmania is yet to protect our LGBTQI+ muny om barbaric nversn gay nversn practic have long been regnised to be damagg to members of the LGBTQI+ muny, they are still beg performed and advertised our own Wright om Equaly Tasmania said: “At their re, nversn practic assume LGBTQI+ Atralians are broken and n be fixed. ”Matty Wright In Febary of this year, Victoria was the first Atralian State to ban gay nversn practic wh The Change or Supprsn (Conversn) Practic Prohibn Bill. The polil manovr over gay law reform Atralia have been characterised by a seri of feats and setbacks before eventual Atralia was the first state to crimalise male homosexualy and took the last remag state, Tasmania, 22 years to follow state crimalis homosexualySeptember 17, 1975South Atralia is the first state to crimalise male homosexualy unr reformist premier Don Dunstan and attorney-general Peter prepar bill before SANovember 4, 1976The ACT very nearly beat SA to the punch, havg prepared a crimalisatn bill before Dunstan.

TASMANIAN GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS GROUP

Canberra did not have self ernment at the time, relyg on Feral Parliament to enact laws which were not passed until after harassment ntu to 1980sDecember 23, 1980Until 1949 the ath penalty was still on the books for sodomy Hamer Liberal ernment crimalised male homosexualy December 1980. A loosely word "solicg for immoral purpos" clse, serted by dissint Liberals, saw police harassment of gays ntue well to the pass law whout mpaign for changeOctober 4, 1983Acrdg to Atralian Gay and Lbian Archiv, the NT was the only Atralian jurisdictn to crimalise homosexualy whout a grassroots mpaign for mister Pl Evergham's CLP ernment reformed the law 1983.

Discrimatn before crimalisatnMay 22, 1984Dpe havg Mardi Gras and Atralia's largt gay populatn, Sydney was not a gay law reform laws were passed 1982 before crimalisatn 1984. Succs after four failed attemptsDecember 7, 1989After four failed attempts durg the 1970s and 1980s, the Labor ernment of Peter Dowdg Wtern Atralia removed nsentg homosexual activy om the crimal December passed to law March 1990 unr premier Carmen of ernment leads to reformNovember 29, 1990Unr long-servg Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, gay law reform was not on the Sunshe State's radar. Prev reform attempts had been blocked by the state's nservative Upper activists took the matter to the High Court, so faced wh the state law beg stck down Tasmania's Upper Hoe fally passed gay law reform by one me to effect on May 13, Atralian Gay and Lbian article ntas ntent that is not 24 Aug 2015Mon 24 Aug 2015 at 2:20am, updated 24 Aug 2015Mon 24 Aug 2015 at 2:38am.

GAY LAW REFORM: 'A BIG VTMENT FOR A BIG RETURN'

On the polil right the island is portrayed as the kd of poor, tree-huggg, gay-lovg, welfare-pennt, enterprise-ee society Green-domated Labor ernments evably create.

We were told we were on the cp of a radil pture wh the past when transportatn end, when the loni ferated, when the first Labor/Green Acrd was fed 1989 and when the “New Tasmania” was sudnly born om, among other thgs, the crimalisatn of homosexualy 1997.

People on both sis of the marriage equaly bate thought Tasmania was steppg out of type (wh the exceptn of opn and arts wrer Helen Razer, who oppos same-sex marriage as -optn of gay people to an archaic stutn, and for whom Tasmania’s learship nfirmed her pre-existg stereotype of the island as a “creepy” monstrosy). The reason the natn was surprised was bee Tasmania has always been a nvenient screen upon which n project everythg don’t like about self, cludg s homophobia.

CONCEPT: GAY LAW REFORM

Tasmania’s anti-discrimatn laws enacted 1999 are the strongt the natn, wh no exemptns allowg relig anisatns to disadvantage gay and lbian people. The laws have been effectively utilised to lnch globally unprecented challeng to everythg om the gay blood donatn ban to the e of lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and tersex human rights as wedge issu durg electns.

Tasmania’s regnn of same-sex parentg, the state school system’s ncerted efforts to challenge classroom homophobia, and the ernment’s fundg of LGBTI support anisatns, have all led where other stat have sce followed. Through the twentieth century our old anti-gay laws were enforced more often than the other stat, wh their reprsive impact magnified by laws unique to Tasmania, such as those crimalisg male cross drsg.

At the first gay muny meetgs I attend I was warned about the police practice of takg down the r registratn numbers of those attendg such meetgs to add to a list of known homosexuals.