People with Disability Australia (PWDA) wholly condemns the anti-trans rally and hate speech held outside the Victoria parliament on the weekend and stands in solidarity with the trans and gender diverse (TGD) community along with Equality Australia in calling out this hateful vilification.
"We stand with statements and support from others around the country calling for an urgent need for Victoria and other jurisdictions to expand anti-vilification laws to cover LGBTIQ+ people including those at the intersections of gender, disability, race, faith, ethnicity and trans and gender identity" said President of PWDA, Nicole Lee.
"We denounce the ugly display of transphobia and racist ideology we witnessed on the weekend on the steps of the very place that represents freedom and dignity in our multicultural society," said Ms Lee. "This hate-filled behaviour has no place in modern-day Australia," she said.
"We reassure all trans and gender diverse people with disability, you are an important, valuable part of Australian society, and we champion your right to live with dignity, safety and security. You are not alone in this. More people stand with you all in solidarity than those who choose a path of bigotry and hate," said Ms Lee.
People with Disability Australia calls upon state and federal governments to strengthen legal protections against all forms of hate speech including vilification based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
