We need stronger protections from anti-LGBTIQA+ hate.
Children have the right to be able to safely attend events where they can see themselves and their families represented, and feel they belong.
But with no laws to protect us from hate speech and vilification, our families and children were left to face harmful harassment and abuse at a recent Rainbow Storytime event celebrating inclusion.
Salisbury Council has stood up to champion diversity and inclusion this week in the face of LGBTIQA+ hate and vilification.
Rainbow Storytime, featuring drag performer Fifi, was hosted at Salisbury Library on Monday as part of Libraries SA’s school holiday Firstival.
The event delivered a message of belonging and respect, sharing stories of inclusion and celebrating the diversity in our lives.
Yet parents and children attending the event were met by a small but vocal group of protestors spreading vile abuse and anti-LGBTIQA+ hate.
Local councils play a pivotal role in bringing local people together to create safe, healthy, welcoming and connected communities. One attendee parent stated:
“We were so grateful to be greeted inside by the warm and welcoming council and library staff. I was definitely shaking. The event itself was such a stark contrast of abundant kindness and care.”
And that’s exactly what drag storytime events do - teaching acceptance, providing family-friendly queer role models and providing nurturing environments for children to understand the diversity of gender expression.
Sadly, families and children attending Rainbow Storytime faced abuse and harassment, with a perceived lack of action to protect the safety of our families and young people. Another community member told us:
“When I asked a police officer to intervene he curtly told me he can’t stop people from talking. SAPOL were pretty poor in my opinion. They let people get right up near kids and scream at them. There was very little protection outside the building.”
While we’re disappointed and disheartened, we’re not at all surprised.
Currently, LGBTIQA+ South Australians have no protection from vilification and hate speech under South Australian law, with our Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA) remaining silent on the matter of hatred towards minority groups.
This limits the ability of local councils, SA Police and other authorities to properly deal with hate and abuse.
Our lack of protection is out of step with other Australian states, with protections available in NSW, QLD, TAS and ACT, and new laws being considered in Victoria.
Queer communities have put up with this kind of harassment from anti-LGBTIQA+ protesters for years and with attacks on the rise we need stronger laws that protect LGBTIQA+ communities from hate.
We call on the South Australian government make it unlawful to incite hate, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of, a person or group on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, intersex status, HIV/AIDS status, disability, race or religion.