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UK PM causes outrage over transgender comments

Rishi Sunak has sparked outrage after making very controversial comments about transgender people at his first party conference as leader. The UK Prime Minister, who is campaigning to get people to support his Conservative party ahead of next year’s general election, declared that “we shouldn’t get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be”. At the party’s annual conference, Mr Sunak spoke for more than an hour as he promised that the Tories would break the mould of the last 30 years of government. Despite being in power for 13 years, the Conservative party is on the road to defeat the next election, after increasing dissatisfaction among voters. “We will be bold, we will be radical. We will face resistance and we will meet it,” he told delegates at the conference. Many have seen his comments about transgender people as the most bold and radical parts of his speech. “It shouldn’t be controversial for parents to know what their children are being taught in school about relationships,” he said. “Patients should know when hospitals are talking about men or women. We shouldn’t get bullied.” His delegates applauded his controversial statements, to which Sunak continued, “We shouldn’t get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be. They can’t.” “A man is a man and a woman is a woman, that’s just common sense.” Sunak’s comments quickly went viral online, with many people expressing their concern over such a prominent figure making such divisive comments. “Outrageous hate, which is going to encourage bullying and physical attacks by thugs, utterly vile,” transgender British newsreader India Willoughby wrote. “If a single trans person gets attacked or murdered after today then Rishi Sunak should be arrested and charged,” added another. “Never had so many DMs from worried UK trans people and their families,” wrote a third. “The important thing following Rishi Sunak’s hate speech: IT IS NOT LAW. Nothing has changed. Trans are still legally recognised and protected. Yes it’s scary – but they do not have time to change rules/law.” Image credits: Getty Images

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"I've been attacked": Barry Humphries' response to Comedy Festival incident

Anti-trans campaigner Graham Linehan has shared an email he received from the late Barry Humphries in the response to the fallout from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival incident. In 2019, Humphries name was removed from one of the key awards at the annual comedy festival after he made comments ridiculing transgender people, included labelling gender affirmation surgery as “self-mutilation”. In an interview in 2018, Humphries branded being transgender “a fashion” and criticised teachers who support trans youth in schools, declaring it a "pretty evil" practice. As a result, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which was partly founded by Humphries, renamed their 'Barry Award' amid the controversy. Now, just days after Humphries passing, writer and anti-trans campaigner Graham Linehan has shared an email he allegedly received from Humphries after the renaming of the award. The email purportedly from Humphries said, “Thanks for your letter. I’ve been banned by the Melbourne Comedy Festival which Peter Cook and I launched! I’ve been attacked and branded fascist and ‘transphobic’ by the ‘they’ brigade, and accused of racism by people who have never met an [Indigenous person]." “That actors who have become rich and famous by performing in JKR’s plays and films and then vindictively excoriated her, seems to me a cowardly betrayal. Thanks for writing to me and good luck against a powerful and malign foe.” Humphries appears to be referring to J.K. Rowling by “JKR”, as the Harry Potter creator is one of the most high-profile anti-trans campaigners and refers to herself as “TERF”, an acronym for “trans-exclusionary radical feminist”. Linehan co-created TV comedies including Father Ted, Black Books and The IT Crowd but has in recent years become better known for his strident anti-trans views. In the wake of Humphries’ death, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s 2019 decision has come under attack by some commentators, who accused the festival of “cancelling” the comedian. However, festival’s director Susan Provan defended the organisation for their decision, while also paying tribute to Humphries' influence on comedy. She told ABC radio in Melbourne, “We’ve never cancelled Barry Humphries. There seems to be some misconceptions going on around there. We changed the name of an award, which… was the right decision to make when we did that." “We have celebrated, and continue to celebrate Barry, an incredible comedian, comic artists, who took Australian comedy global. We will always celebrate that he was amazing. And we really value his contribution to the comedy festival too.” Provan added the decision had been made in 2019 because Humphries’ “comments did not reflect the values of our community”. Image credits: Getty Images

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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

Iconic UK actor proudly reveals new name

<p style="color: #0e101a; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true">Actor and comedian Eddie Izzard has revealed the name she’s always wanted after changing her pronouns to “she” and “her”. Izzard shared her new name, admitting that it’s what she has wanted to be called since she was 10 years old. On an episode of The Political Party podcast, the British icon, 61, said, “I’m gonna be Suzy Eddie Izzard. “I’ll put Suzy there and then Eddie and then people can choose what they want and no one can go wrong,” The Sun reported. She added, “I’ve wanted to be S-U-Z-Y since I was 10. “That’s how I’m gonna roll so people can choose what they want. They can’t make a mistake; they can’t go wrong.” In December 2020, the British comedian and former political candidate was dubbed a “trailblazer” by fans when she first asked to use the pronouns “she” and “her” during the filming of the UK TV show, Portrait Artist Of The Year, revealing she was “gender fluid”. The transition, however, has been 35 years in the making. Izzard first came out as a transvestite in 1985. In 2021, she told The Guardian that as far as she was concerned, being a transvestite simply meant being transgender without physically transitioning. She now identifies as a trans woman and wants to be “based in girl mode”. The comedian also admitted, “I make mistakes with my own pronouns.” She then spoke to the podcast about political ambitions after not being selected at the UK Labour’s parliamentary candidate in Sheffield Central in 2022. “I will keep going until I get in,” she said. Prior to the TV show in late 2020, Izzard also requested in 2019 to be described as “she” while receiving an honorary degree at Swansea University. The press release from the ceremony described her using female pronouns with a university spokesperson confirming, “we were asked by Eddie to use her/she pronouns.” Image credit: Getty

Beauty & Style

Outspoken transgender activist buys Miss Universe pageant for $31 million

A Thai business tycoon, celebrity, and transgender activist has purchased the Miss Universe Organisation for a hefty $31 million, according to an announcement made by her company. Chakrapong ‘Anne’ Chakrajutathib, who has starred in reality shows and spoken out about being a transgender woman, controls JKN Global Group Public Co Ltd, which acquired the rights to the beauty pageant - which is broadcast to 165 countries - from IMG Worldwide LLC, a sports, talent and events marketing company. IMG has held the rights to the Miss Universe pageant since 2015, with former President Donald Trump partially owning it for 19 years until IMG’s purchase. To own the Miss Universe Organisation, JKN said it established a US subsidiary called JKN Metaverse Inc. In a statement, Ms Chakrapong said the purchase was a “strong, strategic addition to our portfolio”, which includes content distribution, beverages, food supplements, beauty and consumer products. JKN said the addition of the Miss Universe Organisation would see them use the name to promote its consumer products. A profile in the Bangkok Post on Ms Chakrapong, who founded the non-profit group Life Inspired for Transsexual Foundation to promote trans rights, said she was harassed for identifying as female while studying at an all-male school. When she saw financial success, Ms Chakrapong spent $1.5 million on sex reassignment surgery and other procedures, according to the outlet. While Thailand has a positive reputation when it comes to the rights and lifestyles of LGBTQ+ communities, a report from the Human Rights Watch found that transgender people in Thailand had limited access to services and are exposed to daily indignities. The report came to this conclusion due to the an absence of procedure for transgender people to legally change their gender, as well as insufficient legal protections and social stigma that trans people experience. Image: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

Historic change made for transgender swimmers

The swimming world will be the first sport to allow transgender athletes to compete at an elite level separate to men’s and women’s competitions, after the International Swimming Federation (FINA)’s president Husain Al-Mussallam announced the new category on Monday. “I do not want any athlete to be told they cannot compete at the highest level,” Mr Al-Mussallam told the FINA Extraordinary Congress in Budapest, Hungary, per <a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/more-sports/swimming-makes-historic-decision-to-segregate-transgender-athletes/news-story/3832900944e167a1b19c817f35dfb7be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. “I will set up a working group to set up an open category at our meets. We will be the first federation to do that.” Mr Al-Mussallam announced the change after FINA unveiled an inclusivity policy which was then approved by members. Brent Nowicki, the CEO of FINA, said the organisation was determined to maintain separate competitions for men and women. “(FINA) recognises that certain individuals may not be able to compete in the category that best aligns with their legal gender alignment or gender identity,” he added. Mr Nowicki explained that under the rules, the male competition would be open to everyone. However, “male-to-female” and intersex athletes would only be allowed to compete in the women’s competition or set a world record “if they can prove they have not experienced any element of male puberty”. This prompted immediate backlash from some sections of the swimming world, with Dr Christer Magnusson, a member of FINA’s medical committee, among those complaining that it implied that boys as young as 10 would have to decide to start transitioning to compete as female athletes. David Gerrard, a fellow member of the medical committee and an Emeritus Professor at the University of Otago, New Zealand, also criticised the policy. “To ask or expect an 11, 12-year-old boy to make a decision that will affect the rest of his life is a big ask,” Professor Gerrard said. Others were more receptive to the decision. American swimmer Alex Walsh cautiously welcomed it after she won the women’s 200m medley at the world championships on Monday morning. “I’m happy that FINA are … re-evaluating the rules,” she said. “I am not really sure what the answer is to keep things fair but obviously I hope that everyone is able to compete and as long as they are finding a way to do that then I am happy.” FINA’s decision and policy come after the International Olympic Committee asked sports federations to create their own “sport-specific” rules about transgender athletes last year. FINA created three committees - one legal, one medical, and one of athletes - to consider the issue, with the medical committee finding that transgender women retained some advantages from being assigned male at birth. “Some of the advantages males acquire in puberty are structural and are not lost with hormone suppression,” said Dr Sandra Hunter of Milwaukee’s Marquette University. “These include larger lungs and hearts, longer bones, bigger feet and hands.” Meanwhile, the legal experts found that the policy of excluding most transgender swimmers would be legal. “(It is) necessary and proportionate to achieve a legitimate objective,” London-based barrister James Drake said. The new gender inclusion policy will come into effect on June 20, 2022, according to the <a href="https://www.fina.org/news/2649715/press-release-fina-announces-new-policy-on-gender-inclusion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FINA website</a>. Image: @fina1908 (Instagram)

News

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

"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

Waleed Aly stunned over guest's transgender comments

A former Chief of Staff to John Howard has turned heads after publicly supporting controversial Liberal politician Katherine Deves. Ms Deves, a candidate for Sydney's Warringah electorate, has faced a recent tidal wave of scrutiny after her past comments about transgender children were unearthed online. In an appearance on The Project to discuss the current election campaign, Grahame Morris addressed the controversy surrounding Ms Deves, and believes she should not be unendorsed by her party. “Some of the things she said were beyond the pale and she has apologised but if you come back to what she’s really on about, it is saving women’s sport and that is really important,” he said. “We have feeder clubs for Aussie Rules clubs in Sydney where you’ve got big, muscly, fast, strong women who used to be blokes up against 16-year-old girls - is that fair? And just imagine what the Russians or the Chinese will do if that little chink opens up.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Should the Liberal pick in Warringah Katherine Deves be disendorsed over her views? We ask John Howard's former chief of staff, Grahame Morris and we got an answer we didn't expect. <a href="https://t.co/3CACUfN5XM">pic.twitter.com/3CACUfN5XM</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1516343809206099969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2022</a></blockquote> Host Waleed Aly was visibly taken aback by these out of pocket comments, as their discussion up until that point was discussing campaign strategies for both parties. “Are you really running this argument on the basis of a comment that a candidate on Warringah is making?” Waleed asked. “That, if she doesn‘t run this, the Chinese and the Russians are coming for us and they’re going to take our medals? I mean, this seems a little overwrought doesn’t it, Grahame?” Mr Morris doubled down on his controversial stance, continuing to warn against softening the rules for transgender athletes over fears rival countries would exploit them. “Look at what they’re doing now when there are different rules,” he said. “We have seen what they will do. Do we really want to open up that little niche where we’ve got people against our swimming team.” Waleed struggled with the sudden pivot of the conversation and ended the talking point there. “Congratulations, Grahame, you have successfully made this a national security story and I didn‘t think that was possible, but you’ve carried it off very, very impressively,” he said. Scott Morrison, John Howard and Tony Abbott have all publicly backed the rookie Liberal candidate, despite her views causing a stir in the election campaign. Image credits: The Project

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Home and Away star adopts daughter's best friend

Former Home and Away heartthrob Mat Stevenson has “adopted” his transgender daughter Grace Hyland’s best friend, Belle Bambi, after she alleges her own father disowned her. Taking to social media app TikTok, Belle revealed Stevenson had taken her into his family. Grace shared her own clip too, applauding her father for being so accepting and understanding. “He’s always supported me, and he wants to support Bambi, too,” Grace said. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842981/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/92784897942645b188e459516c72c736" /> Image: TikTok “We’re sisters now! My BFF’s dad left because she’s trans. So, we did this!” The adoption may not be legally binding, but it means just as much to Belle who has been a long-time family friend of Stevenson and Hyland. Grace’s dad has been a supporter of her transition since she decided to transition at the age of 12. Stevenson rose to fame while playing the Aussie heartthrob Adam Cameron, in Home And Away. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842980/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0dfd88d0c5cf42069cfb90652f5a5329" /> Image: Home and Away archives He told The Sunday Project earlier this year that the suicide rate among transgender teenagers left him with a strong determination to make sure his daughter didn’t “become one of those statistics”. “Sadly, in this country, we have a really high adolescent suicide rate and it’s a tragedy. Trans-adolescents are 36 times more likely to self-harm, to commit suicide,” he said. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842977/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ba261e2c6f3248f6979c7c1cbf5cdb27" /> Image: TikTok “There’s a distinct correlation between lack of support and self-harm.” Grace says she has been on her journey since she was 12, and had consulted doctors, psychologists and experts before she underwent any physical changes. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842976/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f0ae618f8c234d4ba176ca3ea91e416b" /> Image: The Sunday Project “I came out at 12 and then I went through a gradual transition until I was 14, to grow my hair out, to get my name change sorted, to sort out my blockers,” she revealed. “And then by the time I was 14, I was fully presenting as Grace to the public and at school.”

Family & Pets

New Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas slammed for transgender stance

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Equality groups have lashed the Perth Lord Mayor after he made comments about transgender on breakfast radio that were "repugnant and bigoted". Basil Zempalis told listeners that it was "wrong" for someone to identify as a different gender to their physical anatomy. "If you've got a penis mate, you're a bloke," he said yesterday morning. "If you've got a vagina, you're a woman. Game over." His co-host Steve Mills pointed out that he would likely meet transgender people in his role as Lord Mayor, which Zempalis laughed off. Zempalis then made a public declaration for any woman with a penis to ring in the radio station for a chance to win a $100 store voucher. After being warned by Mills that people in the wider community might not like his stance, Zempalis shrugged it off. "Well mate, if you want to go softy, lefty, namby-pamby," he said. TransFolk WA chair Hunter Gurevich sai that Zempilas' comments were harmful to transgender people. "These comments are repugnant, bigoted, narrow-minded, parochial and fundamentally deny contemporary science," he said. "Further, it puts LGBTQIA+ people at increased risk of harm, when we are already a vulnerable group in society." Pride WA president Curtis Ward said that the comments were misinformed and damaging. "It is possible to appear one way and feel another and when someone says they're transgender, they are simply saying they feel differently to how they appear," Mr Ward said. "[That is] sex being your physical appearance and your biology whereas gender is how you identify psychologically, whether you're feminine or masculine." "I think people need to be educating themselves about what they're speaking about and if they do have that stage, and they are commanding such a large audience, they should be making educated statements," he said. Zempilas has since issued an apology for his remarks. "The comments were inappropriate and I apologise. It was early morning radio banter gone wrong," he said in a text message. "The comments do not reflect how I feel. I did not intend to cause any offence and I am sorry. It will not happen again." He spoke on his radio show 24 hours after the incident, saying that the comments were a "bad mistake". "What's more disappointing is that I understand that that is indeed how people live their lives … I was aware of that yesterday," he said. "Those comments don't reflect my values, they don't reflect the values of 6PR or Channel 7, they don't reflect the values of the City of Perth. "I had a very strong talking to from my wife last night. They don't represent her values. Her best friend is gay." He urged listeners that he would learn from his mistake. "All you can do in life is go, 'I made a blue, I'm sorry,' and you've got to try not to do it again, and that's exactly what I'll do," he said. "I have to get better and I will get better." </div> </div> </div>

News

Outraged fans announce "death" of J.K. Rowling

J.K Rowling's new book called Troubled Blood has made fans furious, as it features a male serial killer who dresses as a woman while on violent killing sprees. Rowling has previously made controversial comments about the transgender community, including a range of tweets comparing hormone therapy to gay conversion therapy. Hormone therapy is where transgender people take sex hormones to align their bodies more closely with their gender identity and gay conversion therapy refers to the discredited practice of trying to change sexual orientation using psychological or spiritual means. Fans have had enough and have declared her "dead" by sending the hashtag #RIPJKRowling to the top of the Twitter trending charts. “In memory of jk rowling. she ain’t dead, but she killed her own career by proudly hating trans people & no one would really miss her that much anyway,” wrote one Twitter user. “#RIPJKRowling she (ain’t) dead but her career is,” added another. “Imagine getting cancelled so hard, we have to pretend that you died,” chimed in someone else. J.K Rowling has published five books under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith and Troubled Blood is the latest. In The Silkworm, the second novel in the series, Rowling portrays a trans character as being “unstable and aggressive.” “The meat of the book is the investigation into a cold case: the disappearance of GP Margot Bamborough in 1974, thought to have been a victim of Dennis Creed, a transvestite serial killer,” wrote the Telegraph in a review of the novel. “One wonders what critics of Rowling’s stance on trans issues will make of a book whose moral seems to be: never trust a man in a dress.” Rowling defended her past comments in an essay. “I’m concerned about the huge explosion in young women wishing to transition and also about the increasing numbers who seem to be detransitioning (returning to their original sex), because they regret taking steps that have, in some cases, altered their bodies irrevocably, and taken away their fertility,” she wrote.

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Pauline Hanson says transgender children should be removed from parents

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has said parents of young children who believe the child may be transgender should have their children taken away from them. Appearing on the online political discussion program Pellowe Talk, the Senator discussed the Queensland government’s recent passing of a bill that outlawed gay conversion therapy. Hanson said she refused to support the ban, and the calls for outlawing the practice only came from a few people who were gay. The right-wing politician said she was tired of the letters that described sexuality and gender, before saying those who identify as transgender should be removed from supportive parents. “The Q is for queer, and I asked the question in parliament – well what is queer? I have no understanding, I’m sorry, I’m from the old school, I’m sick of all these letters. There are about 37 or 39 different categories.” Senator Hanson said parents who believe take their children to the doctor and believe their children are transgender are “bloody idiots” and “need their heads read”. “Confusing kids and going to the doctor and parent’s saying ‘Look, my four year old they really can’t identify, and we want to change their sex.’ You are bloody idiots, how can a kid at four years old know if they want to be male or if they actually want to be a girl. There’s more to this and these parents need their head’s read or the kids taken off them, because they want to change their sex because the kids gone and played with a doll.” Senator Hanson said. The Senator claimed some parents brainwash their child into believe they were transgender as they really wanted a child of the opposite sex. “I remember my son and 12 months or 18 months old, he loved having a doll beside him and I put the bloody doll in the cot beside him. Guess what, there’s nothing wrong with him, but kids have to be kids, let them find their own feet, let them find their own sexual preference, who they are, as they go through puberty, don’t try and brain wash them into your way of thinking because you’ve got a boy and you really wanted a girl. It’s not about you, it’s about them finding themselves.” Hanson then said young people should not be able to access counselling about gender until they were over 18 years of age.

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Transgender man loses legal battle to be recognised as the child’s dad

A transgender man has lost the legal battle to be recognised as his child’s father, despite being legally recognised as a man when he fell pregnant and gave birth. Freddy McConnell, 22, lives in the UK and has lived as a man for several years. However, when he fell pregnant and gave birth in 2018, he encountered an issue with his parental role. McConnell had undergone chest surgery in 2013 and started testosterone treatment but retained his reproductive system, which included his uterus. He then went off hormones in 2016 in order to fall pregnant. McConnell was already legally recognised as male and wanted to be registered as his child’s father, but the fact he had been able to biologically conceive and give birth to the child raised questions. Andrew McFarlane, president of the High Court Family Division, ruled that McConnell is still the child's mother and should be recognised as such, regardless of his status as a man. "There is a material difference between a person's gender and their status as a parent," the judge said in his ruling, according to <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/transgender-man-not-allowed-to-be-childs-dad/5e800269-58aa-458d-adae-07061de7570c">Nine Honey</a>. "Being a 'mother', whilst hitherto always associated with being female, is the status afforded to a person who undergoes the physical and biological process of carrying a pregnancy and giving birth." <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/B21Z0Xxn1Hu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B21Z0Xxn1Hu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">“Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all.” . - Emily Dickinson</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/freddy.mcconnell/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Freddy McConnell</a> (@freddy.mcconnell) on Sep 25, 2019 at 5:36am PDT </div> </blockquote> "It is now medically and legally possible for an individual, whose gender is recognised in law as male, to become pregnant and give birth to their child," the judge continued. "Whilst that person's gender is 'male', their parental status, which derives from their biological role in giving birth, is that of 'mother'." McConnell is now considering appealing the court's decision, as he fears the ruling will set a precedent against transgender parents and will uphold outdated family and gender roles. "It has serious implications for non-traditional family structures," he told The Guardian, where he works as a journalist. "It upholds the view that only the most traditional forms of family are properly recognised or treated equally. It's just not fair."

Family & Pets

83-year-old gran’s beautiful reaction to transgender grandson

For many young members of the LGBTI community, coming out is not only daunting, but can unleash a torrent of verbal abuse, bullying, and even physical violence from the people who supposedly love them the most. However, one transgender 20-year-old, Gavin Cueto, found the most accepting member of his family was actually his grandmother – 83-year-old Elaine. In fact, when he decided to come out, he decided she would be the first person he would tell. “I was scared that I would get disowned, so I knew if I told my nan first I’d have a place to stay if anything went wrong,” Gavin told <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/skarlan/gotta-love-nan?utm_term=.ck2vKM9og#.vbOyWVe69" target="_blank">BuzzFeed</a>. “Gavin came in wanting to talk to me,” Elaine recalls. “He said, ‘Nan, I’ve got something to tell you. I want to be a boy.’” Her response was utterly perfect – “Wouldn’t we all? We’d all like to be a man, because they’ve got a better life than us.” Since then, Elaine has been by Gavin’s side for all the important milestones throughout his transition, from choosing his new name to supporting him during his first testosterone injections. Watch their incredible bond in action above. We think everyone could learn a thing or two from this supportive nan! Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoMYDH7BcmQ" target="_blank">Gavin Cuerto</a>/YouTube Related links: <a href="/news/news/2017/02/girls-wear-same-dress-in-photos-for-52-years/">Girls in family wear same dress in school pictures for 52 years</a> <a href="/news/news/2017/02/grandma-texts-daily-encouragement/">Grandma’s daily encouraging texts to grandkids</a> <a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2017/01/grandma-knits-rainbow-jumper-for-bisexual-granddaughter-to-show-support/">Grandma knits rainbow jumper for bisexual granddaughter to show support</a>

News

David Jones creates celebratory video with Australia’s first transgender diva, Carlotta, for Mardi Gras

With Sydney Mardi Gras coming up this weekend the air is filled with anticipation, pride and just a hint of sparkle. To celebrate the 2016 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, David Jones Sydney store has partnered with one of their most fabulous window dressers from the 60s and Australia’s first transgender diva, Carlotta. Just like the stores Christmas decorations, Carlotta’s works of art tell a story. From her first working days at David Jones as a 15-year-old, through her fiery and sparkle laden journey to becoming an inspiration. She once made a living painting mannequins' faces and backdrops before making her name as a cabaret performer in the renowned all male revue show, Les Girls in Kings Cross. It was here that she started living her life a woman, naming herself Carol Spencer. Carlotta fondly recalls her days as "The Queen of the Cross" in this incredible interview. It a peep hole into the fabulous energy of the influential figure and her role in the pursuit of equality and acceptance. This Mardi Gras, Carlotta wants for all to be harpy in our own skin and be proud of who you are. Be inspired to be everything you are in the video above. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2015/10/style-lessons-from-iris/">Style lessons from Iris Apfel</a> <a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/01/favourite-looks-from-advance-style-blog/">The best looks from the advance style blog</a> <a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/01/oprahs-most-inspiring-quotes/">Oprah’s 20 most inspiring quotes to live by</a>

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David Jones creates celebratory video with Australia’s first transgender diva, Carlotta, for Mardi Gras

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