Gay Law Reform

Contents:

• GAY SEX WAS ILLEGAL TASMANIA UNTIL 1997. HOW DID TURN SELF AROUND?
• TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT APOLOGIS FOR CRIMALISATN OF GAY SEXUAL ACTS
• HOW A TASMANIAN GAY RIGHTS BATTLE FLUENCED THE WORLD
• 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 SHARETAGSLIFETOPICS
• TASMANIAN GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS GROUP
• COVID WAS THE FAL STRAW FOR TASMANIA'S ONLY GAY NIGHTCLUB, SO THE MUNY CREATED SOMETHG ELSE
• AWARD-WNG TASMANIAN GAY RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY EE TO STREAM
• ACTIVISTS NMN VLENCE AGAST LGBTQ MUNY ST. VCENT, WHERE GAY SEX IS ILLEGAL
• HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: ANTI-GAY LAWS PROMOTE VLENCE, DISCRIMATN ST. VCENT
• THE U.S. & JAMAI ARE FIGHTG OVER GAY RIGHTS

GAY SEX WAS ILLEGAL TASMANIA UNTIL 1997. HOW DID TURN SELF AROUND?

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.

"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". “There were anti-gay ralli across the state, people llg for to be killed, addrsed by policians who were llg for the retroductn of the ath penalty for homosexualy or llg for police to wipe out, ” Rodney told Hack.

“I me out 1987, and the first gay muny meetg I went to I was warned never to e my surname when talkg to anyone se there were police rmers there, and to be ready for the possibily that police uld be outsi to take down the registratn numbers of the rs of people the meetg to add to their list of known homosexuals. ” “Over seven succsive Saturdays, 130 people were arrted fence of that stall what was and still is the biggt act of gay rights civil disobedience Atralian history, ” he was arrted four tim.

TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT APOLOGIS FOR CRIMALISATN OF GAY SEXUAL ACTS

”Eventually, 1997, Tasmania ma gay relatnships survey brgs up bad memoriRodney kept fightg for the LGBTI muny, and 2015 his efforts were regnised by the state. (ABC News: Jed Cooper)But even then, the same-sex marriage postal survey ma Rodney fear that his beloved state still didn’t see gay and lbian people as equal. ”If Tasmania n change, then anythg is same-sex marriage was legalised, Tasmania has had 108 gay and lbian how did Tasmania go om beg the worst place to be gay to a place wh one of the hight Y vot the untry?

Comedian Chloe Black told Hack the trans muny were particularly vulnerable durg the same-sex marriage mpaign bee a lot of the bate centred around trans issu rather than same-sex marriage No si went, ‘the gays have been around they’ve got all this armour, what is the one muny we n go after?

Equaly Tasmania (formerly the Tasmanian Gay and Lbian Rights Group) is an advocy group ma up of volunteers, who are specifilly pursug equaly for the LGBTIQA+ muny Atralia.

HOW A TASMANIAN GAY RIGHTS BATTLE FLUENCED THE WORLD

Bee we know virtually nothg about the place of same-sex relatnships digeno Tasmanian culture, the island's homosexual history begs wh early explorers like Matthew Flrs, who, wh Gee Bass, circumnavigated Tasmania 1798�99, provg an island. Not long afterwards Port Arthur's prison dormori were re-signed to keep mat unr nstant surveillance, and the hated separate and silent prison was built as the fal solutn to nvict homosexualy.

Acrdg to Robert Hugh, this is why the new Atralian natnal inty that the anti-transportatn movement gave birth to, was tated by profound homophobia well to the twentieth century. Soon afterwards, gay bars and then clubs emerged central Hobart, spe police harassment that clud pilg lists of the nam and r registratn numbers of patrons.

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 SHARETAGSLIFETOPICS

Wh this tumultuo legacy full of ntradictns and extrem is no surprise that the history of Tasmania's morn gay and lbian movement is also dramatic. Inspired by the globally signifint Tasmanian environmental mpaigns of the 1980s, led by openly gay Greens' lear, Dr Bob Brown, the Tasmanian Gay and Lbian Rights Group formed 1988. A ne-year bate over the crimalisatn of homosexualy, which volved the Uned Natns Human Rights Commtee, the feral ernment, the High Court and Amnty Internatnal, saw the issue bee the fg social reform of the 1990s, and rulted a dramatic crease popular support for gay rights, and gay law reform 1997.

TASMANIAN GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS GROUP

In addn, we are agast State Sanctned rape culture, s prohibn on the eedom of associatn of same-sex attracted people and prsurg homosexuals to nform to heterosexual norms of sexual CAUSESStand wh agast Tasmanian State-sponsored rape culture.

COVID WAS THE FAL STRAW FOR TASMANIA'S ONLY GAY NIGHTCLUB, SO THE MUNY CREATED SOMETHG ELSE

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 . 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.

AWARD-WNG TASMANIAN GAY RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY EE TO STREAM

Twenty years after laws crimalisg homosexual activy the state were repealed, the Tasmanian Government has officially apologised for the pa suffered by the LGBTI Attorney-General Matthew Groom told the Tasmanian Parliament "we are sorry".

ACTIVISTS NMN VLENCE AGAST LGBTQ MUNY ST. VCENT, WHERE GAY SEX IS ILLEGAL

In the late 1980s Premier Rob Gray stated that homosexuals were unwele Tasmania and police rerd the vehicle registratn plat of people attendg gay muny meetgs. Durg the 1980s and early 1990s six attempts at crimalisatn were emphatilly rejected by the Tasmanian Legislative Council, wh polician Robert Archer llg for homosexuals to be "tracked down and wiped out" by police. The Commtee noted that "the crimalisatn of homosexual practic nnot be nsired a reasonable means or proportnate measure to achieve the aim of preventg the spread of AIDS/HIV, " further notg that "The Atralian Government observ that statut crimalisg homosexual activy tend to impe public health programm by drivg unrground many of the people at the risk of fectn.

" Gay activists and Amnty Internatnal also mounted a mpaign favour of reform cludg monstratns the state and elsewhere, holdg meetgs between LGBTI Tasmanians and muny groups across the state and gay men self-reportg their then-illegal nsensual activi to police to illtrate that the laws were unenforceable, given that police would not prosecute them on the basis that was not the public tert.

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: ANTI-GAY LAWS PROMOTE VLENCE, DISCRIMATN ST. VCENT

Although the UNHRC cisn effectively lled on the feral Keatg Government to overturn Tasmania's anti-homosexualy laws, Keatg and his Attorney-General Michael Lavarch were ially slow to act, nsirg a low-prry issue. This approach was cricised by activists and amics for abditg the polil rponsibily of legislators for an unfortable issue to the Court se and crimalisatnOn 14 November 1995, Nick Toonen and his then-partner Rodney Croome applied to the High Court of Atralia for a lg that Tasmania's anti-gay laws were nstutnally overrin by the Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act 1994 and therefore valid.

The se was taken by Alan Goldberg QC, who provid his servic pro bono after Croome and Toonen were nied legal aid to mount the se spe fulfillg the creria for fundg as a public tert tt 1996 the state Liberal Party Government of Tony Rundle changed s posn on gay law reform om opposn to allowg a nscience vote after failg s attempts to have the High Court matter stck out and amid growg lol support for reform.

The Tasmanian Greens unr Christe Milne then began to ph vigoroly for law a rult of the chang, on 1 May 1997 Tasmania beme the fal Atralian jurisdictn to repeal s anti-homosexualy laws, passg the Tasmanian Legislative Council by one vote. The age of nsent Tasmania is 17 years and is equal for all forms of sexual December 2015, the Tasmanian Liberal Government announced would troduce legislatn the Tasmanian Parliament which would expunge historic crimal rerds for nsensual homosexual sexual activy. Individuals charged wh offenc pertag to homosexual sexual nduct prr to s crimalisatn 1997 will be able to subm an applitn wh the state's Secretary of the Department of Jtice to have such charg removed om their crimal rerds.

THE U.S. & JAMAI ARE FIGHTG OVER GAY RIGHTS

Flags fashned om the drs of drag queens who fought New York police over gay rights the late 60s have a new home Tasmania's State pots:Rodney Croome has been a central figure the fight for LGBTI rights TasmaniaHe is donatg memorabilia cludg, clothg, flags and pamphlets to the Tasmanian archiv Tasmania was the last state to crimalise homosexualy, but Mr Croome says the state now has the bt LGBTI laws AtraliaThe flags are close to the heart of Tasmanian gay rights mpaigner Rodney Croome, and were given to him 1989 when he was ved to speak at a gay pri event San Francis, regnn of his work. "[They] were ma om the drs of the Stonewall drag queens, who fought back agast the police New York 1969, " he Stonewall rts were a seri of spontaneo, vlent monstratns by members of the gay muny agast a police raid that began the early morng hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn Manhattan.

Equaly Tasmania — formerly the Tasmanian Gay and Lbian Rights Group — llected the ems over a 30-year ems rell a perd of vlent arrts, angry anti-gay ralli, and pleas taken to the Uned Natns Human Rights the perd vered by the llectn, Tasmania beme the last Atralian jurisdictn to crimalise homosexualy, and more recently played a major role the legalisatn of same-sex marriage.

(Supplied: Roger Lovell)The llectn clus the sneakers and jumper Mr Croome was wearg as a 24-year-old 1988 when he and about 100 others were arrted at Hobart's Salaman Market, for fyg a ban on a stall featurg petns to crimalise homosexual also clus documents related to efforts taken to the Uned Natns 1994 and Atralia's High Court 1996.