Take action in 30 seconds to fight discrimination recommended by the Ruddock Religious Freedom Report

Federal parliament returns to Canberra on Mon Oct 15th, So let’s make sure our representatives know how we feel at the prospect of increased discrimination towards the LGBTQIA+ community.

We’ve written an example letter below, so it can take less than 30 seconds. 

Or you can write your own.  But please, write, and do it now.    

So, copy and paste the example letter below (changing it as you wish) and then email it to your senators to let them know why you disagree with any further discrimination against the LGBTQI Community.  (We have made it easy for you by listing the emails of senators who can be contacted by email, and listing the webform addresses of those that can’t.)

The most important thing is not the details of what you write, but rather that you send something, and send it now, to show our politicians that the supporters of LGBTQI rights are far more numerous than the detractors.

 

If you have 30 seconds, please email 8 VIC senators at once by copying and pasting the list of addresses below:

senator.carr@aph.gov.au; senator.dinatale@aph.gov.au; senator.hinch@aph.gov.au; senator.hume@aph.gov.au; senator.marshall@aph.gov.au; senator.mckenzie@aph.gov.au; senator.paterson@aph.gov.au; senator.rice@aph.gov.au;

 
 

Example Letter

Dear MP or Senator,

I’m writing to express my very strong opposition to the further discrimination against members of the LGBTQI community, as would occur if any further exemptions from discrimination laws were allowed in the name of ‘religious freedom’.

This is a basic human rights issue, and discrimination from any source towards members of the LGBTQI community should be no more tolerated than discrimination on the basis of gender, race/ethnicity or religion. 

It is also a mental health issue: discrimination and exclusion costs lives.  LGBTQI young people are five times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population, which is a direct result of discrimination and exclusion (https://lgbtihealth.org.au/statistics/), which would only increase if further exemptions to discrimination laws were given on the basis of ‘religious freedom’. 

It is my opinion that the majority of Australians would agree with the above and would in fact be horrified to learn that current laws allow some organisations (such as religious schools) exemptions from anti-discrimination laws that mean they can fire employees for being gay or lesbian, or refuse to enroll students with LGBTQI parents.  It is my opinion that these current legal exemptions are a human rights abuse and should be repealed as soon as possible, rather than being added to. 

I would also like to request that you release the Ruddock report in its entirety as soon as possible, as the continued leaks and delays is causing an enormous amount of stress for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their families.

In 2017, 61.6% of Australians voted to remove the discrimination against gay and lesbian people in the marriage law.  They did not vote for partial equality, but for full equality.

Yours Faithfully,