Tag: australia gay rights
Australian inquiry probes 40 years of gay hate killings
Canberra, Australia (AP) — A government inquiry began hearing evidence on Wednesday of unsolved deaths resulting from gay hate crimes over four decades in Australia’s most populous state where police were notoriously indifferent to such violence. The Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ Hate Crimes in New South Wales is the “first of its kind… Read more »
Say G’Day To Drag Race Down Under
Since its inception in 2009, the reality drag competition has been on a rollercoaster that only goes up. Hosted by RuPaul, arguably the most famous drag queen internationally, the show has had 13 seasons producing some of the world’s most beloved drag superstars. Drag Race Down Under will feature Australia and New Zealand queens and… Read more »
Success! Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade Stays Fab And Covid-Safe!
Despite its move from its traditional home on Oxford Street the 43rd Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras proved Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community can still put on a spectacular party. Over 36,000 spectators poured into the stadium to watch 5,000 from 120 floats march in the parade. Among them was Troye Sivan, Australian singer, songwriter and… Read more »
LGBTI Aussies basked in the sun for Midsumma Carnival and its beautiful
Thousands attended Melbourne’s premier pride festival this weekend LGBTI Aussies and their allies flocked to Melbourne’s Alexandria Gardens on Sunday (20 January) for the annual Midsummer Carnival. It kicked off Melbourne’s weeks-long LGBTI Midsumma Festival. The line-up included Australia’s first consent festival. Alongside the many musical performances, the day featured a family fun area, a… Read more »
Former High Court judge to marry his partner 50 years after they met
They’ll go back and have dinner at the venue where they first met to celebrate Australia’s first openly gay High Court judge, Michael Kirby, will marry his partner on the 50th anniversary of the day they met. Kirby revealed plans to marry Johan van Vloten during a speech to students at Bond University. The 79-year-old… Read more »
Tasmania gets its own dedicated LGBTI memorial 30 years after mass arrests
It marks 30 years since the mass arrests of gay rights activists The last state in Australia to decriminalize homosexuality, Tasmania, has just unveiled a memorial to LGBTI equality. A large crowd of people watched the Tasmanian Speaker of the Lower House, Sue Hickey unveil the memorial. The new public seat memorial sit on the… Read more »
First legal center for transgender Australians opens its doors
In the first week of the pilot scheme, Transgender Australians sought advice on applications to change names and accessing bathrooms Transgender Australians visited the not for profit Inner City Legal Centre (ICLC) in Sydney last week for specialized legal help. Advice ranged from applications to change names, advice about accessing bathrooms, and an Apprehended Violence… Read more »
Australia celebrates trans women with this beautiful mural ahead of Darwin Pride
Sistergirls united Darwin, Australia, is celebrating the trans women in the community with an amazing mural ahead of this year’s Pride. Now in its 33rd year, Darwin Pride honors the LGBTI community in Australia’s Northern Territory. A few days away from the annual march, a big mural painting of iconic sistergirl Shaniquá TiwiSista has appeared… Read more »
Meet the man behind some of the most stunning male art in the world
Exclusive: Ross Watson talks about his art, inspirations and why he and his partner won’t be taking advantage of Australia’s new same-sex marriage law Australian artist Ross Watson has become one of the world’s foremost painters of the male figure. Although many might recognize his art, they might not know much about the man behind… Read more »
Australian Government gives $180 million for more people to get PrEP
Australia must address the rate of new HIV cases amongst Aboriginal populations The Australian Government last night handed down its Federal Budget which included AU$180 million (US$134 million) PrEP funding. The Budget announcement comes weeks after the government added the HIV preventative medication to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). PrEP’s (pre-exposure prophylaxis) addition to the… Read more »
Australian government to subsidise HIV-preventing PrEP drugs
The Australian government will be offering subsidised HIV-preventing drugs, it has announced. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada, which can drastically reduce people’s chances of being infected with HIV, has seen a massive uptake by the gay community globally over the past few years. ? The drug is recommended for groups considered to be at high… Read more »
Same-sex adoption is now legal everywhere in Australia
Same-sex couples can now adopt children anywhere in Australia. The Northern Territory was the last region of the country holding out against the tide of progress – until this week. ? In a historic move, lawmakers added amendments to the NT Adoption of Children Act which mean that same-sex couples – as well as de… Read more »
Sydney’s Mardi Gras: 40 years of pride and protest – in pictures
Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives curator and archivist Nick Henderson opens the vault to take us through four decades of Sydney’s great festival Sydney’s first Mardi Gras was the last in a series of events produced as part of the Day of International Gay Solidarity, on 24 June 1978, by the Gay Solidarity Group, following… Read more »
Gay imam announces plans to open LGBTQ-friendly mosque
A gay imam has revealed plans to open an LGBTQ-friendly mosque. Nur Warsame came out in 2010 and has now revealed plans to open the welcoming mosque in Melbourne. ? Speaking to ABC, the Somalian explained that he decided to open a mosque that would be welcoming of the LGBTQ people after he faced an… Read more »
The rainbow in Asia and the turbulent fight for gay rights
Michael Kirby, Visiting Professorial Fellow at University of New South Wales, looks at the challenges facing LGBT people in Asia. On November 15, 2017, I received the welcome wake-up call at my hotel in Bangkok. It was my partner of 48 years, Johan, phoning to tell me of the outcome of the “postal survey”, just… Read more »
Maori man proposes to Aboriginal Australian partner live on TV
A Maori man has proposed to his Aboriginal Australia boyfriend during a live TV interview. Just days after the Australian Parliament moved to legalise same-sex marriage, the couple appeared on Kawekorero Reporters on Maori TV. ? Richard Haeata of Te Whanau-a-Apanui and his boyfriend Robert Stewart (Iora Nation) appeared on the show, but nobody guessed… Read more »
Australia Makes Same-Sex Marriage Legal
Syndey, Australia — Australia’s Parliament voted overwhelmingly to legalize same-sex marriage on Thursday, overcoming years of conservative resistance to enact change that the public had made clear that it wanted. The final approval in the House of Representatives, with just four votes against the bill, came three weeks after a national referendum showed strong public… Read more »
Jewish And Muslim Leaders Unite To Demand Protection Under Gay Marriage Law
Jewish and Islamic leaders have demanded protections for religious officials who refuse to perform gay marriages under Australia’s new same-sex marriage law. Imams and rabbis from the the city of Perth said that any new law legalizing gay marriage should include express provisions for religious leaders who cannot perform gay marriages due to the tenets… Read more »
Australians Say ‘Yes’ to Gay Marriage, Paving Way for Law Change
Australia is set to legalize same-sex marriage before the end of the year after voters emphatically backed the move in a nationwide survey. “We must respect the voice of the people,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in Canberra on Wednesday after the country’s statistics office revealed 61.6 percent of respondents support marriage equality, with 38.4… Read more »
Anti-Gay Posters Surface in Australia Ahead of Same-Sex Marriage Vote
Sydney, Australia — In the lead-up to a vote on legalizing same-sex marriage in Australia, vitriolic campaign materials, including fliers calling homosexuality “a tragedy of a family,” circulated this week in Melbourne and Sydney. The fliers, the latest salvo in a heated national debate that has involved politicians and religious leaders, were denounced by Prime… Read more »
Olympic legend Ian Thorpe condemns Australian government over same-sex marriage
Olympic legend Ian Thorpe has criticised the Australian government for its stance over same-sex marriage. The multi-gold medal winning swimmer, who came out as gay in 2014, says it’s time the measure was introduced. He has called on Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to hurry up and approve the measure. Appearing on the Morning Show… Read more »
Gym hunks go weak at the knees as they get engaged at the gym
An adorable video of two hunks getting engaged at their gym has gone viral. The video shows Nico Martina (white tank top) proposing to his other half, Michael Sinclair at their local gym in Kings Cross, Sydney. The two guys say they met at the gym, and so it seemed the perfect place to tie… Read more »
Australian poll finds record unhappiness after party politics derails equal marriage
Polling in Australia has shown record levels of dissatisfaction with the political system, after the major political parties failed to agree a path to equal marriage becoming law. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who heads a right-wing coalition, had tried to avoid a split within his own government on the issue of same-sex marriage by… Read more »
Not welcome! Prime Minister Banned From Sydney Mardi Gras
Not welcome! Prime Minister Banned From Sydney Mardi Gras Australia’s prime minister has been formally banned from Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras as an official guest. The move is in protest against Malcolm Turnbull’s failed plebiscite on same-sex marriage. A motion was passed to scratch him from the list at an official meeting for… Read more »
Pacific Nations ‘Dragging The Chain’ On LGBTI Rights: Former Judge
But Justice Michael Kirby said he doesn’t know what can be done about it. A former Australian high court judge says Pacific Island nations are dragging the chain on LGBTI rights, as he urged them to forget “hobgoblin” fears of LGBTI people. Michael Kirby, a former High Court Judge and prominent advocate for LGBTI rights,… Read more »
Gay marriage in Australia unlikely for years after public vote plan rejected
Australia’s parliament is almost certain to vote down a national referendum on same-sex marriage, potentially delaying marriage equality in the country for years. Though it backs same-sex marriage, the left-wing opposition Labor party formally announced Tuesday it would not support the government’s planned national vote. They say a public vote is unnecessary, too costly and… Read more »
Perth to host its first queer film festival
Perth is set to hold its first queer film festival in September. Several films will premiere at the event which will celebrate the best of LGBTQI cinema. Festival director, Mark Reid, explained that the chosen films don’t revolve around fairy tale romances that end happily ever after. The original films range drama to comedy, and… Read more »
‘The white attractive male is at the top’: Gay indigenous man screenshots racist messages he regularly gets on Grindr
Indigenous student started sharing racist messages he receives on Grindr Dustin Mangatjay McGregor is regularly abused when dating online Started public-shaming to show that racism is prevalent in the gay scene He says there’s a hierarchy in the gay community, just as in wider society An indigenous university student has begun sharing racist messages he… Read more »
Outback grass makes world’s ‘thinnest, strongest’ condoms
Ingredients found in spinifex grass are being used to create a range of “super-condoms”. A spiky grass that sprouts across the outback has been found to contain the ideal ingredients to make the world’s thinnest, strongest condoms. The bitter grass has long been used by Aboriginal hunters to shape their deadly spears. However, scientists from… Read more »
Rainbow laces: Australia sports stars join anti-homophobia campaign
Top Australian sporting stars will wear rainbow laces this weekend as part of a campaign against homophobia. The initiative is inspired by similar movements in other countries including Britain. Openly gay athletes are rare in mainstream Australian sport – particularly in the country’s four main football codes. Almost 80% of participants in an international study… Read more »
Ian Thorpe says he has a ‘responsibility’ towards younger gay men
The swimmer says he wants to help other gay people who are struggling with their sexuality. Former Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe spoke out about the “responsibility” he now feels towards others struggling to come to terms with their sexuality. “There’s an opportunity and a good responsibility I feel for young people who may be struggling… Read more »
Australian state to issue apology for historic anti-gay laws
The Australian state of Victoria will become the second to issue an apology for historic gay sex convictions, it has been announced. It was confirmed last month that Tasmania’s Parliament would formally issue an apology for historic convictions related to consensual gay sex, under laws only lifted in 1997. This week, the Premier of the… Read more »
Gay Olympic diving champ Matthew Mitcham is hanging up his speedos
Australian diver Matthew Mitcham has announced his retirement from the sport. The 27-year-old diver came out before the Beijing Olympics back in 2008, revealing that his partner would be travelling to China to watch him dive at the event. It paid off – in Beijing he smashed the record for the highest single-dive score in… Read more »
Australia’s ‘rent boys’: Male sex workers are ‘everywhere’, industry advocate says
When *Christopher was growing up in a small NSW country town, strangers would stop his mother in the street and comment on his big blue eyes and curly blond hair. Fast forward 15 years and Christopher was cashing in on those same charming boyish looks, listing them as his best features in online advertisements where… Read more »
The Sistergirls of Tiwi Islands: How a remote community in northern Australia has the highest population of transgender people in the country – including children as young as six
Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory has the highest population of transgender people in Australia ‘Sistergirl’ or ‘Yimpininni’ is a term used to describe transgender, homosexual or bisexual indigenous people Locals say as many as five per cent of the population consider themselves a Sistergirl While they are largely accepted in the remote community, there… Read more »
Tasmanian church distributing anti-gay marriage booklet
Tasmania’s Catholic Archdiocese are distributing out copies of the church’s booklet that will explain to people its opposition to same-sex marriage. Archbishop Julian Porteous said 12,000 families of whose children attend Catholic schools in Tasmania will receive a copy of ‘Don’t Mess with Marriage’. By Friday the families will have all received a copy of… Read more »
Grieving partner pays tribute to cafe´ manager killed during Sydney siege
A man has paid tribute to his life partner Tori Johnson, who was killed during the 16-hour cafe´ siege in Sydney. Mr Johnson was killed alongside barrister Katrina Dawson, when the Lindt café he managed in Martin Place was held up by self-described radical cleric Man Haron Monis. The cafe´ manager was hailed a hero… Read more »
Australia gets its first openly gay Chief Minister
An Australian Labor Party politician has become the country’s first openly gay government leader. Andrew Barr was appointed Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) on Thursday replacing Katy Gallagher who resigned last week. In his acceptance speech to the ACT Legislative Assembly Mr Barr paid tribute to his partner and said he looked… Read more »
Indigenous Australia’s HIV crisis never happened: five questions to James Ward
Tell us about who you are My name is James Ward. I am a Pitjantjatjara and Nurrunga man from central and south Australia, with connections to mobs in Kaltukatjara, Ntaria, Point Pearce and Adelaide. I currently live in Alice Springs but from next week will be relocating to Kuarna country in Adelaide. From next week… Read more »
World of male sex workers explored in new book
A new book shines a light on male prostitution and the findings are surprising. Sex work is an industry primarily associated with women. When male sex workers are thought about, it’s usually through the prism of health studies or debate around the legality of their behaviour; they become statistics, or shadowy carriers of disease. Media… Read more »
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