With the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) on this week we're having a closer look at the issues confronting the LGBTIQ+ community.
On everyone's watch list this election is Marriage Equality, the Australian Sex Party has a very clear position on this:
We don't need a plebiscite it's a costly exercise, which will only tell us what we already know, Australia supports same-sex marriage.
If elected the Australian Sex Party will push for marriage equality to be legislated immediately.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Australian Sex Party was the first to develop policy to ensure LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers are not resettled by Australia in countries where they could be persecuted for their sexuality.
We also call for the development of new guidelines for assessing asylum claims involving LGBTIQ+ status.
More funding to be allocated to organisations that support LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers and refugees.
All government staff involved in the processing of asylum claims receive sensitivity training and adhere to best practice in determining asylum claims.
This year Australian Sex Party Leader, Fiona Patten, voted in the Victorian Parliament to amend the adoption bill to explicitly allow adoption by Same-Sex Couples.
With Fiona's vote the Adoption Amendment (Adoption by Same-Sex Couples) Bill 2015 did pass the upper house. However, in a disappointment that clearly shows how far Victoria still has to go, an amendment allowing religious organisations to continue discriminating against Same-Sex Couples was also pushed through.
"An organisation that is set up to help with the formation of new families should not be entitled to deny a child the perfect home based on their religious views," Fiona said.
"That's not religious freedom, that's just discrimination."
International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia
Tomorrow is IDAHOT day, this year the focus is Mental Health and Wellbeing. As the UN put it last week:
“Pathologization of LGBT adults and children - branding them as ill based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression - has historically been, and continues to be, one of the root causes behind the human rights violations that they face. It is also an obstacle to overcoming negative attitudes, stereotypes, and the multiple barriers for the realization of LGBT people’ s most fundamental human rights."
For more information on IDAHOT and the events planned for tomorrow you can visit their website or facebook page.
