Campaign against proposed ‘equality’ laws in NSW

Image: sv1ambo, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

UPDATE

CoAL, and other dissenting groups we have been working with, have been invited to lodge submissions to an inquiry into the Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023, being held by the Legislative Assembly Committee on Community Services due on on or before Sunday 14 April.

Debate on the (In)equality bill was deferred, presumably so that Labor could prioritise appeasing the religious lobby in order to push through the gender conversion ban legislation. They succeeded in doing this in March 2024. We understand that the Equality Bill is now scheduled to be debated on 14th March with a vote then or on 21st March.

Alex Greenwich’s (In)equality Bill is scheduled for Parliamentary vote on Thursday 14 March 2024.

Watch this space for updates and get your emails into NSW MPs NOW!

CURRENT & URGENT!!!

Make NSW the FIRST gender critical Australian state that rejects legislative changes that put gender ideology before the rights and safety of lesbians, other women  and girls.

In August 2023, Alex Greenwich, a gay man and the independent member for Sydney introduced his ‘omnibus bill’ that he states aims ‘to address all legislative barriers to LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing.’ He has used language strategically by announcing it as a ‘health’ issue but calling it ‘equality’ legislation, continuing the colonisation of the LGB liberation movement that successfully achieved greater human rights for lesbians and gay men. But Greenwich’s proposed Bill has nothing to do with ‘equality’, or ‘health and wellbeing.’ It sets back equality legislation that lesbians, gays and women have fought hard for. It is wreaking mass long-term health problems for impressionable people who have fallen for the lies of gender ideology, which removes the distinction between biological sex and the imaginary concept ‘gender’. This is not equality; it is denial of material reality in the interests of a new men’s rights movement. To view Greenwich’s proposed Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023 on the NSW Parliament website, click on this link. To view an analysis of Greenwich’s proposed Bill, click on this link.

CoAL has joined a coalition of lesbian, gay and feminist groups whose members are taking action on our concerns about the deleterious effects this bill will have. This bill will harm lesbians, gay men and bisexuals as well as women and girls. The bill is an effort to impose the interests of men and a small population of people who identify as ‘trangender’ or other expressions of gender ideology under the misleading banner of LGBTQIA+, continuing the colonisation of LGB rights with those of the gender brigade. Let’s make this clear–the concept ‘transgender,’ and gender ideology that constructed it, is NOT about sexual orientation; rather, it is constructed out of male sexual fetish, heterosexist patriarchal power relations that make it difficult for lesbians and gays to express their sexual orientation without shame, and objectified and sexualised bodies, causing young people to not accept themselves as they mature into adulthood. To view an analysis of the bill, which was prepared in October 2023 by representatives of Australian Feminists For Women’s Rights (AF4WR), click on this link.

If you live anywhere in NSW, it is vital you write to NSW politicians about your concerns.  Even if you live outside NSW or even Australia, tell our state politicians about the harmful effects of similar lies and practices of gender medicine you have experienced or observed. We are especially keen to convince Labor politicians that gender ideology is NOT progressive.

See here for our first call for action, announcing a coordinated campaign. Links to websites of other participating organisations in campaign are below:

See here for an early media release from AF4WR (Australian Feminists for Women’s Rights) that criticises the secrecy and lack of wider consultation about proposed legal changes that would cause significant harm to lesbians and other women. 

A copy of a preliminary email CoAL sent to NSW politicians is available here.

Contact Members of Parliament: See here for a selected list of parliamentarians to contact–ring, email, write,and/or visit–to tell them of your concerns about the harmful effects of the proposed legislation.

See this link to the proposed Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill (text of bill, explanatory notes, transcript of speeches).

Focus topics to write about to NSW politicians and for grass roots activism (links to resources are being added as they are prepared):

  • LGB is not TQ
  • Fairness for girls in sport
  • Follow the UK
  • Conversion practices – link is here
  • Basic biology
  • Lobby groups do not make good policy
  • Other states that have self-ID
  • Bad law
  • Exploitation of women’s bodies
  • Impacts of self-ID
  • Safeguarding children and young people from trans child abuse

We are planning and writing more resources for our and your use. Watch this space and our News alerts

Update

The Speak Out organised by WRNA and held yesterday 21 November 2023 in Martin Place near Parliament House was attended well by women from WRNA and CoAL. About ten of us gave speeches that were videorecorded. You can read a copy of the speech given by Viviane Morrigan on behalf of CoAL here and watch the WRNA website for a full videorecording.

We had contingency plans if we were harassed by organised hostile activists or others. Thankfully, there was no trouble. On the down side, we were ignored by media and most of the passersby, though a few people stopped to engage in discussion.

We had a visit from John Ruddick, a right-wing libertarian climate change denier and member of the Liberal Democrats, elected to the Legislative Council this year,  and his staffer, who listened to our speakers and told us he would not vote for the proposed legislation. CoAL does not support his politics but it’s good to learn of his position on this bill.

For an overview of the campaign as at 23.11.23, read this.

Update:

22 November 2023

Open Letter From Clinicians Concerned About Gender Treatment for Children

 

This is an open letter sent to all NSW MP’s on 5th November 2023. The letter was referred to in a recent article in The Australian – Alarm at gender dysphoria treatment (archive link).

 

5th November 2023 Re: Open letter from clinicians concerned about the NSW Government’s flawed framework for gender treatment services for children and young people. We are writing to you because of our serious professional concerns regarding the NSW Government’s framework for gender treatment services for children and young people. This flawed framework disregards the more cautious model of treating childhood and youth gender dysphoria adopted by countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Finland and France. Released in July, the framework also makes claims in support of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for children and young people that have been disputed or have a weak evidence base. We believe that if this framework is adopted uncritically by gender health services, some of the state’s most vulnerable children and young patients could potentially suffer unnecessary and irreversible harms. Titled the Framework for the Specialist Trans and Gender Diverse Health Service for People Under 25 Years, it prioritises the “affirmation model” for medically transitioning children and young people grappling with gender dysphoria, even though this treatment model has been dramatically scaled back in the UK and several European countries. The framework directs state-run “specialist” trans and gender diverse treatment services to follow the intervention recommendations of AusPATH and WPATH, both pro-affirmation organisations whose membership includes activists as well as health professionals. One of the framework’s significant limitations is its failure to provide psychotherapeutic treatment options for children and young people who do not undergo medical transition. This raises concerns about the comprehensiveness and inclusivity of NSW’s model of care. The framework’s foundations were laid out in an “evidence check” rapid review conducted by health NGO the Sax Institute, for the NSW Ministry of Health in September 2020. The Sax Institute’s review supported the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, considering them effective and safe. (1) However, the UK’s October 2020 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reviews (2, 3) cast doubt on the clinical value of puberty blockers and questioned the safety and effectiveness of gender-affirming hormones. The disparity between the reviews is troubling, and highlights a significant divergence in their conclusions. A critical difference emerges in the approach to the quality of research literature. While the Sax Institute acknowledged the poor quality and high risk of bias in the research studies it relied on, it still included their findings to justify the continued use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for children and young people. This raises fundamental questions about the validity and reliability of the evidence guiding the Sax Institute review of the treatment of gender dysphoria. The Sax Institute review also faces criticism for insufficiently highlighting known concerns and risks associated with puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. These include impacts on fertility, cognitive development, surgical risks, and long-term physical and psychosocial health implications. Despite this, on 11th July 2023 the NSW Minister for Health, the Hon. Ryan Park MP announced that the Sax Institute had been commissioned to undertake an “evidence check” following the ABC Four Corner’s episode screened the previous evening regarding the provision of gender treatment to children and young people in the state. As the debate around gender treatment continues, it is crucial to navigate the complexities with a thorough understanding of the diverse clinical perspectives and their fundamental implications for the well-being of children and young people. However, given the inadequacies outlined above, we, the undersigned are deeply concerned about the decision to reappoint the Sax Institute. We question the institute’s capacity to provide balanced and comprehensive advice to the NSW Government on this sensitive and complex matter. We also firmly believe that NSW’s gender treatment framework needs to be urgently reconsidered. Signatories to the open letter:

 

  • Dr Alhussain Aldabbagh MBChB FRACP Paediatrician

  • Dr Don Bornstein MBBS, DPM, FRANZCP, Cert. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Child Psychiatrist (retired)

  • Dr Cary Breakey MBBS, FRACGP, DPM Child Psychiatrist (retired)

  • Dr Robert J. Brennan BSci, BHSc, MBBS Medical Doctor and Psychotherapist

  • Dr Rachel Chan BMedSt, MD, FRACGP General Practitioner

  • Dr Danielle Collins BMBS, FRACGP General Practitioner

  • Dr David Cooke MBBS, FRACGP, FACRRM General Practitioner

  • Dr Alida Connell FRANZCP MBChB, DMH, MMed, FCPsych Psychiatrist

  • Dr Catherine Crowley MBBS, DipCH HMO Medical Doctor

  • Dr Mei Ling Doery MBBS, BMedSci, MPH Medical Doctor

  • Dr Andrew Firestone MBBs, DPM, MRCPsych, FRANZCP Psychiatrist

  • Dr Randy Juanta BMBS Medical Doctor

  • Dr Mary Jessop MBBS, FRANZCP Child Psychiatrist

  • Dr George Halasz MBBS, BMedSc, MRCPsych, FRANZCP Child Psychiatrist

  • Dr Catherine Hollier MBBS, FRACGP General Practitioner

  • Dr Andrew Hughes MBBS, FRACGP, FACRRM, DRANZCOG General Practitioner

  • Dr Rosemary Isaacs MBBS, FRANZCP General Practitioner

  • Dr Sandy Kershaw MBBS Medical Doctor

  • Dr Mary Koshi MBBBS, DGO OBGY (retired)

  • Dr Aniello Iannuzzi BA, MBBS, MMedSci, FACRRM, FRACGP, FARGP, FAICD General Practitioner

  • Dr Vincent Keane MBBS, DipRACOG, MPH&TM (USA), FAFPHM (RACP) Public Health Medical Doctor

  • Prof Dianna Kenny PhD, MA (Sch Couns), BA (Hons), Dip Ed, Grad Dip FDR, FAPs, MAPA Consulting Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Couple and Family Therapist

  • Dr Deirdre Little MBBS, DRANZCOG, FACRRM, GCBioeth General Practitioner

  • Dr Eamonn Mathieson MBBS, FANZCA Anaesthetist

  • Dr Chukwuemeka Okorafo MBBS, FRACGP General Practitioner

  • Dr Luke O’Regan B Med FRANZCP Psychiatrist

  • A/Prof Peter Parry MBBS, Ph.D, FRANZCP, Cert. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Child Psychiatrist

  • Dr Vivian Praeger FRACGP General Practitioner

  • Dr Sarah Price MBBD, FRACNEM, FASLM General Practitioner

  • Dr Nic Rosoman MBBS Medical Doctor

  • Dr Julie Sladdon MBBS, BMEdSci, PGDipMedEd Medical Doctor

  • Dr Mike Sladdon MRCP, RACD, MAE Dermatologist

  • Dr Jillian Spencer MBBS, BmedSci, FRANZCP, Cert. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cert. Forensic Psychiatry, Grad Dip For Beh Sci Child Psychiatrist

  • Dr Guy van Hazel MBBS, FRACP, FRCP Medical Oncologist

  • Dr John Warlow MB, CHB, BIRM, FRANZCP Child Psychiatrist

  • Dr Jennifer Wells MBBS, FACD Dermatologist

  1. Evidence for effective interventions for children and young people with gender dysphoria | Sax Institute;

  2. National Institute of Health and Care Excellence. Evidence review: Gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. Oct 2020; and

  3. National Institute of Health and Care Excellence. Evidence review: Gender-affirming hormones for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. Oct 2020.