We recently saw 22 rallies across Australia, with communities standing up for trans rights and the life-threatening decisions made by the QLD LNP government. At a rally here in the Northern Rivers, Lismore, myself, Moss Cluney, an organiser with Climate Justice Alliance, was honoured to be invited to speak. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be in Lismore as I was attending a vital training in Meanjin / Brisbane with 350.org for Climate Action Training. Here is what was read out on my behalf:
What we see occurring in QLD sets a dangerous precedent. We already hear from various LNP MPs, with no experience in trans healthcare, expressing their horrendous uneducated opinions on the prescription of stage 1 and 2 hormone therapy for under 18s.
I’ve heard from my young peers the amazing benefits that puberty blockers and hormone therapy gave them while they were under 18 – it saved their life. It saved mine.
Many young people from the Northern Rivers have to cross the border for efficient and safe gender affirming care, because of the lack of funding our public health system in NSW gives towards our gender and sexual health services.
Puberty blockers and gender affirming therapy is a life-line for young trans people constantly facing discrimination in their lives, be it in their school, with the fear of which bathroom to choose, or which gendered side they choose during school sport, or in our communities, where young people are afraid to take public transport and be themselves in public in fear of the harassment they may face. Gender affirming care saves lives, it allows young people to be themselves without restriction, and with support.
Young trans people deserve our support, they face some of the highest rates of suicide and mental health issues in our communities, particularly those from our First Nations communities – whose intersectional identities are often forgotten or are a source of particular scapegoating from our politicians.
Our human rights cannot continue to be a political football for our government to kick, to blame and shame. I, and many of my young peers, thank you for being here in support of trans rights across Australia. Without the community we have, particularly in regional Australia, many of us, including myself, would not be here to tell our story.
Thank you for being here for our young trans people, and all trans people from across Australia – particularly those ~500 young trans people who are now facing a disastrous barrier to their care, and due to the QLD government’s response to a significantly dangerous research report that is riddled with methodological issues (the Cass Review), has now put all ~500 of their lives at risk.
Thank you. The young trans people of today and tomorrow will thank you for your ongoing support, for standing up for their rights – and their lives.