The PDLA: Queer as Volk?

Here’s the PDLA, one of the alphabet soups of far right patriot #hateriot Facebook sewers venting their tiny collective spleen over the supposed burning of a rainbow LGBTIQ flag in faraway Texas, USA, supposedly by Muslims.

Now given that the far right likes to think of itself as a vanguard of warriors fighting for “values” they have invented, it is rather amusing to see these self-described epitomes of Strayan masculinity and champions of homophobia getting their odorous underdaks in a knot over the destruction of the symbolic rainbow flag.

But hey, any chance to have a go at Muslims will do for them.

 EXCEPT

The story was a fake, originating from neo-Nazi website Stormfront Scumfront, the trailer park of fake bigot beatups (no link for your protection)

Read more here

So red faces all around at Piddler HQ and another own goal for the haters

Reconciliation and decolonisation in suicide prevention

#BlkRnBow        #db_1974

Guest post from Dameyon Bonson

The founder of LGBTI Indigenous Australian social network Black Rainbow, Dameyon Bonson, pens his thoughts on the lack of solid mental health data available among LGBTI Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

QUITE tragically, as you are reading these first few words there is a high probability somebody will attempt to end their life by suicide. There is even a higher probability that that somebody is part of the LGBTI community, particularly if they are at the point of self-realisation and disclosure. If that person is an Indigenous Australian, the probability amplifies yet again.

How do I know this? Because that’s what the evidence suggests. LGBTI people are said to have the highest rates of self-harm and suicide of any population in Australia. Same-sex attracted Australians are said to exhibit up to 14-times-higher rates of suicide attempts than their heterosexual peers. Yet, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were 996 suicides reported across Australia between 2001 and 2010 among Indigenous peoples. We are told that 1.6 per cent of all Australians die by suicide but for Indigenous peoples, this rate is more than 4.2 per cent, or one in every 24.

As mentioned, the evidence only suggests this because we are coalescing the data from two different groups and hypothesising the maths. In other words we aren’t really sure.

However, when we aggregate the data for the Kimberley region and take one particular town during 2012, there were 40 young people who died by suicide. That’s nearly 100 times the national average. Now, I’m not suggesting that these young people were members of the LGBTI community. However, when the social determinants affecting Aboriginal people are seen as a causation of suicidality, the question does have to be asked, what is the amplified risk if they are LGBTI?

To explore what happens when the Indigenous and LGBTI world comes together, intersectionality theory is a way of understanding and uncovering any potential health inequalities. It is also a great way to highlight those previously unknown, caused by a kaleidoscope of social inequalities, whether it be race, gender, class, and/or sexuality.

For the LGBTI community, homophobia, either perceived or actual, is a precursor to one’s level of psychological distress. And if, as suggested, same-sex attracted Australians are up to 14 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, then homophobia, transphobia, cisgenderism, biphobia, sexism, and hetereosexist behaviours play a big part in how well someone lives, and someone dying.

For Indigenous Australians, other factors are at play and overlaid. These include racism, social location, socioeconomic disparities and intergenerational trauma. The psychological distress caused by these determinants can lead to complex mental health and drug and alcohol issues, such as manifestations of violence toward oneself (self-harm) or others: domestic, family and lateral violence.

So I have raised and discussed the issues and attempted to converse about the tragedy of suicide in the least sensational or emotive way. So where to from here? I’d like to know, because I don’t have the answers. However, I do have some starting points. First, I’m going go start by sharing with you a quote. A quote that is often referred to as the Lila Watson quote: “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting our time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

Participating with the view of being part of the liberation of Indigenous people is the single most overlooked and fundamental principle of genuinely inclusive work. Being part of the liberation is also knowing when you are required and a good indication of that is when you have been asked. Don’t let an over-zealous sense of entitlement to charity or benevolence be your motivation. Also pay attention to the research. Cultural continuity is a protective factor to suicide.

The great Writing Themselves In series, Growing Up Queer report and the current research by Dr Delaney Skerritt provides opportunity for us, as Indigenous researchers and members of the Indigenous LGBTI community, to come up with strengthening solutions. The time is ripe for those who are willing to come on this journey with us, to support us and share your resources with us. I personally believe that the issues facing the Indigenous LGBTI community, once identified and workshopped to discover actions to respond, can be added as an amendment or appendant to national strategies and health plans. Structures already exist for us to coexist within. And if the collaborative work is underpinned by liberation, an enhanced sense of reconciliation can truly happen within the LGBTI community.

Dameyon Bonson is an Indigenous researcher and consultant, mental health researcher and convenor of Black Rainbow Australia. Follow him on Twitter: @db_1974

You can also follow Black Rainbow on Twitter or like their Facebook page.

Support is available for anyone who may need it. Phone Qlife 1800 184 527, Lifeline 13 11 14 or beyondblue 1300 22 4636.

**This article first appeared in the August issue of the Star Observer.

Debbie Stavro – “homosexuals who are feral with their sexual activities”

You do of course remember Victoria Police groupie and podium bigot Debbie Stavro.

This week in Victoria the focus is on the International AIDS Conference which brings together scientists and activists from all over the world who are on the front line of fighting this devastating disease.

However oblivious to this and having cleansed Victoria of “efnic crime” Debbie has now cast her gaze towards “teh_geis” as she demonstrates in the following conversation with a couple of Facebook posters:

 

Then Debbie decides that one of the posters should be chewed over on the basis that he might or might not be an “efnic” not approved of by Debbie.

Well actually Debbie he’s a Pastafarian from Gallifrey who will zap you in an instant with his noodly appendage.

Be afraid!

Do us all a favour Debbie. Catch up with the 21st Century.

Like Victoria Police and its Commissioner have done. Ken Lay is down there at the front of the police contingent in the annual Pride March held in February each year

 Protecting LGBTI people from homophobic bigots like Debbie

Open Letter to Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner

@timsout @nswpolice #auspol #ausnews

Dear Tim Soutphommasane, Race Discrimination Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission,

It was truly excellent to see you denouncing the racist buffoon Sue Wilkins Karen Bailey for her racist and child-abusive rant on a Sydney to Newcastle train last week. I mean, that’s pretty much what the majority of your job is, right? It’s up to you to hold a light to racism in our society when and where you see it and speak to the public about why it is unacceptable. Maybe change a few minds, educate a few dopes? It was also inspiring to see the NSW Police act so quickly to find the woman and have her charged. They even prepared statements to address media outlets.

So why the continued silence regarding online discrimination?

From Nazis and white supremacists to homophobes and sexists, from rape enthusiasts and disability abusers to anti-immigration nut jobs, the Internet is rife with discrimination produced in Australia by Australians who are happy to give their name, location, employment status and photo to their comments. We’ve been immortalising the comments on our website for years. Yet it takes a 50 year old dunce on a train to say the word ‘gook’ and everyone just loses their shit.

So where are you? Where are the State and Federal Police? Nowhere to be seen. It’s depressing to say the very least. Our Race Discrimination Commissioner is absent and our authorities lack interest and power.

So the old biddy has said her apologies under the pseudonym of Sue Wilkins and everybody is breathing a sigh of relief. Thank goodness we got through that, right?

Wrong.

These opinions exist in our society. It’s a fucking plague. These opinions are validated by oxygen thieves like Scott Morrison, Cory Bernardi, Tony Abbott and their bumbling supporter MPs sidekicks and accompanying Murdoch led media circus. These hate-filled discriminatory opinions bubble to the surface on public trains and buses regularly but even more regularly online and nobody appears to give two shits either way.

How can people expect to feel as though they are safe in this country if their sexual orientation, physical ability, country of origin or religion are the focus and target of so much anger and hatred? Who is there to help people who read this shit online? Who is there to help the people who are the victims or onlookers to vile discrimination? I’ve interviewed anonymous police officers several times and have been told regularly that police will not bother charging a person unless they’ve physically abused someone. The Telecommunications Act lacks teeth and it lacks officers who are willing to go after these people.

Here are some screenshots that were taken today. They are from a Facebook group set up to oppose a mosque being built in Kalgoorlie. I’m sure if you ask them on Today Tonight they’ll tell you that their opposition exists because of ‘parking and traffic concerns’ or some other bullshit. But it’s what’s simmering underneath and boiling to the surface of social media that is the all too common truth. Australia is a fucking racist country. End of story.

Do something about it Tim.

 

Same sex marriage in Sydney – our commenter has probably said it all

Peter Fraser and Gordon Stevenson decided to get married. They were married at the British Consulate in Sydney.

Fraser and Stevenson during the ceremony at the UK consulate in Sydney. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

And a comment in The Guardian from a TAB supporter said it all

If you’re upset by two men or women getting married, don’t go to a gay wedding. They probably won’t invite you anyway. If two men or women kissing,hugging,holding hands, etc etc, upsets you,don’t fucking look! Keep your head down and keep walking like the hate filled coward that you are

Source

All frocked up in Fortress Straya

Just when and where you least expect it – a military strategist on Facebook.

But there’s more

Err….isn’t that the Army contingent marching at this year’s Mardi Gras? We thought the far right didn’t approve of such things.

After all the Mardi Gras is about equality, tolerance, acceptance, celebrating one’s sexuality and having fun.

Makes a nice change from the far right which is all about homophobia, racial and religious intolerance and lots of threats of violence.

But check out Andrew’s profile pic. Certainly a nice bit of clobber for the Mardi Gras. Figure-hugging cloth of gold always goes down well – not to mention the well-muscled winged chap in the background – the one with the enormous horn.

And we really like these strategic troop movements too

The Hypocrisy of Lawrence

 

 

 

Tony Abbott and George Brandis – champions of “freedom of speech” hate speech

Flushed with the recent victory of its owner Rupert Murdoch in the Federal elections, The Australian decided to highlight what it obviously considers as a triumph for the new regime and a number one priority.

Budget cuts announced? Talks with regional partners? Business taxes? Education?

No folks, it was this (paywall).

NB If you type the article title into the Google search box you will be able to read the whole article

Some highlights (or lowlights) of the article

TONY Abbott plans to roll back Labor’s laws that limit free speech on the basis of not “giving offence”, defend religious freedom and reform the Australian Human Rights Commission.

When conservatives use the word “reform” it inevitably means a backward step. So until we hear otherwise it no doubt means that that the AHRC is going to be stifled, its powers reduced and its individual commissioners cut in number.

This would involve amending the Racial Discrimination Act, which prohibits remarks that offend others on grounds of race or ethnicity. This was the provision used to prosecute newspaper columnist Andrew Bolt.

So rabble-rousing second-rate hacks and aggro shock jocks, along with the bogotariat in the ‘burbs we deal with here will be given open slather to hate and vilify.

The text of the Act is here

Quote from Abbott:

” ….then we’ve got to allow people to say things that are unsayable in polite company

So Abbott is not only sanctioning the race to the bottom, he is happy to stand there with the starter pistol.

Tony Abbott explores the bottom

Mr Abbott’s stance on championing the right of free speech also involves support for the position of Senator Brandis that the Human Rights Commission Act may need to be amended to guarantee reform in its outlook and its promotion of traditional democratic freedoms.

In other words the AHRC, the main national safeguard against defamation and vilification of minorities, a body whose reach retired MP and former Attorney-General Nicola Roxon was hoping to strengthen and extend, is to be totally gutted – all in the name of protecting and nurturing those shonks who do not need protection.

Senator Brandis has attacked the Human Rights Commission as “an anti-discrimination commission” with little attachment to classical human rights.

Well hey George, how do you intend to go about protecting the rights of the vulnerable and the powerless….oh wait…?

Back in March we foreshadowed such changes to the Racial Discrimination Act on this blog. We can probably say that vilified minorities will have no choice in seeking remedies but to submit to the expensive and long process of civil court litigation.

Or, as is no doubt hoped by Brandis, they will silently endure defamation, harassment and vilification to keep happy all of those pure-at-heart libertarians, including members of his own party.

So is Brandis going to abolish the protected status MPs and Senators enjoy under parliamentary privilege? Like Liberals Corey Bernardi and Luke Simpkins for instance?

In fact the appalling far right stink think tank Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), a frat boy grooming club and finishing school for future Coalition pollies, has suggested that “market forces” will punish discrimination.

Yeah right…

Courts are generally rightly concerned about the impacts of racism and bigotry and sympathetic towards its unfortunate victims. However successful litigation costs money. Minorities do not have the money, sometimes do not have the language skills to easily describe their distress and sometimes do not have the experience to successfully navigate the system.

The landmark findings against anti-Semitic vilification Gutnick v Dow Jones & Company Inc, upheld later on appeal, came firstly from a case mounted by an individual with considerable personal resources and secondly from an aggrieved Jewish organisation.

The second matter resulted in contempt charges against the defendant who refused to remove anti-Semitic material from a website.

More recently a case was brought against Andrew Bolt by nine prominent Indigenous people disgusted by Bolt’s references to their ancestry and skin colour.  Mike Carlton outlines its results here. The point of the case was not so much that these prominent people necessarily felt personally humiliated by the sneeringly patronising venal remarks made by Bolt. They would not have been surprised because like us they know full well that Bolt is an ignorant boofhead kept on a chain in Murdoch’s stable specifically to stir up those stupid enough to read his drivel.

The point was that not only were they appearing in court for themselves but they represented people who would have been aggrieved and hurt but who would not necessarily have had the wherewithal or the power to pursue such a case.

It would be desirable that all those demeaned and vilified by racists and bigots could easily and affordably access legal remedies, and that the law was enabling such access.

However it looks like the Coalition is keen to close off one of these avenues, so keen that it was one of its first announcements after what has been a puzzling policy vacuum.

The Coalition and those it protects will find out that letting the dogs loose works both ways

Read more

Senator George Brandis wants you offended and insulted

Andrew Bolt: his rights, our freedom reblogged by us here

Nuts come out after the truth has bolted

The bigotry that dare not speak its name

Clueless Hugh “Biggles” Cronin and the gay Muslamic camels – or something

Meet Hugh “Biggles” Cronin, fly-boy from Queensland. Hugh no doubt does not fly a Sopwith Camel but probably ferries cashed-up corporates around in a nifty little Beechcraft Baron or Cessna 310.

So is he pleased or “somewhat threatened” to have met a gay helicopter pilot?

Why is it of interest – it’s a bit hard to get it on anyway while driving a chopper no matter how enthusiastic one may be. Try it sometime.

Biggles Takes It Rough (1963)

Next Hugh makes his opinions known about Muslims.

Biggles of the Camel Squadron (1934)

Hugh without a Clue has some difficulty distinguishing between Lebanese and Americans of Greek origin it seems.  An Indigenous person then chimes in to set Hugh right about the history of this country only to be brushed off by the Winged Whinger.

Biggles Sees Too Much (1970)

Biggles in Australia (1955)

Book titles from here