Letter to Harriet Shing MP.

Last weekend there was a trans only event held as part of the Melbourne Fringe festival. We fully support trans people having their own events and are trying to work out why the LGB can’t have their own events. So we’ve written to Harriet Shing MP, Minister for Equality in Victoria because something clearly isn’t right.
You can read our letter below:

To Harriet Shing MP 
Minister for Equality 

216 Commercial Road 
MORWELL VIC 3840 
harriet.shing@parliament.vic.gov.au 

18 October 2024 

Dear Minister Shing,  

I write to you on behalf of LGB Alliance Australia, Australia’s largest organisation advocating solely for the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. We are a nation-wide organisation and our vision is that lesbians, gay men and bisexuals live free from discrimination or disadvantage based on their sexual orientation.  

We are deeply concerned that LGB individuals can no longer have single-sex events because of anti-discrimination laws. Lesbians in particular are being affected by this.  

In order to have single-sex events, we must now apply for a single-sex exemption and to date every single-sex exemption for lesbians has been refused. I draw your attention to the case of the Lesbian Action Group and the Australian Human Rights Commission.  

We also draw your attention to the government-funded Victorian Pride Centre (VPC henceforth) which refused the same group of lesbians a booking. The group wished to celebrate International Lesbian Day at the VPC and yet were discriminated against because they wanted a single-sex event. 

For the record the VPC hold events that are for transgender individuals only and have trans-only organisations housed at the Centre. We note there are no lesbian organisations housed at the Centre and suggest this is because they are not welcome. Most recently there was also a trans-only event held last weekend as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.  

We fully support transgender Victorians having their own events and spaces, but we believe it is utterly unacceptable that LGB individuals who want the same level of respect are denied the right to single-sex events.  

Why is the treatment of different minority groups so unequal, especially if all are supposedly included within the category of ‘LGBTQ’? Permitting exclusive events for one cohort while denying this for another is impossible to justify.  

We would like to meet with you about this issue and are available to meet at your convenience. 

Best regards 

LGB Alliance Australia