The following quotes can be attributed to Dr Charlie Burton, spokesperson for Equality Tasmania. Below the quotes are details of tomorrow’s media conference and newspaper ad, and Saturday’s vigil, all in support of transgender equality and inclusion, and all in Hobart. 

Response to Scott Morrison 

While electioneering in the Tasmanian division of Lyons this morning, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, endorsed Tasmanian Liberal Senator, Claire Chandler’s Bill allowing trans women to be excluded from women’s sport. 

According to Dr Burton…
“In the past few weeks the Prime Minister has shown a complete lack of empathy for trans and gender diverse Australians and now he is using us as a political football.”  

“We completely reject the cynical abuse of trans people as a weapon in the Prime Minister’s political and electoral game playing.”
“Overwhelming public and parliamentary support for protecting young transgender people from discrimination during the religious discrimination debate gives us hope that the Prime Minister is completely out-of-step with a country that prides itself on a fair go for everyone.” 

Response to Senator Claire Chandler’s Trans Exclusionary “Save Women’s Sport” Bill 

According to Dr Burton… 

“Senator Chandler’s Bill would strip transgender people of the right to live as we are, casting us into an unequal, uncertain and unsafe status in the eyes of the law.”

“In Tasmania, transgender women have been playing women’s sport and accessing women’s services for many years without any of the problems predicted by Senator Chandler.” 

“Tasmanian sporting organisations have been actively seeking guidance on how to be more inclusive, not less, with strong support from the Tasmanian Liberal Government.” 

“We reject attempts to sow fear and division about policies that have worked well and have made Tasmania a better place for everyone.” 

Tasmanian Women to Unite in Support of Transgender Inclusion 

This week Tasmanian women will show their support for the inclusion of trans and gender diverse women. 

This will include

• a media conference on the steps of Hobart Town Hall, 11am tomorrow, Feb 23th (speakers listed below)
• a community statement published tomorrow in the Hobart Mercury (copy attached)
• a vigil outside the Town Hall from 11.30am on Saturday, Feb 26th

 These actions are all in response to a public meeting in Hobart Town Hall on Saturday Feb 26th (from 12.30pm) that will protest against transgender women participating in women’s sport and accessing women’s services. 

They are also in response to a Bill introduced to the Senate by Tasmanian Liberal Senator, Claire Chandler, that seeks to reverse trans-inclusive sporting policies.  

Equality Tasmanian spokesperson, Dr Charlie Burton, said, 

“Our aim is to show that Tasmania is an inclusive community that rejects the politics of fear and division.” 

“In particular, we want to show that Tasmanian women, cisgender and transgender, stand united behind the values of inclusion and equality.” 

“Women are always stronger standing together rather than divided.” 

Media conference: 

At 11am tomorrow (Feb 23) a media conference will be held to respond to Senator Claire Chandler’s Bill and Saturday’s Town Hall meeting. Tomorrow’s speaker include former Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Robin Banks, long-time transgender equality advocate, Martine Delaney, Labor Justice spokesperson, Ella Haddad, Greens leader, Cassy O’Connor, Clark Independent, Kristie Johnston and Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Charlie Burton. 

Published community statement: 

The media conference will coincide with the publication in the Hobart Mercury of a community statement from a diverse range of community organisations, including women’s organisations, in support of equal rights and full inclusion for transgender and gender diverse people (copy attached). 

Town Hall Vigil 

On Saturday at 11.30am, again at Hobart Town Hall, women will gather for a vigil outside the meeting of the Coalition for Biological Reality’s event, ‘Gender Identity in Law’ (which starts at 12.30pm), to show their support for trans and gender diverse inclusion and to repudiate fear and division. 

For more information contact Charlie Burton on 0402 016 625.