Tag: lgbtqi

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Transgender Indigenous Australians

Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

The term “Brother Boy” describes an Indigenous transgender man and “Sister Girl” describes transgender women. In this short interview with The Wire (below), brother boy Kai Clancey talks about his social identity being a “double edged sword.” He experiences racism within the transgender community as well as confusion and exclusion from some members of his Indigenous community. Clancey talks about his experience in terms of postcolonialism. Transphobia and homophobia are part of European settler culture, which also launched a campaign of genocide against the First Australians. Clancey says he is in the process of resisting colonial mindset, revising his cultural … Continue reading Transgender Indigenous Australians

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High Court Recognises Third Gender Category

Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

In June 2013, I wrote about Norrie, a transgender woman from New South Wales (pictured above), who had successfully petitioned The New South Wales Court of Appeal to be given the right not to list her gender as either male or female.  Predictably, this New South Wales decision had been appealed and it went to the High Court. This morning, they ruled that New South Wales law can indeed recognise non-specific genders other than male or female.  See the legal document below. High Court ruling: NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages v Norrie   Photo and news: SBS News. Continue reading High Court Recognises Third Gender Category

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A large crowd of Catholic people pray and hold one another's shoulders

Pope Francis and Homophobia

Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Australian writer-comedian Rebecca Shaw (who identifies as lesbian) argues we need to look at the actual changes of the Catholic Church rather than simply applauding empty platitudes by the Pope. So far, the Church remains negligent on upholding the human rights of LGBTQI people. The article is worth reading in full on SBS News.

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External link to Bernardi clashes with Turnbull on marriage

Bernardi clashes with Turnbull on marriage

Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Bernardi clashes with Turnbull on marriage Australian Liberal senator Cory Bernardi says fellow Liberal Malcolm Turnbull should stop speaking in support of gay marriage. Bernardi is a right wing Christian who last year linked bestiality with homosexuality. Bernadi says gay … Continue reading Bernardi clashes with Turnbull on marriage

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NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages vs Norrie

Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

The New South Wales Court of Appeal ruled that people do not have to be officially registered as male or female, after Sydney activist ‘Norrie’ (below) contested this law. The judges panel ruled “as a matter of construction … the word sex does not bear a binary meaning of ‘male’ or ‘female.’” This means that transgender, intersex and other queer-identified Australians are no longer forced to fit themselves into a narrow gender binary.

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Thoughts on ‘2011: A good year to be gay’

Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Aaron Hicklin, editor-in-chief of Out magazine, recently celebrated the progress made on the depiction of ‘gay culture’ in American TV shows. He writes in The Guardian: In many ways the transformation of attitudes has been ongoing for decades, accelerated in large part by the impact of Aids, which reconfigured gay identity around community and relationships. In TV shows such as Glee and Modern Family, gays are no longer comic stooges or punchlines, their relationships treated with the same respect as those of their straight counterparts. They hold hands, they kiss, they even share the same bed. This was a quantum … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘2011: A good year to be gay’