Archive for June, 2015

Contemporary GLBTI experiences of and attitudes towards Victoria Police Survey

// June 16th, 2015 // No Comments » // Research, Within Victoria

The University of Melbourne research survey seeking views of your interactions with and attitudes towards Victoria Police has now closed. The aim of this survey is to gather the experiences and opinions of policing from gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex (GLBTI) and otherwise non-heteronormative and non-gender-normative Victorian residents. We’ll update you with further information from the researcher as its made available. Original link here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/?sm=5q51XjTCZRlajzHlQxmpoftVvlapRBSkRKVRXQ2cPPE%3D

Senator McKenzie’s brother hits out at marriage stance

// June 12th, 2015 // No Comments » // Within Australia, Within Victoria

A powerful discussion by Alastair McKenzie dissects the reality of life and discrimination in regional and rural areas where growing up gay is tough, marriage reform is shunned and young people can be left vulnerable and isolated when questioning their sexuality. A deeply personal view, especially when Alastair’s sister is a National Party senator potentially with a vote that might deliver marriage equality or not should prime minister Abbott allow coalition MPs and senators to vote with their consciences.

See the full Bendigo Advertiser article here:
http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/3143490/mckenzies-brother-hits-out-at-marriage-stance/?cs=3372

Visibility – In Light of Caitlyn Jenner, Here is the Trans-Focused Entertainment You Should be Watching

// June 5th, 2015 // No Comments » // Around the globe, Media discussion

An enlightened discussion by Tribeca Film Festival of transgender visibility, progress made but the work yet to do and why you should consider I AM CAIT and 12 other trans-focused movies and TV shows to watch now.

https://tribecafilm.com/stories/in-light-of-caitlyn-jenner-here-s-the-trans-focused-entertainment-you-should-be-watching-transwomen-film-documentary

DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE IN THE LGBTIQ COMMUNITY

// June 4th, 2015 // No Comments » // Relationship violence, Within Australia, Within Victoria

Troy Nankervis writes about domestic and family violence including many accounts that feature in a submission prepared by the National LGBTI Health Alliance to be heard in the current Senate inquiry Domestic violence in Australia. Read his piece in: Right Now – Human Rights in Australia

Anti-Violence Project Victoria executive director Greg Adkins says greater awareness is key to incite necessary changes to services and support, and that the “visibility” of the LGBTIQ community is essential in starting a better conversation. “If relationship violence is hidden all over, and awareness is down, we’re even less likely to have it discussed and so victims of violence feel even more isolated because of a lack of visibility,” he says.

How can we build awareness? “We need resources,” Adkins says. “We need not just one-off campaigns, but national and state frameworks that resource these issues.”

“Relationship violence is too important and too much of a canker in Australian society for it to be done by volunteer organisations that are unfunded.”

Dean McWhirter, the Victoria Police Family Violence Command Assistant Commissioner, agrees that cases of LGBTIQ domestic and family violence remain heavily underreported. “Research and our statistics tell us that the majority of family violence is committed by men against women. However, we know that it is an issue which affects the whole Victorian community and is under-reported in the LGBTI community,” he says.

According to Gavi Ansara, Research and Policy Manager at the National LGBTI Health Alliance, this kind of stigma often prevents victims from coming forward. “If there was less stigma and less discrimination, people would feel that it would be easier to seek support from organisations within the sector set up to do that,” he says.

http://rightnow.org.au