Equaly Tasmania – formerly the Tasmanian Gay and Lbian Rights Group

Contents:

• GAY SEX WAS ILLEGAL TASMANIA UNTIL 1997. HOW DID TURN SELF AROUND?
• 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
• TASMANIAN GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME PH FOR GAY SEX RERDS TO BE ERASED
• GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME NAMED TASMANIA'S ATRALIAN OF THE YEAR
• GAY RIGHTS MPAIGNER RODNEY CROOME OUR TASMANIAN ATRALIAN OF THE YEAR
• SECTN 71: THE TASMANIAN CRIME OF GAY SEX
• 'MARRYG MILLNS': RODNEY IS GAY AND G DIRY AS VER-UP? FANS SAY HE'S GETTG HIS NEEDS MET ELSEWHERE

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

A short distance om where he was arrted 29 years ago after phg for gay rights, Rodney Croome stood up a South Hobart pub to praise Tasmania's same-sex marriage stance. (Supplied: Roger Lovell)For s, Mr Croome battled Atralian homosexualy laws general and Tasmania's the state that was the last the untry to crimalise sex between men private (1997) returned a 63. "I'm anxly optimistic, " he said, holdg two pag of not his hand — one to read if the rult was y, the other reads for a no said while the postal vote had been extremely difficult for some people, the gree of hate directed at Tasmania's gay muny had waned over the last 20 years.

"In 1988, Mr Croome was one several people who were arrted after settg up a stall at the Salaman Markets llg for homosexualy to be 1994, he and his then partner walked to a police statn to nfs to the crime of homosexualy. Their actns led to the mpaign to repeal the laws all the way to Atralia's High Court and the Uned then Mr Croome has been a vol activist for gay rights, mpaigng for anti-discrimatn protectns and the regnn of same-sex relatnships and fai, cludg 2015, he was named Tasmanian of the Year but today he honoured and thanked his fellow Tasmanians an emotnal, tearful but ultimately joyful speech durg which he had to pse to check his emotns.

“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.

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

”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? “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.

TASMANIAN GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME PH FOR GAY SEX RERDS TO BE ERASED

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. “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.

GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME NAMED TASMANIA'S ATRALIAN OF THE YEAR

“In 1987, as a shy Universy of Tasmania history stunt, I me out as a gay man to an island society that was eply antagonistic to LGBTIQ crimalisatn of homosexualy and cross-drsg was only the tip of the iceberg. Tasmania was the only state that stigmatised transgenr people as crimals by outlawg was a blanket silence about LGBTIQ people that had lasted sce lonial tim when homosexualy and genr transgrsn was timately associated wh the hated sta of the first gay muny meetg I attend I was warned there might be police outsi wag to wre down the r registratn numbers of those leavg the meetg to add to their 'pk list' of 'known homosexuals. 'When we set up a small stall at Salaman Market askg for signatur on a gay law reform petn, the stall was closed down and we were all gay law reform was first proposed Parliament, angry, hateful prott ralli were nducted across the other Tasmanians believed they lived a mocracy, LGBTIQ Tasmanians lived a police was a police state most Tasmanians were then happy to mata.

GAY RIGHTS MPAIGNER RODNEY CROOME OUR TASMANIAN ATRALIAN OF THE YEAR

” This is part of The Yellow Le, by Jty Phillips, a public art project missned by the Cy of Hobart to acknowledge the bravery of Rodney and others the Tasmanian Gay Law Reform Group., and apologise for s role the mistreatment of LGBTIQ+ Tasmanians. Rodney Croome, om Tasmanians Uned for Marriage Equaly, and his partner Rafael Manzanilla feature a vio shot at lotns across Croome is tellg the LBGTIQ muny that although Tasmania was the last state to legalise homosexualy 1997, was now a changed said tourism operatns had set up "rabow accredatn" for operators to show that their bs treats all people the same non-discrimatory manner.

"In 1988, Mr Croome was one of several people who were arrted after settg up a stall at the Salaman Markets llg for homosexualy to be 1994, he and his then partner walked to a police statn to nfs to the crime of homosexualy. Gay rights advote Rodney Croome wants the Tasmanian Government to erase the crimal rerds of men nvicted of havg gay Victorian Government announced last week plans to troduce siar laws later this year.

SECTN 71: THE TASMANIAN CRIME OF GAY SEX

"I want to see those gay men who were arrted unr our former anti-gay laws Tasmania have their crimal rerd expunged and I also want to see an apology om the State Parliament for the fact that we mataed those awful laws for so long and they ed so much damage, " he said. Gay rights mpaigner Rodney Croome has been named Tasmania's Atralian of the Year for Croome gaed ternatnal attentn 1994 when he walked to a police statn wh his partner and nfsed to homosexualy. Sce then Mr Croome has been a vol activist for gay rights, mpaigng for anti-discrimatn protectns and the regnn of same-sex relatnships and fai, cludg really is a symbol of how much Tasmania has changed for the better..

Someone who was once arrted for standg up for gay rights now is honoured for Tasmanian Gay and Lbian Rights Group spokman has also challenged homophobia schools and the police force and worked to normalise same-sex relatnships. "It really is a symbol of how much Tasmania has changed for the better over the last quarter century that someone who was once arrted for standg up for gay rights now is honoured for that, " he Croome will jo the wners om all other stat across four tegori for the natnal awards, which will be prented on the eve of Atralia Day next year. Followed tegori will be add to My rights activist Rodney Croome has been named 2015 Tasmanian Atralian of the Year by Premier Will Hodgman at the Henry Jon Art Hotel Hobart Croome was award the prize for champng lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and tersex rights Tasmania and around Atralia, Natnal Atralia Day Council CEO Jeremy Lasek said.

'MARRYG MILLNS': RODNEY IS GAY AND G DIRY AS VER-UP? FANS SAY HE'S GETTG HIS NEEDS MET ELSEWHERE

“From the moment he walked to a Hobart police statn wh his partner 1994 to nfs to the then ser crime of homosexualy, Rodney’s actns – reported the world over – were a major talyst for the mpaign to crimalise homosexualy Tasmania, which he took all the way to the High Court of Atralia and the Uned Natns, ’’ he said. Rodney’s actns, reported the world over, were a major talyst for the mpaign to crimalise homosexualy Tasmania, which Rodney took all the way to the High Court of Atralia and the Uned Natns.

A champn of gay, lbian, bisexual, transgenr and tersex (LGBTQI) rights Tasmania and throughout Atralia, Rodney has spent the past 26 years mpaigng for crimalisatn, anti-discrimatn protectns, and the regnn of same-sex relatnships and fai, cludg marriage has also worked tirelsly to end discrimatn and improve tnal and health out for LGBTQI people, particularly those ral and remote Natnal Convenor of Atralian Marriage Equaly, Rodney has ma many personal sacrific the face of hostily and ignorance, challengg homophobia schools and the police service, removg stigma and normalisg relatnships for same-sex attracted embodi telligence, urage, tenacy and visn and his life’s work has transformed Atralia and improved the liv of thoands of LGBTQI people and their fai. Croome never been prour to be TasmanianTHREE s ago, gay rights activist Rodney Croome was arrted on Hobart’s Parliament Lawns for mpaigng for gay and lbian rights.

It might surprise you to learn that until 1997, a man uld go to jail for up to 21 years for havg sex wh another man rights activist Rodney Croome and his then-partner Nick Toonen were jt 23 when they began their ne-year mpaign to crimalise gay sex their home state of did they know, they’d have to go all the way to the High Court of Atralia to do . 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. Johnson was a key figure of the 1960s gay rights movement the US and, as legend has , threw the brick that igned the famo Stonewall rts, which were the talyst for the movement and have spired many Pri march ever 1992, Johnson’s body was found the Hudson River.