CoAL Letter to Federal MPs re SDA sent April 2025
CoAL (Coalition of Activist Lesbians) Inc Australia
A Lesbian Feminist U.N. Accredited Human Rights Advocacy Group __________________________________________________________________________________
28 April. 2025.
Dear [name]
Re: Request for Review of 2013 Amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984
We write on behalf of the Coalition of Lesbian Activists (CoAL), founded in Australia in 1994 to advocate for the human rights of lesbians. We were the first lesbian organisation in the world accredited by the UN, and we work with the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).[1] We advocate for lesbians and lesbian rights in Australia and jointly with other organisations internationally, particularly where we face discrimination or vulnerability due to our sex and sexual orientation.[2]
CoAL wishes to draw your urgent attention to the adverse impact of the 2013 amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984[3], a critical issue affecting many (not only lesbians) in your electorate and Australia-wide. We hope you can share our deep and continuing concerns. At the time Parliament passed the amendments, there was insufficient debate—within Parliament, in the media and among ordinary Australians—about the conflicting meanings and goals of sex and gender identity in language and the rights contained within it. This has led to sex self-identification legislation across Australia that now allows individuals to change their recorded birth sex—in some jurisdictions as frequently as once a year. Surely, this was not an intended outcome.
The erosion of the legal distinction between biological sex and gender identity in the Act results in many, perhaps unintended, outcomes with the loss of sex-based protections; of our rights to freedom of association and expression, to our safety, privacy, dignity, access to services to sport and lesbian culture. In the name of ‘inclusion,’ our rights are being ceded to any men who identify as female, claim to be lesbian and demand the right to be included in our spaces and activities. Even our Australian Human Right Commission and Administrative Review Tribunal now privilege gender over sex.[4] Lesbians have been the canaries in the mine; we have been attacked by transgender organisations, individuals and their often well-intentioned allies, and exploited through court prosecutions.[5]
Australia no longer fully upholds its legal obligations under CEDAW, to which we are a signatory. Australians are becoming aware of the resulting loss of women’s rights but find it difficult to express their concerns publicly. When we state the biological truth that there are only two sexes, when we want women-only sports and toilets, then we lose our jobs, are silenced, called ‘transphobic’ and other attacks. This will no longer be allowed in the UK, following the recent decision by the UK Supreme Court.[6] You can bring about the same changes here in Australia through a revised Act. Questions of unfairness and of safety arise in women’s sport. In terms of fairness, the Ultimate Pool Group in the UK recently banned ‘transgender women,’ finding ‘female players have unique disadvantages compared to male players,’ after two trans-identified men reached the finals of the Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series.[7] For safety and fairness, consider The Flying Bats, a soccer team in Sydney, renowned as a lesbian team now rebadged as ‘LGBTQIA+ Women’s and Non-Binary.’[8] With 5 male trans identified players, it has won all its games in women’s grade, and female players have been harmed.[9] Lesbian culture has suffered. UK research shows growing pressures on lesbians, such as to have sex with trans identified men who retain their male sex organs.[10] Lesbians can be prosecuted for advertising lesbian-only events since the 1980s.[11] Access to our events and spaces is much more difficult today (especially for young lesbians seeking their community). Compare this with the widely advertised Sydney Opera House lesbian spectacular Living Our Passion that played to a full house on 14 July 1991. This is not a picture of historical or cultural progress.
We ask you to support a review and revision of the current provisions in the 2013 amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, specifically with regard to our concerns in this letter. These issues require urgent attention to ensure that the rights of women, girls and lesbians are, again, not only recognised but properly protected in Australian law.
Constituents entrust you, as their elected representative, to ensure the rights and safety of all Australians are protected in law. The 2013 amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 do not fully reflect this responsibility, particularly in relation to women’s (and therefore lesbians’) rights.
- We urge you to support a comprehensive review of the Act, to address these concerns and to restore meaningful protections for women and girls in Australia.
- We ask you to take formal steps to ensure legislative reform begins speedily, and that women, including those from marginalised groups such as lesbians, are at the table to consult on the content of that reform. We point out that LGBTQI+ groups do not represent all lesbians and, in fact, have conflicting interests that work against lesbian rights.
- We ask you take formal steps to ensure that women are consulted in any future discussions on reforming the Sex Discrimination Act 1984.
We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss these issues and work together towards a solution that fully protects the rights of all women and girls, while respecting the rights of all individuals, too.
Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to your response and hope for your support in addressing these vital issues.
Yours sincerely
Susan Hawthorne, PhD Convenor, Coalition of Activist Lesbians (CoAL) Inc Lesbian Rights are Human Rights CoAL acknowledges the Indigenous custodians of our land and waterways that have never been ceded, and we pay our respects to all Elders, past and present. |
[1] Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (2025)
[2] ‘Lesbians are fighting back in Australasia, too,’ UN online CSW69 NGO Virtual Forum (2025).
[3] Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Bill 2013.
[4] Roxanne Tickle v Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd & Anor (2024); Women’s Forum Australia (2025)
[5] Lesbian Action Group, LGB Alliance Australia (2025).
[6] JUDGMENT For Women Scotland Ltd (Appellant) v The Scottish Ministers (Respondent) before Lord Reed, President Lord Hodge, Deputy President Lord Lloyd-Jones Lady Rose Lady Simler JUDGMENT GIVEN ON 16 April 2025 Heard on 26 and 27 November 2024.
[8] The Flying Bats (2025).
[9] Gluck (2024); Sky News ‘Special Report (2025); Ben Fordham, 2GB Sydney (2024).
[10] Angela Wild (2019) Lesbians At Ground Zero
[11] O’Keefe v Sapho’s Party Inc (2009) SAEOT 50, Judgment of His Honour Judge Barrett,(Member Ms H Jasinski and Member Mr D Shetliffe, 24 April 2009.