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5 books for kids and teens that positively portray trans and gender-diverse lives

<a href="https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/blog/trans-day-visibility-global-perspective">International Transgender Day of Visibility</a> is an opportunity to celebrate trans and gender-diverse people – and to raise awareness of the ongoing discrimination they experience. Trans and gender-diverse people <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7826417/">experience</a> higher levels of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal behaviours than the general population. Recent events in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/25/whats-behind-the-terrifying-backlash-against-australias-queer-community">Australia</a>, <a href="https://time.com/6250646/united-kingdom-scotland-transgender-bill/">the United Kingdom</a> and <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d378d/anti-trans-bills-2023">the US</a> remind us of the need to promote acceptance of trans and gender-diverse young people, and to support their mental health and wellbeing. Community, school and family <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40894-019-00118-w">are vital</a> tools for this. So are books that positively represent trans and gender-diverse experiences, themes and issues. Such books can expand young people’s awareness, understanding and acceptance of gender differences from an early age. They also validate the lived experience of trans and gender-diverse youth. The five books below all positively portray trans and gender-diverse lives in age-appropriate ways. <h2>1. My Shadow is Purple by Scott Stuart (ages 4-9)</h2> This picture book, <a href="https://larrikinhouse.com.au/products/my-shadow-is-purple">My Shadow Is Purple</a>, considers gender diversity through the use of colour. The story focuses on a boy whose shadow is purple: presumably a blend of masculine blue and feminine pink. Early in the story, the boy celebrates his gender hybridity, enjoying a range of both traditionally masculine and feminine activities. Stuart also explores the way society regulates and limits gender expression, and how this can have negative effects on individuals. That said, the picture book is positive and offers a promising message to readers. Through both resistance and collective support, we can acknowledge and celebrate the spectrum of colours our shadows might take. <h2>2. Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff (ages 10-12)</h2> In his <a href="http://www.kylelukoff.com/my-books/tbts">award-winning</a> junior novel, <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/too-bright-to-see-9780593111178">Too Bright to See</a>, Kyle Lukoff uses the ghost story to explore <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gender-dysphoria/">gender dysphoria</a> and grief. Trans boy Bug, aged 11, lives in a house with relatively benign spirits. However, during the summer before school starts, Bug’s uncle dies and a new ghost takes up residence in the house. It is not only the grief of his uncle’s death that Bug must learn to live with. His best friend, Moira, is eager to give him a feminine makeover and the new ghostly resident seems intent on sending him a message. Bug’s investigation of the ghost and his journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance is sensitive and nuanced, allowing readers to learn about transgender issues (and grief) alongside Bug. <h2>3. Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans (ages 12+)</h2> <a href="https://www.echopublishing.com.au/books/euphoria-kids">Euphoria Kids</a> is an urban fantasy young adult novel that centres on three trans and gender-diverse teenagers: Iris, who grew from a seed; Babs, the daughter of a local witch; and the boy, named so because his current name does not fit him. The world Evans creates is one of strange magic, free from the trauma and gender dysphoria often associated with representations of transgenderism <a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-transgenderism-in-film-and-literature-71809">in literature and film</a>. The characters’ quest to break a curse enables them to demonstrate their resilience, develop their confidence and experience euphoria. Evans explains (in the author note) their decision to create a positive narrative for trans youth, "I want people to know about gender euphoria. I want them to learn about it before gender dysphoria. I want young trans kids that will read this book to be proud of who they are, and imagine wonderful magic lives for themselves." <h2>4. Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee (ages 14+)</h2> <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780063038837/meet-cute-diary/">Meet Cute Diary</a>, a heartfelt young adult romantic comedy, explores gender identity and sexuality – and recognises self-discovery entails continuous questioning, rather than a linear progression. Noah Ramirez, a Japanese, white, Afro-Caribbean 16-year-old trans boy, loves the idea of falling in love. He writes fictional trans love stories for his blog, “Meet Cute Diary”. Noah is confronted in real life by Drew, a white cisgender boy who Noah has featured on his blog. After Noah explains his actions, Drew agrees to pretend to date him, in order to validate his stories. Their pretending quickly becomes real. Things become complicated, though, when Noah finds himself attracted to his nonbinary and asexual coworker, Devin. The narrative explores the changing nature of relationships and love. Lee creates interesting characters and complex relationships that respect gender fluidity and recognise the blurry boundary between the platonic and romantic. <h2>5. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender (ages 14+)</h2> Felix, the 17-year-old protagonist of <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/felix-ever-after-kacen-callender?variant=32280909578274">Felix Ever After</a>, is Black, queer and trans. The marginalisation and transphobia he experiences are exacerbated when pre-transition images of him are prominently displayed at his school. Felix’s search for revenge sees him open up more about himself to others. And he forms new relationships, including with his friend, Ezra Patel. Similar to Lee’s depiction of self-discovery in Meet Cute Diary, Callender suggests that learning about yourself and your identity is an ongoing process. Felix continues to make new discoveries about himself, including the realisation that he is not a boy but a <a href="https://queerintheworld.com/what-does-demiboy-mean/">demiboy</a>. Callender’s writing is engaging, and the cast of diverse characters that populate the narrative reflects the variation in our communities. This tender trans young adult romance sensitively explores the complexity of friendship, forgiveness and self-discovery. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-books-for-kids-and-teens-that-positively-portray-trans-and-gender-diverse-lives-202832" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Books

Trans people aren’t new, and neither is their oppression: a history of gender crossing in 19th-century Australia

This article contains references to anti-trans, colonial and institutional violence, and includes information about an Aboriginal person who died in the early 20th century. Anti-transgender hatred is on the rise. Driven by pseudoscience and backed by <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2023/03/10/anti-trans-disinformation-australia-transphobia/">well-funded far-right pressure groups</a>, part of the premise of the anti-trans “gender critical” movement is that trans people are new and unnatural. History shows us this is not the case. The “trans” prefix emerged in 1910 with Magnus Hirschfeld’s research on “<a href="https://www.transgendermap.com/politics/sexology/magnus-hirschfeld/">transvestism</a>” (initially a medical term). Hirschfeld was a gay German Jewish doctor whose research centre, the <a href="https://magnus-hirschfeld.de/ausstellungen/institute/">Institut für Sexualwissenschaft</a>, has been called the world’s first trans clinic. The institute was destroyed by Nazis in 1933. You might be familiar with this image of Nazi book-burning – the books in question were Hirschfeld’s research. In the 1800s, people who crossed gender categories were not understood to be “transvestites” or transgender, but were referred to as “masqueraders”, “impersonators”, “men-women” and “freaks”. As such, I consider my research to be a work of shared queer and trans history, but not necessarily a history of trans people. I am not interested in how people in the past might have identified today, but in how they lived and how their communities responded to them. <h2>Gender variance in First Nations communities</h2> Far from being new, gender variance on this continent predates Europeans’ arrival in Australia. Several Aboriginal nations have traditions of <a href="https://www.transhub.org.au/trans-mob">culturally specific gender categories</a>. In 2015 the organisation Sisters and Brothers NT noted the terms “Kwarte Kwarte” in Arrernte, “Kungka Kungka” in Pitjantjatjara and Luritja, “Yimpininni” in Tiwi, and “Karnta Pia” in Warlpiri, which can be interpreted as “like a girl”, while “Kungka Wati” in Pintipi and “Girriji Kati” in Waramungu literally mean “woman/man”. Sandy O’Sullivan, a Wiradjuri trans scholar and professor, notes that the imposition of European gender norms on First Nations peoples was part of a broader colonial project that sought to eliminate Indigenous cultures and kinship systems. <h2>Gender transgression in colonial Australia</h2> In colonial Australia, gender transgression was structurally managed via carceral systems such as lunatic asylums, police and prisons. Although there was no formal legislation against cross-dressing or gender-crossing, people were often charged with vagrancy, fraud, sodomy, impersonation or indecent behaviour. A lot of Australian legislation was inherited from or influenced by British legislation, including the 1533 Buggery Act and the 1885 Criminal Law Amendment Act, also known as “An Act to make further provision for the Protection of Women and Girls”, which strengthened existing legislation against homosexuality and sex work. In the 19th century there was no formal or medical process for gender transition. When people crossed gender categories, they did so socially, sometimes for their entire lifetimes. On a local level, gender crossers were frequently accepted in their communities if they met certain conditions. People were more likely to be accepted if they were white, transmasculine, and contributing to the productive workforce. People who were socially marginalised or lacking in support from family and friends were more likely to have hostile interactions with the law and with medicine. <h2>Madness, medicalisation, and criminalisation</h2> Gender transgression over years or decades was often interpreted as evidence of insanity. There were cases such as Tom Hurly, institutionalised in Parramatta Lunatic Asylum in 1861, and Edward de Lacy Evans, institutionalised in Bendigo Hospital and Kew Asylum in 1879. Edward Moate – referred to in the press as “another De Lacy Evans” – was institutionalised in Beechworth Asylum in 1884. The lunatic asylum was a structure that maintained and restored the colonial order. To be discharged and re-enter the community, patients had to demonstrate that their insanity had been “cured”, which for gender transgressors generally meant being forced to detransition. Edward de Lacy Evans was made to return to dressing as a woman and was discharged only a few months after his admission. Edward Moate, on the other hand, refused to provide a female name or reassume a female gender expression, and died in the asylum three years later, still under the name Edward Moate. Vagrancy charges were the most common way of criminalising gender crossing. This was frequently applied to people who lived as women, who were more likely to be seen as dangerously deviant than tolerably eccentric. In 1863, Ellen Maguire was charged with vagrancy in Melbourne for “personating a woman”. Officially, the vagrancy charge was one of “having no visible means of support”, despite most of the court trial focusing on her employment as a sex worker and her supposed deception of her male clients. She was eventually convicted of sodomy and died in prison after six years. Sometimes the twin modes of medicalisation and criminalisation were applied simultaneously. In 1896, the Warengesda Aborigines’ Mission reported an Aboriginal (probably Wiradjuri) youth named H Paroo for “masquerading in the garb of a man”. Paroo was ordered to leave the station, but refused to comply. The station wrote a letter to the Aborigines’ Protection Board asking if Paroo could be removed, either by being “given in charge as a vagrant” or “as not fit to be at large” (that is, as a “wandering lunatic”). <h2>Full and authentic lives</h2> Not everyone who was exposed in the press was vilified or incarcerated as a result. Some people lived full lives in their chosen gender categories, and were only outed after their deaths. In 1893, a farmer named Jack Jorgensen died in Elmore, near Bendigo, and was promptly exposed in the press as yet “another De Lacy Evans”. Jorgensen had suffered an injury at work but refused to go to Bendigo Hospital. He signed his will as Johann Martin Jorgensen, and died at home under the care of his housemates, who knew about his gender but kept the secret until after his death. These stories are important because they show that the criminalisation and pathologisation of gender transgression is not a new phenomenon. Medicine and the justice system have a long history of being weaponised against trans people and anyone trespassing from the gendered status quo. If we are to work towards trans liberation in the present, we must reckon with these histories and address their structural legacies. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/trans-people-arent-new-and-neither-is-their-oppression-a-history-of-gender-crossing-in-19th-century-australia-201663" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Caring

Kyle Sandilands weighs in on trans athlete debate

Radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands has weighed in on the debate over transgender athletes participating in professional sports. In a fiery on-air segment, the KIIS FM host claimed it was "offensive" for athletes who were assigned male at birth to compete in the same competition as those assigned female at birth. "I feel - and this is only my personal opinion and I'm happy to have my mind changed - if you're born a female, you're allowed to swim against other females," Sandilands said on Monday. "If you're a 6ft man with (audio beeped) in women's bathers, that's not going to cut it." A producer of the show was quick to clap back at Sandilands, he was being "really offensive to trans women." Kyle, who is neither an athlete or a member of the transgender community, defended his stance. "It's offensive to women who want to compete against other women, that a bloke is allowed to beat them," he said. The producer responded, "By saying bloke, you're just dismissing what a trans women is." "Well you're dismissing what an actual woman is," Sandilands shot back. Co-host Jackie O stepped in to try and diffuse the situation, saying people should keep their personal opinions to themselves, and let the matters be handled by sports organisations. "So we should just say, screw those chicks who are trying to win the medal," he said. "I get both sides here," Jackie O said. The discussion of transgender athletes has been a widely debated topic during the election campaign, with Liberal candidate Katherine Deves receiving online threats after she described transgender children as "surgically mutilated and sterilised" in a series of unearthed tweets. Image credits: KIIS FM

Body

Anti-trans billboard featuring Aussie swimmers comes under fire

Swimming Australia and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) have threatened a conservative lobby group with legal action over billboards featuring images of elite female swimmers used in a campaign against trans women competing in sport, per <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/25/swimming-australia-threatens-legal-action-over-billboards-claiming-womens-sport-is-not-for-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian</a>. Conservative group Advance, formerly the Advance Australia Party, has produced billboards and social media graphics featuring the phrase “Women’s sport is not for men” alongside images of Dawn Fraser, Emma McKeon and Emily Seebohm, after all three commented on the issue recently. The group recently launched the billboards as criticism of Warringah MP Zali Steggall’s support for including trans women in female sports, all while supporting Liberal Warringah candidate Katherine Deves following her controversial comments about trans people. A spokesperson for the AOC said the organisation will send a legal letter to Advance, alleging the billboards use its intellectual property without permission. The billboards use images of Seebohm and McKeon in their uniforms that feature the Olympic rings, the intellectual property the AOC claims is being used without permission. Swimming Australia has also sent a legal threat to Advance to “immediately” remove the ads, and “strongly condemns” the use of the athletes’ imagery. The organisation has claimed Advance didn’t seek or receive permission to use the imagery. “For clarity - if it was sought it would have been categorically denied. Swimming Australia does not endorse this, or any message, from the Advance Australia party,” Eugénie Buckley, the chief executive of Swimming Australia, said in a statement. “Swimming Australia believes in a competitive environment that is inclusive, fair and equitable for all athletes at the same time. Ultimately, all Australians deserve to feel welcome, safe, valued and celebrated in swimming.” Advance has indicated it will not remove the billboards following Swimming Australia’s legal threat. Seebohm has criticised Advance for using her comments and image “as part of a political agenda without my consent”. The Olympic swimmer previously told Sky News that “biological males are always going to be stronger, fitter, faster than biological females” and that swimming authorities “need to work out how we can all come together in this sport”. Meanwhile, Fraser told the Daily Telegraph, “I don’t think it’s fair to have transgender men competing against women”, and McKeon said she “personally would not want to be racing against someone who is biologically male” at a Griffith University event. Seebohm has stood by her comments, telling Guardian Australia she didn’t consent to their use by Advance. “As I have stated in the media this week, there needs to be a conversation started about how to be inclusive while still maintaining fairness for all athletes,” she told the publication. “I did not, and would never, give my permission for my image or brand to be used by Advance Australia on the mobile billboards, or advertising that is currently circulating, as part of a political campaign. “I remain committed to finding a fair solution for all athletes to be able to compete on a level playing field, while encouraging inclusiveness and supporting more young people to become involved in the sport.” According to reports from Nine News, Fraser has engaged her own solicitor to address the use of her image in the campaign. Image: Advance Australia (Facebook)

Legal

"Just not fair": Australia's most-decorated Olympian's trans stance

Olympic star Emma McKeon has taken a stance against transgender athletes competing in women’s sport. The five-time gold medallist said “it’s just not fair” to be competing against transgender athletes during a seminar at Griffith University. Her comments came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison backs Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves, who caused an uproar by declaring trans teenagers are “surgically mutilated” and that the rainbow Pride flag “triggers” her. "I personally wouldn't want to be racing against someone who is biologically a male, so that's a concern," McKeon said. "It's not a new thing, but it's new in that sport, swimming, are going to have to deal with it." McKeon believes it won’t “come to the point” where she is competing against a transgender opponent. “I don't think I'm going to have to race against a trans swimmer, I don't think it's going to come to that point,” she continued. “But now that it's a growing thing, the sport has to think about how to handle it and how to deal with it, because you do want to be inclusive, but you don't want to have females racing against swimmers who are biologically male because it's just not fair.” Laurel Hubbard from New Zealand competed in women’s weightlifting at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics which sparked a debate on the fairness of the competition. New Zealand's Laurel Hubbard sparked debate when she competed in women's weightlifting at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Australia’s Hannah Mouncey, a former men’s national handball player wanted to compete in AFLW and was rejected with the AFL being taken to court. Image: Getty

News

5 Long (and Iconic) Train Trips

We track down some of the world's greatest rail journeys. 1. The Original Trans-Siberian Express Spanning 9288km of track, this is perhaps the most iconic of rail journeys and the longest passenger train route in the world. With an average speed of just 77km/h, the trip from Moscow to Vladivostok isn’t for those on a tight schedule – you’ll need to set aside a minimum 146 hours, 8 minutes (six and a bit days), and most journeys include stopovers. But for that investment you’ll cross multiple time zones and witness the breadth of Russia’s majestic terrain, from verdant woodlands, through mountains and desert, to grassy steppe. While itineraries vary, most journeys break at Irkutsk, one of the largest cities in Siberia, with ornately decorated 19th century buildings, just 70km from World Heritage-listed Lake Baikal. 2. The Canadian The trip from Toronto to Vancouver is a sleepy 83 hours long – but considering you’ll be winding through the steep and snow-capped Rocky Mountains and Canadian Shield forests, the pace suits anyone looking for relaxation, rest and peaceful views. Huge glass windows make the most of the scenery as the train wends its way across 4466km of Canada’s diverse landscape. 3. The Blue Train South Africa’s famous Blue Train spans 1600km of track linking Pretoria with Cape Town. More like a hotel on rails than a train, there are lounge carriages where passengers can mingle in comfort and some suites contain full-sized baths. High-tech additions like the driver’s eye camera view meet classic decor and a butler service. The journey takes 27 hours from start to finish and crosses some of the most diverse and picturesque scenery on the African continent. Don’t expect to feel the rush of wind through your hair though, as its average speed is just 57km/h. 4. The Indian Pacific Departing from Sydney, it takes about 70 hours for the Indian Pacific to traverse the Australian continent on its way to Perth. Stopping at the mining town of Broken Hill, Adelaide, and Kalgoorlie you’ll cover 4352km at an average speed of 85km/h. At that rate, you’ll catch the full glory of the sun setting across the horizon on the longest stretch of straight rail track in the world. Travel in spring for the best of Western Australia’s wildflowers. 5. Jinghu High Speed Rail For those who like their train travel to evoke the future rather than the past, China is calling. The showcase of China’s modern rail fleet was launched in 2012 and shaves 20 hours off the 1303km trip from Beijing to Shanghai, delivering passengers to their destination in five super-fast hours. It is currently the fastest long-distance passenger train in the world, reaching speeds of 300km/h. Train Facts Fastest passenger train The MagLev Chou Shinkanzen – a Japanese magnetic levitation train – broke the world speed record for a passenger train back in April. During a test run near Mt Fuji, this new breed of bullet train reached an incredible speed of 603km/h. The planned top speed in operation is 505km/h and it will ultimately connect Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, with the first stage opening in 2027. Longest train journey The China-Europe Block Train travels 9977km from Yiwu to Madrid over 21 days. But train buffs who have made the Trans Siberian trip needn’t feel miffed, as this is a decidedly unglamorous freight service designed to cut up to two weeks off the sea freight time between the two cities. Longest and heaviest train Australian-based BHP Billiton intentionally set the record in 2001 over a 275km distance in Western Australia. The 7.35km-long train comprised 683 freight cars carrying iron ore and eight locomotives, distributed along its length. The total weight of the train was 99,735 tonnes. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/train-journeys/5-Iconic-Train-Trips">Reader’s Digest</a> Images: Reader’s Digest

International Travel

The travel bubble loophole that could land you in jail

Travellers who are considering using the newly-opened travel bubble to New Zealand to head to other countries risk receiving massive fines and even jail time. With quarantine-free flights now available between New Zealand and Australia, news of a ‘loophole’ appeared that could enable Australian travellers to enter other international destinations. Current COVID restrictions mean that Australians have been banned from leaving the country unless they have an exemption. But, since Aussies can now travel to New Zealand, our kiwi neighbour could act as a stepping stone to other foreign countries. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN1YbWXDwFT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN1YbWXDwFT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by New Zealand (@purenewzealand)</a> </div> </blockquote> To prevent unnecessary travel, Health Minister Greg Hunt signed off on a new amendment to the Australian Government’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2021L00456?fbclid=IwAR1laL3vGPRQAr_JErYR1Uf59sHszZ15SjuCjd0YIN-HCyoR628MXhSOhyk" target="_blank">Biosecurity Legislation (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential)</a>, which comes into effect on Monday. The change will see Australian citizens and residents penalised if they travel to a foreign country beyond New Zealand unless they have an exemption to travel for a compassionate reason, such as the death or serious illness of a close family member, or they require medical treatment that isn’t reasonably available in Australia or New Zealand. According to the document, those who break the rules “may contravene a civil penalty provision’ set out in section 46 of the Biosecurity Act. The minimum penalty for failing to comply with entry and exit requirements in the Biosecurity Act starts at $6300. But, the penalty listed on the Australian Parliament website is much harsher, with people who intentionally disobey the rules facing up to five years’ jail time and a $63,000 fine. Despite still being in its early days, a new community COVID case in Auckland has Australian health authorities concerned that the trans-Tasman bubble could pop. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGYrBcPj2eH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGYrBcPj2eH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Aussiepomm (@aussiepomm)</a> </div> </blockquote> New Zealand’s Ministry of Health announced the case just a day after the quarantine requirements were lifted for those travelling between Australia and New Zealand. The case is believed to have contracted the virus from a passenger who arrived on an international flight from a ‘red zone’ (high risk) country. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the new case shouldn’t impact the trans-Tasman travel arrangements. ‘These are the kind of scenarios where we would anticipate movement continuing,’ she said. ‘Our Minister of Health has kept in touch with his counterpart. They’re directly communicating and so are our officials.’

Travel Trouble

Pack your bags: The trans-Tasman bubble is officially open

Set your sights on New Zealand, as our kiwi neighbour welcomes Aussie travellers once again. The trans-Tasman bubble has officially opened, allowing visitors to fly between the two countries without needing to quarantine before or after travel. Andrew Waddel, Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager, told Today there would be “emotional scenes” in New Zealand today as friends and families reunite following border closures last March. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNT6ru9AGpx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNT6ru9AGpx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by New Zealand (@purenewzealand)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Building from that, there are going to be business travellers and holiday arrivals,” Mr Waddel said. “New Zealand gets to welcome back our Australian friends and vice-versa, New Zealanders coming back to Australia as well.” It’s been a long time coming, but Mr Waddel said, “We’re really excited. It’s a great buzz here in the airport.” As well as seeing family and friends reunite, the trans-Tasman bubble would also offer a large economic return and create jobs according to Mr Waddel. He recommended that Australians eager to travel to “plan ahead” and do their research ahead of their trip. “We’re encouraging people to visit websites like New Zealand.com or COVID19.gov.nz and they’ll provide good travel advice,” he said. “Download the COVID app, plan ahead and have contingencies in place as well.” “There’s so much to offer … which we’re looking forward to sharing soon. We’re really excited.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN0ysmujaJ9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN0ysmujaJ9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)</a> </div> </blockquote> On the night of Sunday, April 18, the first quarantine-free flight between the two countries touched down in Auckland, just minutes after the trans-Tasman bubble officially opened.

International Travel

BREAKING: Overseas travel date announced for Aussies

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has just made a huge announcement, telling Aussies they will be able to fly to their nation without having to quarantine in less than just two weeks. Appearing in front of media on Tuesday afternoon, the New Zealand leader announced that the trans-Tasman bubble would be going ahead after more than a year of closed international borders. She said that the new travel opportunity across the ditch will start at 11.59 pm April 18. Airlines including Qantas and Air New Zealand will be allowed to take bookings from April 19. “Managing COVID and keeping it out of New Zealand over the last year has been a massive team effort,” she said from the Beehive in Wellington. “One sacrifice that has been particularly hard for many to bear over the past year has not been able to see friends and family who live in Australia. “Cabinet was presented with advice today that conditions for opening up quarantine-free travel with Australia had been met. “The Director-General of Health considers the risk of transmission of COVID-19 from Australia to New Zealand to now be low, and that quarantine-free travel would be safe to commence.” Ms Ardern went on to sat that the bubble was a world first, and an “important step” in post-pandemic recovery. “This is an important step forward in our COVID response and represents an arrangement I do not believe we have seen in any other part of the world,” she explained. “That is, safely opening up international travel to another country while continuing to pursue a strategy of elimination and a commitment to keeping the virus out.” People who travel from New Zealand are able to fly to most parts of Australia without having to undergo mandatory quarantine. However, the trans-Tasman bubble allows people from both countries to be exempt from quarantine restrictions. Ms Ardern made clear that there would be scenarios where the bubble might burst, including if there were to be an outbreak in an Australian city. She also said it would depend on a number of circumstances, including the number of cases and contacts, or whether the source of the virus could be linked or not.

News

Qantas announces first international destinations Aussies can travel to

Qantas has shared the first routes it plans to fly to once international travel starts back up again. The airline announced on Thursday that it was planning for a “restart” as soon as October 2021. CEO Alan Joyce said there had been a “significant” loss of $1 billion in the first half of the 2020-21 financial year. “These figures are stark, but they won’t come as a surprise,” Joyce said. “Border closures meant we lost virtually 100 per cent of our international flying and 70 per cent of our domestic flying.” Joyce went on to reveal the countries the airline would be flying to as soon as Aussies were allowed to jump back on to planes. Qantas is planning to resume flights to 22 of its 25 destinations, including Los Angeles, London, Singapore and Johannesburg from October 31. The outstanding destinations are New York, Santiago and Osaka, and they do not feature as part of the airline’s immediate plans. Joyce said the vaccine rollout has raised hope for the future of international travel. “Throughout the pandemic, we’ve updated our assumptions on international travel restarting,” he said. He acknowledged that a surge of COVID cases worldwide combined with new strains of the virus had made things difficult. “We’re now planning for international travel to restart at the end of October this year, in line with the date for Australia’s vaccine rollout to be effectively complete.” He also has hopes for a trans-Tasman travel bubble. “We’re still targeting July for a material increase in New Zealand flights. “We’re in close consultation with government, and if things change, so will our dates. But with the vaccine rollout already underway, we’re on the right track.”

International Travel

What my daughter taught me when she came out as trans

“I am a trans woman. I would like she/her pronouns and my name is Hannah.” This is the sentence my child blurted out to me over the phone three years ago. Despite its bluntness, the statement wasn’t callous or even ill-timed. Truth be told, I had forced the declaration. My child had called with something important to say and wanted to talk to my husband, Colin, and me at the same time, but Colin was away. Given that I possess a not-insignificant panic strain in my genetic makeup, I found myself, well, panicking. Was my child injured? Ill? Dying? I conjured the thin thread of authority I had over my then 25-year-old and said, “No, you have to tell me now!” “I would rather wait,” was the measured response. I could feel all the saliva I possessed leaving my body for damper pastures. I couldn’t have this matter hanging, so I pushed and pleaded, cajoled and begged. It was a shameless display – clearly, I wasn’t above that. After more back-and-forthing, out it came: “I am a trans woman. I would like she/her pronouns, and my name is Hannah.” I paused to take in the situation – or at least lie to myself that I was taking it in. Then, relentlessly upbeat, I exclaimed: “I’m so happy for you, very happy. You know that your father and I will support you 100 per cent, and it’s wonderful and I’m not super surprised and you are such a wonderful person and we really don’t care what you do with your life as long as – ” Dear God, I had to find a way to shut up. I was exhausting myself. I’m what I call an emotional first responder – when a loved one is sharing something difficult or complex, I put on my support cape and swoop in to distribute accolades and platitudes willy nilly. Breathe, I urged myself. Breathe. “So, um, why ‘Hannah’?” I heard myself ask. There it was. Apparently my takeaway from this huge moment in my child’s life was a name. “Hannah” seemed to be my issue. Shallow waters run deep. She responded to my question in a very calm manner. “You know how much I loved Cheryl’s dog.” “You are naming yourself after Hannah the dog? Really?” “I thought the name was soft and pretty, and I needed my name to be soft and pretty. Does that make sense?” Of course it made sense. My heart ached with shame. I was officially a bad person. Because it had been a few moments since I’d launched into a breakneck run-on sentence, I said, “Well, if you love the name Hannah, I love the name Hannah, and I am sure your father will love it, and I am so glad it makes you feel beautiful, because you are beautiful, inside and out, and I support this choice wholeheartedly, honey. It’s your life and you are old enough to make your own choices and – ” At this point I was desperately hoping someone would hand me a pill. Hannah stopped my runaway train of thought by cutting in: “Thanks. I love you so much and I knew you would support me. Why don’t I come over the day Dad gets home and we can have dinner and spend time talking?” “Of course, yes, um, Hannah. We can do that. That would be great. What a wonderful idea, um, Hannah.” Mercifully, she wrapped up the conversation with “great, love you, bye” and hung up before I could respond. I spent the next few hours pacing up and down the stairs of our home, our two terriers at my heels. As I attempted to sort out why I was upset, the dogs kept their gaze trained on me: Walk? Are we going for a walk? Walk?! After really analysing my reaction and my feelings, it came down to one thing. I was fine with my child’s transition. I wasn’t invested in her gender, just her humanity. But there was so much fear: fear for her safety, fear for how the world might treat her, fear for her heart. The two following nights were fraught with nightmares. I dreamed our son was lost. Our son was dead. We never had a son. I gave birth, but when I looked for my son, they told me at the hospital that I was mistaken and had simply had my appendix removed. Our son had joined a tiny-house cult and was never heard from again. Once I woke up, I was a zombie, the despair of those horrible dreams clinging to me like possessed dryer sheets. I had made peace with our child’s news and had no issues with the concept of her transition, but I was still mourning the loss of our son. I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. She is a woman. As much as I thought I was prepared for that, I guess I wasn’t. I had to remind myself that this shouldn’t have been a huge shock. A few years before our daughter came out to us as trans, she had broken up with her girlfriend of four years. She told us she was bisexual and wanted to explore that. Then she began, as she put it, “experimenting with my feminine side.” After almost a year of seeing her integrate more traditionally feminine looks into her wardrobe, we became used to this new bi, fluid, femme, butch, male/female person. LGBTQ+ wasn’t all-encompassing enough. It’s like she was rocking the whole alphabet with her identity. And then she landed. The day after Hannah’s call, her dad came home. He was fine – no anxiety, no nightmares, just a loving parent in a relaxed state of acceptance. Show-off! As a result of my constant anxiety, I resembled an 80-year-old with dirty hair who had lived hard. Having no control over much else, I opted to shower. An all-around good choice. The following afternoon, we were in the kitchen making pasta primavera – our daughter’s favourite meal – as we waited for her to arrive. We were also spending the time diligently practicing pronouns. I was busy “she”-ing and “her”-ing it up with zeal, but every time I said “Hannah,” the name came out garbled, like I was drunk and wearing my night guard. At some point, we heard a key turn in the front door, and in she walked. To my elation, no one was lost or missing. They were all here in the hall: the hes, the shes and the thems, in one beautiful package. No one had left us. The same human we first met 25 years earlier was standing right in front of us. We all started to cry. Thank God it was all of us – I was tired of being the loopy one. We moved into our sunroom, wine in hand, to chat. The three of us talked all the talks there were to talk, and Colin and I asked all the questions we could think of. Over the course of an afternoon that can best be described as an acronym-o-rama, we listened and learned. We so wanted to respect and understand what she was going through. We could see that she was exploring, too, taking time to listen to her heart and her mind. At some point, the conversation moved into more familiar topics: her work and social life, Japanese films. It was as if nothing had changed. And nothing had, really. It had always been the three of us, our tight little unit, and today was no different. We ate her favourite meal and then our lovely daughter went home to her apartment. Since that day, we have sometimes slipped up on pronouns, and she has always patiently, gently corrected us. We’ve gone out in public, and people have been mostly supportive, but there have been looks. Stares. Our daughter says she’s often fine with that – people are just trying to figure her out. She’s a more generous soul than me. As time passed, I realised that I was somehow still stuck on the name. “Hannah” was lovely, yes, but not nearly unique or powerful enough for my girl. But I knew I had to let it go. Then, in a surprise turn of events, our daughter told us that many trans people come out using a name they don’t end up keeping. She said she had been thinking about it and she wanted a new name and would love for us to be part of that process. She asked us to pitch names from our Scottish and Irish backgrounds. I was elated and set to the task as soon as she was out of our sight. What a glorious privilege to get to help name her! I know it sounds silly, but it was like she was being born all over again. After copious research, Colin and I presented our daughter with 40 names. She decided on Kinley, from the Irish side. Kin for short. It fits her. It belongs to her. What is more difficult is figuring out how to move through the world such as it is. One day a year or so ago, Kinley and I were at a local fair. As we passed by a woman and her twenty something daughter, they shot a look of such hate and disgust that it left me breathless. The object of their ire was Kinley. The daughter, mouth agape, had exclaimed, “There’s a transvestite!” and the mother then wheeled around to spew, “Where is it?” “It.” She said “it.” I was gutted. The younger woman circled my daughter, looking her up and down. We were stunned, frozen in place. As she walked away, I stumbled over to her on legs suddenly made of rubber. Circling her the same way she had circled Kinley, I looked her up and down, then moved close to her face, uttered “uh-huh” and stalked away. In an attempt to recover, I said to Kinley, “This must make you so angry.” Her reply: “I can’t afford to be angry. I just get frightened.” Frightened for just living her life. Frightened for existing. I came home and, weeping, told Colin what had taken place. But after thinking about it, I realized that my reaction, although possibly warranted, was also aggressive. That didn’t sit well with me. So I had cards made up. If things got ugly again, I would hand out a simple statement, embellished on one side with a lovely pink flower, that reads: “My daughter is a trans woman. She is a loving and kind human being. Please join me in supporting her and every person who is trying to live their authentic life. Peace and love.” I remember the day the package arrived in the mail. Colin laughed as I opened the box of 250 cards. “Wow, you’re expecting trouble!” he told me. What can I say? There was a special if you ordered in bulk. I am happy to say that I have not handed out a single card. Instead, I get to focus on Kinley, my lovely, brave, poised, bright daughter. I have a daughter! There should be a newer, more powerful word for pride. As for our family, life as a trio continues as before, filled with old favourites, like watching movies, and new experiences, like buying bras. A little while ago, Kinley and I were out shopping for clothes. As we exited our separate cubicles in the change room, we realised, laughing, that we had tried on the exact same dress. I ended up buying one dress for me and treating Kinley to hers. At least that way I know she won’t be raiding my closet – because that’s what daughters do. Written by Debra McGrath. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/what-my-daughter-taught-me-when-she-came-out-as-trans">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.com.au/subscribe">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Relationships

JK Rowling reveals history of domestic abuse and sexual assault

JK Rowling has opened up about her experience with domestic abuse and sexual assault for the first time, in a lengthy and highly personal essay written in response to criticism of her public comments on transgender issues. In a 3,600-word statement published on her website on Wednesday, Rowling went into detail about how she became embroiled in an increasingly bitter and polarised debate around the concept of gender identity. The author said she was a “domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor”, citing this alongside her belief in freedom of speech and experience as a teacher as reasons behind her position. “I’m mentioning these things now not in an attempt to garner sympathy, but out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine, who’ve been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces,” she wrote. The note came after the author took to Twitter to share a series of messages over the weekend about people who identify as trans. One tweet read: “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.” Since then, prominent figures have come out against Rowling, including Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne, who both worked in the hugely successful Harry Potter franchise. Rowling said she was motivated to share her thoughts after reading about proposed “gender confirmation certificates” in Scotland, which allows trans people to change their sex on their birth certificates based on how they identify and not medical and psychiatric reports. She accused those who disagreed of “groupthink” and “relentless attacks”, saying that even though she believes trans people deserve protection due to the high rates of domestic and sexual violence they face, she did not agree that trans women who have not undergone hormone therapy or surgical transition to have access to single-sex spaces. “When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth,” she wrote. She also confirmed that she was in her 20s when she dealt with physical abuse for the first time. “If you could come inside my head and understand what I feel when I read about a trans woman dying at the hands of a violent man, you’d find solidarity and kinship,” she wrote. Citing an unnamed poll, Rowling claimed that those who did not support preserving single-sex spaces were “only those privileged or lucky enough never to have come up against male violence or sexual assault, and who’ve never troubled to educate themselves on how prevalent it is”. She said she had been contacted by “huge numbers” of women who were afraid to speak publicly about trans reforms, and decried institutions and organisations she once admired for “cowering before the tactics of the playground”. She said she believed misogyny and sexism were reasons behind the 4,400% increase in the number of girls being referred for transitioning treatment in the past decade. “I’ve read all the arguments about femaleness not residing in the sexed body, and the assertions that biological women don’t have common experiences, and I find them, too, deeply misogynistic and regressive. It’s also clear that one of the objectives of denying the importance of sex is to erode what some seem to see as the cruelly segregationist idea of women having their own biological realities or – just as threatening – unifying realities that make them a cohesive political class … It isn’t enough for women to be trans allies. Women must accept and admit that there is no material difference between trans women and themselves,” she wrote. The essay sparked a heated debate on Twitter, with Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, tweeting: “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.” In a second tweet, she said: “I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.”

Books

Why a trans-Tasman travel bubble makes a lot of sense for Australia and New Zealand

We are hearing <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/adelaide/programs/am/nz-and-australia-discuss-trans-tasman-bubble/12214452">increasing talk about a trans-Tasman “travel bubble”</a>, which could see Australia and New Zealand open their borders to each other. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was a special guest at Australia’s national cabinet meeting on Tuesday, which discussed the possibility of setting up a travel safe zone. Both Ardern and Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison have cautioned a travel bubble will not happen immediately. After the meeting, Morrison said a safe zone is “still some time away”. But he also stressed, “it is important to flag it, because it is part of the road back”. What would a travel bubble mean in practice for Australia and New Zealand? As tourism researchers in both countries, we see a travel bubble as a great opportunity to kick-start the post-COVID economic recovery, while also focusing on more sustainable tourism. Why the trans-Tasman bubble makes sense A travel bubble would see quarantine-free travel allowed between Australia and New Zealand. The two neighbours have a unique opportunity to do this. Not only are they geographically isolated, both have so far had success containing - perhaps even eliminating - COVID-19 cases within their borders. It is not yet known when international flows of tourists will be possible again. But <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/08/lockdowns-cant-end-until-covid-19-vaccine-found-study-says">it is understood</a> that global tourism as we once knew it will not be possible until a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available. Historically, limited travel circuits have been associated with former and current Communist states. Nevertheless, for Australia and New Zealand in 2020, the idea of a travel safe zone makes a lot of sense. In 2018, <a href="https://www.tourism.australia.com/en/markets-and-stats/market-regions/new-zealand.html">New Zealand was Australia’s second largest inbound market for visitor arrivals and fourth largest market for visitor nights and total visitor spend</a>. Australia is New Zealand’s <a href="https://www.mbie.govt.nz/assets/5c05b7bfce/nz-tourism-forecasts-2018-2024-report.pdf">largest visitor market</a>, generating 1.5 million visitors a year as of 2017. The beauty of our shared travel markets is our visitors are generally repeat visitors who head to diverse regions. Because more than <a href="https://www.tourismnewzealand.com/markets-stats/markets/australia/">70% of Australians book self-drive holidays</a>, for example, their spending spreads more widely than some other visitors. Australians seek skiing and adventure in Queenstown, wine in the Martinborough or Waiheke Island regions. They also support Australian sports teams competing in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. In reverse, lots of Kiwis head to the Gold Coast but also visit the Hunter Valley for wine or Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane for sports events. Starting to rebuild these markets while the rest of the world remains in lockdown would represent a huge boost to both economies. What is needed to make a bubble work? After the national cabinet meeting, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-lot-of-work-before-there-s-a-trans-tasman-bubble-ardern-says-20200505-p54pxf.html">Ardern stressed “there is still a lot of work to be done”</a> before the travel safe zone idea can progress. The key to a successful trans-Tasman travel arrangement will be sound planning and implementation. Rigorous public health measures to facilitate safe travel will be essential, including being prepared for all travel to be halted again if the situation changes. Broad stakeholder involvement and coordination will be necessary, including between tourism commissions, airlines and airports, industry associations and a range of government agencies, to ensure any reopening is managed well. Local councils and businesses must also be involved to ensure that the tourism restart is planned, coordinated and controlled. A chance for greener travel A trans-Tasman travel bubble could also lead to a change in both countries’ tourism strategies. Like other countries, Australia and New Zealand have historically prioritised international tourists, particularly <a href="https://www.tourism.australia.com/content/dam/assets/document/1/c/1/3/v/2240923.pdf">“high value travellers”, who spend more and stay longer</a>. A COVID-era focus on domestic and trans-Tasman travel will likely result in lower yield but could also lead to a more sustainable tourism future. Trans-Tasman travel is the least carbon emitting of our international markets, because it does not rely on long-haul flights. Trans-Tasman visitors also tend to have a lower carbon footprint at their destinations. In 2018, <a href="https://www.tourismnewzealand.com/markets-stats/markets/australia/">more than half of all Australian visitors to New Zealand (57%) were repeat visitors</a>. Repeat visitors tend to spend more of their time at regional destinations, and less time incurring the carbon costs of transporting themselves around the country. New Zealand has already begun to <a href="https://www.pce.parliament.nz/our-work/news-insights/media-release-pristine-popular-imperilled">rethink its tourism economy</a> to establish greater sustainability. A trans-Tasman bubble presents an opportunity to foster tourism with a lighter footprint. Could the bubble be expanded? There is a call for an extension of this travel bubble to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2020/may/01/if-australia-and-new-zealand-restart-travel-they-should-include-the-pacific-in-their-bubble">Pacific neighbourhood</a>, where there are also low infection numbers. Such a move would not only provide economic support to the Pacific community, it would also represent another step in the long process of restoring normality in different regions of the world. Ardern has kept the door open on this aspect, but noted “at the moment, we are focused on Australia”. She has <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/programs/pacificbeat/should-pacific-countries-be-included-in-transtasman-travel/12214462">also cautioned</a> about not introducing COVID-19 to parts of the Pacific untouched by coronavirus. Even if it remains just Australia and New Zealand, any travel bubble will obviously elevate the risk of COVID-19 reinfection. So, public health priorities must trump the desire to kick-start economies, to make sure we don’t squander our success against coronavirus so far. But if the governments and tourism industries can find the right balance between public health and economic needs, then Australia and New Zealand stand to benefit from a head start on the long road to economic recovery.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137878/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/freya-higgins-desbiolles-181651">Freya Higgins-Desbiolles</a>, Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/james-higham-134567">James Higham</a>, Professor of Tourism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-trans-tasman-travel-bubble-makes-a-lot-of-sense-for-australia-and-new-zealand-137878">original article</a>.

International Travel

A trans-Tasman bubble is an opportunity for Australia and NZ to reduce dependence on China

When it comes to our economic over-reliance on China, New Zealand consumers need look no further than their most popular big box chain, The Warehouse. The familiar “big red shed” sourced about 60% of its home brand stock from China in 2017 – and a further NZ$62 million in products directly through offices in China, India and Bangladesh in 2019. In Australia, many major chain stores as well as online retail giant <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/kogan-com-braces-for-coronavirus-threat-after-mixed-first-half-20200217-p541fu">kogan.com</a> are in a similar position. Reliant on China for much of what they sell, including exclusive home-brand items, they are part of what has been described as the world’s <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-26/coronavirus-impact-hits-australia-most-china-reliant-economy">most China-reliant economy</a>. The COVID-19 crisis has thrown Australian and New Zealand businesses’ dependence on China into stark relief. With countries reportedly competing with and undercutting each other to secure desperately needed medical supplies from China, many are now waking up to their economic exposure to a single manufacturing giant. Understandably, discussions about creating a <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/prime-ministers-jacinda-ardern-and-scott-morrison-announce-plans-trans-tasman-covid-safe">“trans-Tasman bubble”</a> between Australia and New Zealand have focused on kick-starting economic activity in the short term, particularly through tourism. But both countries also need to take a longer-term view of boosting economic activity – including through increased manufacturing and trade integration. The statistics support this. In 2018, 20% of global trade in the manufacturing of “intermediate” products (which need further processing before sale) <a href="https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ditcinf2020d1.pdf">came from China</a>. Chinese manufacturing (including goods made from components made in China) also <a href="https://blog.euromonitor.com/coronavirus-impact-on-global-supply-chains/">accounted for</a>: <ul> <li>35% of household goods</li> <li>46% of hi-tech goods</li> <li>54% of textiles and apparel</li> <li>38% of machinery, rubber and plastic</li> <li>20% of pharmaceuticals and medical goods</li> <li>42% of chemical products.</li> </ul> Australia and New Zealand are no exception, with China the number one trading partner of both. Australia <a href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/">earned</a> 32.6% of its export income from China in 2019, mostly from natural resource products such as iron ores, coal and natural gas, as well as education and tourism. From New Zealand, 23% of <a href="https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/china-top-trade-partner-for-2019">exports</a> (worth NZ$20 billion) went to China in 2019, and much of the country’s manufacturing has moved to China over the past 20 years. The China factor in New Zealand supply chains is also <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/119598635/coronavirus-delivery-delays-from-chinese-are-hurting-kiwi-businesses">crucial</a>, with a fifth of exports containing Chinese components. Supply shortages from China The world is now paying a price for this dependence on China. Since the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 there has been volatility in the supply of products ranging from cars and Apple phones to food ingredients and hand sanitiser packaging. More worryingly, availability of popular over-the-counter painkiller paracetamol was <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/411131/coronavirus-pharmac-to-limit-paracetamol-due-to-chinese-factory-closures">restricted</a> due to Chinese factory closures. This is part of a <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/australia-dangerously-dependent-on-medical-imports-20200217-p541ej">bigger picture</a> that shows Australia now importing over 90% of medicines and New Zealand <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/imports/pharmaceutical-products">importing</a> close to NZ$1.59 billion in pharmaceutical products in 2019. Overall, both countries are <a href="https://sldinfo.com/2020/03/australias-medicine-supply-chain-is-vulnerable/">extremely vulnerable</a> to major supply chain disruptions of medical products. For all these reasons, a cooperative trans-Tasman manufacturing strategy should be on the table right now and in any future bilateral trade policy conversations. Opportunities for Australia and NZ Rather than each country focusing on product specialisation or setting industrial priorities in isolation, the two economies need to discuss how best to pool resources, add value and enhance the competitive advantage of strategic industries in the region as a whole. Currently, trans-Tasman trade primarily involves natural resources and foodstuffs flowing from New Zealand to Australia, with motor vehicles, machinery and mechanical equipment flowing the other way. Manufacturing is skewed towards Australia, but closer regional integration would mean increased flows of capital, components and finished products between the countries. We have seen this already in the primary and service sectors but not much in the manufacturing sector, especially from New Zealand to Australia. Medical technologies and telecommunications equipment manufacturing (both critical during the pandemic) stand out as potential new areas of economic integration. In that sense, it was heartening to see major medical tech companies such as <a href="https://www.resmed.com.au/about-us/the-resmed-story">Res-Med Australia</a> and <a href="https://www.fphcare.com/nz/our-company/">Fisher & Paykel Healthcare</a> in New Zealand rapidly <a href="https://www.fairfieldchampion.com.au/story/6705551/private-hospitals-join-coronavirus-fight/?cs=9397">scale up</a> their production capacities to build respiratory devices, ventilators, and other personal protective equipment products. These brands enjoy a global technology edge, smart niche positioning and reputations for innovation. We need more of these inside a trans-Tasman trade and manufacturing bubble. China still vital but balance is crucial Key to successful regional integration will be the pooling of research and development (R&D) resources, mutual direct investment, subsidising R&D and manufacturing in emerging markets with profits from another (such as China), and value-adding specialisation in the supply chain. For example, Tait Communication in New Zealand recently <a href="https://www.taitradio.com/about-us/news/2011/tait-strengthens-customer-support-in-australia-with-new-facility">invested</a> in a new facility based in one of Australia’s largest science, technology and research centres. Together, we can make a bigger pie. None of this means cutting ties with China, which will remain the main importer of primary produce and food products from Australasia for the foreseeable future. And Chinese exports will still be vital. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare sells its products in about 120 countries, for example, but some of its key raw materials suppliers are Chinese. Getting this dynamic balancing right will be key to Australia and New Zealand prospering in the inevitably uncertain – even divided – post-pandemic global business environment. And you never know, maybe one day we’ll see a “made in Australia and New Zealand” label in the aisles of The Warehouse and Bunnings. Written by Hongzhi Gao and Monica Ren. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-travel-a-trans-tasman-bubble-is-an-opportunity-for-australia-and-nz-to-reduce-dependence-on-china-137062">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

Owner of lost trans-Tasman cat located in Hong Kong

A Kiwi tom cat found mangy and flea-ridden in Brisbane now has another international connection to his story. After a desperate search to locate the ginger and white cat's owner, the woman was tracked down in Hong Kong.Toffee was recently found in Yeronga, a suburb of Brisbane, by a group of students who took him in. Then cat foster carer Eloise Thorpe took on the care of him and began the quest to find his owner."He was in pretty poor shape, really flea ridden, a bit thin, his teeth were quite bad," Thorpe said.The vet discovered Toffee was micro-chipped. As well as containing the cat's name, the chip revealed he was 12 years old, and that his address was in Tauranga - nearly 2500km away. Thorpe called the number for his owners, but it was disconnected as they appeared to have left New Zealand for Australia at some point.Thorpe then looked up listings in Brisbane with the same surname, but with no luck. After turning to social media, his owner was discovered in Hong Kong. The woman - named May - has responded and is trying to figure out what should be the next move for Toffee, Thorpe said."We have found his owner. We're just trying to work out the details of what's happening with him now."It appeared as if the owner had left Toffee with someone else when she left Brisbane for Hong Kong, although it is not clear how or why he became a stray.As it was not clear how long Toffee had been on the streets, and what diseases he may have picked up, it wasn't certain he would pass quarantine if he was to travel to Hong Kong to be with his owner, Thorpe said.However, he should have no problem finding a good home with his recent media coverage."We've had a lot of people coming forward wanting to adopt him."Hero image credit: Facebook / Rescue Cats and Kittens BrisbaneWritten by Sam Boyer. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a> Related links:<a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2015/10/all-blacks-fireworks-gone-wrong/">All Blacks fireworks display gone wrong costs pyrotechnics company $100K</a><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2015/10/restored-steam-engine-to-depart-from-picton/">Rail tour picks up steam after tow start</a><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2015/10/kiwis-avoid-app-store-price-hike/">Kiwis avoid Apple's App Store price hike</a>

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Owner of lost trans-Tasman cat located in Hong Kong

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A trans-Tasman bubble is an opportunity for Australia and NZ to reduce dependence on China

Owner of lost trans-Tasman cat located in Hong Kong

Owner of lost trans-Tasman cat located in Hong Kong

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5 books for kids and teens that positively portray trans and gender-diverse lives

Trans people aren’t new, and neither is their oppression: a history of gender crossing in 19th-century Australia

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Why a trans-Tasman travel bubble makes a lot of sense for Australia and New Zealand

A trans-Tasman bubble is an opportunity for Australia and NZ to reduce dependence on China

Owner of lost trans-Tasman cat located in Hong Kong

Owner of lost trans-Tasman cat located in Hong Kong

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