Our community’s concerns
Over the last month, members of South Australia’s LGBTIQA+ communities have raised concerns about harmful anti-trans content in The Equality Project’s Brave Conversations podcast, episode 4 ‘What hills are worth dying on in the fight for LGBTIQA+ rights?’.
The episode, which has since been removed, featured two cisgender male leaders of LGBTIQA+ organisations, Australian organisation The Equality Project and international organisation for LGBT+ rights All Out, discussing how the broader LGBTIQA+ advocacy movement should respond to anti-trans lobby attacks on trans people’s rights to access gender affirming puberty blockers, participate in sport and public life.
Instead of combatting misinformation, our communities are concerned that the podcast episode repeated anti-trans rhetoric, relied on the flawed Cass review to cast doubt on the legitimacy of gender affirming care, and failed to include the perspectives of those with lived experience of being trans or gender diverse.
This podcast has caused some of our trans members to question whether they are “a hill worth dying on”. This should never be in question – trans lives are always worth fighting for.
The Equality Project has since issued a statement in response to these concerns which you can read here.
Our position
South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance (SARAA) does not support the content of the podcast or the defence of it as a “brave conversation”. We will always support the rights of trans and gender diverse South Australians to thrive. We know that:
- Majority of Australians believe trans people deserve the same rights and protections as other Australians, and that trans issues should not be used for political gain (Redbridge polling, March 2025)
- Puberty blockers are safe and largely reversible (Transcend Australia & AusPATH, 2024).
- The Australian model for paediatric gender‐affirming care differs to the UK and US and is highly acceptable to trans young people and their families. Many of the recommendations of the Cass review are not relevant to the Australian context (Med J Aus, 2025).
- The Cass review has been widely criticised as lacking expertise and compromised by implicit stigma. Many of the recommendations contradict international best practice (Med J Aus, 2025).
- Trans women in sport have minimal to no performance advantage over cisgender women (Trans Health Research, 2025).
Having been on the frontline supporting families of trans young people who have been subjected to viral media backlash over their right to participate in public life in recent months, we know that trans folk are often used as a political wedge. This means there’s a need for strategic and nuanced conversations about our movement’s advocacy in this space. These conversations must always centre the voices of trans and gender diverse communities and be informed by robust evidence that affirms our right to thrive.
Our participation at The Equality Project’s Better Together 2025 conference
SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance will continue to attend the Better Together 2025 conference, not because we support the views put forth in the podcast, but because we’re in a privileged position to challenge them.
LGBTIQA+ South Australians, particularly trans and gender diverse folk, have very few spaces and opportunities to connect. We refuse to let harmful views of a few deny us the rare chance to be in a space that belongs to us.
We also recognise that many folks have forked out on non-refundable flights, accommodation and tickets, and can’t afford to boycott the conference. We’ll be there to ensure they have allies on the ground.
Since the podcast episode launched we have:
- connected with key trans South Australian leaders to guide our response
- contacted The Equality Project to seek a response and additional supports for trans and gender diverse folk attending the conference
- briefed our funders on our communities concerns
- provided all staff and volunteers with the option to not attend the conference if they don’t feel safe to do so.
We are committed to:
- making a statement of support for trans and gender diverse folk at each session we’re hosting
- distributing evidence on the use of puberty blockers and trans women’s participation in sport at our exhibit stall
- opening up our exhibit stall at the conference as a safe space for trans and gender diverse folk to gather free from anti-trans rhetoric
- not supporting future events run by The Equality Project until the organisation has demonstrated accountability and strengthened their relationship with the trans community.
We respect the decisions of individuals and organisations to boycott or attend the conference based on what feels right for them, and welcome any input on how we can show up for trans and gender diverse folk.
For more information
- Living True, Living Better, an evidence-based resource pack countering harmful disinformation about gender-affirming healthcare for transgender young people, created by Transcend Australia, in partnership with AusPATH and supported by Equality Australia and LGBTIQ+ Health Australia.
- Trans Justice Project, The Anti-Trans Disinformation Handbook, a guide that gives you strategies, evidence and research and responses to common myths to help you combat anti-trans disinformation.
- Statements on the podcast from: