Back To the Main SiteWelcome to the New Year!
I hope that everyone is having a great summer. Here at AGA we’ve not been online much over the past month, but we’re back now, and gearing up for 2010.
A few housekeeping matters:
- The Blog is now fully integrated into our website. You can see the new blog here. Remember to subscribe to the new RSS feed. This is the last post that will appear on the old feed!
- We’re still in need of donations for our community space. We are unfunded, and run completely on volunteer time and donations. We have recieved a few small grants, and continue to apply for more, but we desperately need funds if we are to continue to grow. If you can afford to give, please do.
- Our end of year report from 2009 is available now. You can download it now if you’d like to see an overview of everything we have achieved in the last 12 months.
- Memberships are still open! If you would like to get involved in one of the fastest growing queer organisations in the ACT, check out our membership page for details.
I’m looking forward to seeing you soon, so remember to keep an eye on our Events page and we’ll hear from you soon!
Cheers
Ryan
On Same-Sex Marriage
By Peter Hyndal
As a transman, I have some reservations about the time and energy that we, as a queer community are putting into the current marriage debate.
My primary reservation is that there are so many much more pressing law reform issues that affect the LGBTIQ community that are not being dealt with at all because priority has been given to the marriage issue. From a human rights perspective, I would argue that the top three most urgent issues facing the LGBTIQ community are the legislative requirement for sterilisation of trans people as a condition for gender recognition, the refusal of governments to adequately deal with issues of intersex surgery on infants and children, and the incredibly high rates of discrimination and victimisation of sex and gender diverse people in our community.
My secondary reservation stems from the fact that trans and intersex people are constantly called upon to actively support essentially gay and lesbian causes, while the gay and lesbian community has an awfully long history of refusing to acknowledge or supporting trans and intersex issues. It is this blindness to trans and intersex issues that I particularly want to address – because as I see it, this blindness is not only intensely frustrating for trans and intersex people – it is also potentially damaging for the marriage campaign itself.
To get right back to basics, what is at the heart of the marriage issue is that the commonwealth marriage act defines marriage as being between a “man” and a “woman”.
The entire marriage debate has, to date, been waged on the basis of who should and who should not have access to marriage. And when I say “the entire debate” I mean that both we, and those who oppose us, are engaged in dialogue ONLY about whether people in same sex relationships should be able to access marriage in the same way as people in heterosexual relationships.
In other words, we have ALL engaged with this debate on the basis that it is a debate that is ACTUALLY ABOUT sexuality.
Although I agree that there are very sound human rights based arguments about why same-sex relationships should be recognised by the state in exactly the same way as heterosexual relationships, I do not agree that this is the only, nor even the most powerful, debate to be engaged in.
When we frame the debate only in terms of sexuality, we don’t question whether its true that marriage currently only occurs between men and women. Nor do we question whether the definition of marriage or of men or of women is problematic. By not raising these issues, the ONLY sphere we allow our own debate to occur is in the context of us having to justify why a change should be made. We set the argument up so that those who oppose us don’t actually have to argue for anything – except the continuation of the status quo.
But if we frame the debate in terms of gender then there are legitimate and destabilising questions that we could be asking – questions that those who oppose us would actually need to respond to and questions that I think, they would find very difficult to answer.
My experience of marriage right now, in this country is that IT IS NOT something that only happens between a man and a woman – There are many trans women who remain legally married to their wives. And there are transmen who can legally marry other men. And there are many people who are unable to marry either a man or a woman because for a whole range of reasons it is unclear whether they themselves are men or women.
It is very clear to me that the marriage debate is one where it makes much more sense to engage with the debate on the basis on GENDER and NOT on the basis of sexuality.
What the marriage Act doesn’t define – and nor does any other legislative instrument in this country at a Commonwealth, State or Territory level – is what a man or a woman actually is.
And the reason that these terms are not defined in legislation is that there is so much variation in the natural biology and social context of the human experience that it is completely impossible to define categorically what a man or a woman actually is.
The biggest issue facing trans and intersex people in Australia at the moment is about identity recognition – the fact that there is NO CONSISTENCY in the way that governments recognise a persons sex – that the same person will be legally recognised as male by some government agencies while being legally recognised as female by other government agencies.
So I think the biggest question about marriage is quite simple: “How can a government on one hand maintain that marriage can only be between a man and a woman if that same government is unable to consistently articulate what a man or a woman even is?”
In the ACT there is also second important question: “How can the ACT Government maintain that it is serious about the importance of legal recognition – when although they seem desperate to legally recognise my relationships, they refuse to legally recognise the very essence of my individual identity as a man?”
So as activists, let’s start to scratch just a little below the surface. Let’s start to demand a little bit more of those people who claim to be our allies. Let’s REFUSE TO just accept THE MYTH that marriage is, or ever can be effectively restricted to unions between “a man and a woman”.
Let’s start shifting the discussion to HOW we want the legal definition of marriage to be changed, rather than WHETHER it should be changed at all. And let’s remember that all we need to do to achieve this shift is to engage with the marriage debate on the basis of gender rather than sexuality.
To do these things is to shift the marriage debate to an arena where we CAN win – because we shift the debate to an arena where our argument is evidenced not by us arguing on moral concepts like human rights and social justice and equity but where our argument is evidenced by the natural and undeniable diversity of sex and gender that always has and always will exist in our society.
Transgender Day or Remembrance 2009
This year A Gender Agenda held a candle lit memorial in Glebe Park to commemorate Transgender Day or Remembrance. The event was well attended, and we had a speaker from Amnesty International, and a local transsexual/intersex activist to read the List of the Dead.
Last year I spoke calling for unity among the Sex and Gender Diverse community. This year, I looked outside the community to government, community and medical institutions, calling for them to include and accept sex and gender diversity as a natural part of life.
My speech is behind the jump.
Gender Rights Art Exhibition Opening!
The Gender Rights Art Exhibition opened on Monday the 16th of November. The opening was a huge success, with about 70 people in attendance, and some of the art being purchased by other community organisations.
Peter gave a moving speech at the opening. You can read it beyond the cut. The ACT Human Rights commission also sent a speaker, who’s speech you can download in PDF Format here.
ACT Social Plan Consulation
The ACT Government is currently conducting a community consultation which may interest members of A Gender Agenda and NewCTN.
“The ACT Government would like your input into the update of the 2004 Canberra Social Plan.
The 2004 Canberra Social Plan has a vision that Canberra is a place “where all people reach their potential, make a contribution and share the benefits of the community”.
The ACT Government is again seeking community views to help shape the next stage of the Territory’s Social Plan. We invite you to join the conversation. “
I’d strongly encourage anyone with a bit of time to sign up for the forums and start waxing eloquent about the needs of the trans, intersex and genderqueer populations of Canberra. The more voices that speak up, the better. We gain visibility, not only within government departments, but also in the wider community as other non-LGBT members of the Canberra region read our responses.
Possible things you could consider bringing up:
- The need for crisis accommodation for sex and gender diverse people
- The need for a safe non-commercial social space for sex and gender diverse people to meet
- The lack of trained medical professionals in general, and specifically ones aware of sex and gender diverse issues
- The need for funded sex and gender diverse organisations, run by and for sex and gender diverse people
- The need for a program that targets innovative social enterprises and provides them with support that allows them to more effectively service the community.
To get involved in the consultation, check out the website: http://bangthetable.com/actsocialplan
For more information about the consultation see here: http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/policystrategic/socialplan/developing_an_update
QWIRE YOUTH PROJECT
The Canberra Qwire is a non-auditioned choir, welcoming all members of our community, in a safe, social environment, and works together to performing music for our community, Canberra and the ACT, Australia and internationally.
They have requested that A Gender Agenda advertise their fabulous youth project, and we are more than happy to oblige! Qwire have made a fantastic effort to create an environment where they hope that trans, intersex and genderqueer youth will feel comfortable participating. I strongly recommend that if you have any interest in music, you consider getting involved.
They are seeking interested participants who would like to take on roles in singing, production, development, design, music and lyrics writing and arranging, and anything you else can think of, to develop and produce a public performance and commercial recording of an “event”.
Any way, here’s the info:
Participants aged 16-25, who identify as Lesbian or Gay, Trans or Intersex, bisexual or any other colour of our rainbow are who we are looking for!
Not only will participants produce their own performance, but they will be supported, coached, and joined by members from the Qwire, as well as music and production professionals from around Canberra, ACT and nationally.
Participants will also be encouraged and welcomed to join with the Qwire for a number of other events including:
How do I participate?
We will be holding a public meeting at 6pm on Tuesday 24th, for interested participants to come and hear more about the project, to meet and talk with Qwire members, and sit in on a Qwire rehearsal, just following our “Light and Fluffy” concert Late November.
Venue will be ANU Music Department, Llewellyn Hall, Level 5, Lecture Theatre 2. Please let us know if you wish someone to meet you there.
At this meeting, we will clarify questions about the project and seek your expression of interest, to commence working on the project, writing your own music and words, designing, developing and all the things that go with it, in the near year.
Those registering their interest prior to the meeting will also be invited to attend the “Light and Fluffy”, concert free of charge – with our guests, Can Belto (one of Canberra’s favourite choirs – other than us!),
Please contact the project Chef de Partie, Tim Little (Qwire Assistant Musical Director), on 0422210768 or cooltim@westnet.com.au to confirm your attendance, to register your interest and receive details of the “Light and Fluffy” concert.
You can also contact us on canberraqwire@yahoo.com.au for more information about the Qwire, and our regular season – you are welcome to join us
Sex and Gender Diverse Community Consultation
A Gender Agenda is holding a community consultation to gather information about what the sex and gender diverse community wants from a community space.
Why do we need a Community Space?
Because there are more and more of us in Canberra, and we are becoming more and more vocal! And with growing visibility comes growing demand. This demand simply can’t be met without having a space of our own… a community space.
And we do mean a community space – a space that is run by and for the community – a space that the community truly “owns”. Which is where YOU come in!
We want to hear your dreams!
What will we call this “space of our own”? What functions could this space serve? What services do you think are most urgently needed? What activities would you love to see offered? What do you dream might be achieved in 1 year? 3years? 10 years?
Please come along – to share your own ideas, to hear what other people have to say, and to be part of your community space right from the very beginning.
DATE: Monday, 30th of November 2009
TIME: 5.30 – 8.30 PM
LOCATION: Room 6, Level 1, Griffin Centre
Genge St, Civic
Contact: peter@genderrights.org.au
WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYONE CAN MAKE IT BY 5.30PM. PLEASE COME ALONG EVEN IF YOU NEED TO ARRIVE LATE.
SpringOut 09!
Fairday at Westlund house is on this Saturday, from Noon until 5pm. A Gender Agenda will be there setting up from 10am.
Hope to see you there, or at one of our upcoming SpringOut Events.
Beyond Boxes Series: Solutions
Peter Hyndal presented at a Men’s Health Conference in Newcastle, last week. A “National Health Gathering” presented by the Australasian Men’s Health Forum. For the conference he wrote a paper named Beyond boxes: Sex and gender diversity and health service provision
We’ll be posting the contents of his presentation over the next few weeks, in tasty bite sized morsels, and the full paper (with all its references intact) will be available to download as soon as its been confirmed complete.
The story so far:
2 What does sex and gender diversity have to do with Men’s Health?
3 Medical Professionals involvement in Making Men
4 Issues with Primary Health Care
Todays post, and the final post in the series is beyond the cut
Beyond Boxes: Specific Health Issues
Peter Hyndal presented at a Men’s Health Conference in Newcastle, last week. A “National Health Gathering” presented by the Australasian Men’s Health Forum. For the conference he wrote a paper named Beyond boxes: Sex and gender diversity and health service provision
We’ll be posting the contents of his presentation over the next few weeks, in tasty bite sized morsels, and the full presentation (with all its references intact) will be available to download at the end of the series.
The story so far:
2 What does sex and gender diversity have to do with Men’s Health?
3 Medical Professionals involvement in Making Men
4 Issues with Primary Health Care
Todays post, is beyond the jump:
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