Posted on Feb 13, 2022
Newsday - Could Australian religion bill lead to LGBTQ+ discrimination? - BBC Sounds
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A controversial bill aimed at protecting religious people in Australia is being hotly debated across the country.
The Religious Discrimination Bill was introduced by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in November. He said it would ensure protection for religious people and organisations to express beliefs and avoid so-called "cancel culture".
However, many Australians believe that it could also infringe on the rights of citizens, especially those from the LGBTQ+ community.
Critics says the bill enables discrimination and would allow religious schools to exclude transgender students.
Labor MP Stephen Jones said the bill had not been thought through.
Mr Jones described how he lost his 15-year-old gay nephew, who took his own life. He also said he was worried that his own gender non-conforming teenage son may be attacked for telling people who he was.
Stephen Jones told Newsday: "I was just really determined that inside the Australian parliament, we weren't going to proceed with this debate we were having as if it was just about categories, and rights that were going to be assigned to specific categories, I wanted to talk about people".
The Religious Discrimination Bill was introduced by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in November. He said it would ensure protection for religious people and organisations to express beliefs and avoid so-called "cancel culture".
However, many Australians believe that it could also infringe on the rights of citizens, especially those from the LGBTQ+ community.
Critics says the bill enables discrimination and would allow religious schools to exclude transgender students.
Labor MP Stephen Jones said the bill had not been thought through.
Mr Jones described how he lost his 15-year-old gay nephew, who took his own life. He also said he was worried that his own gender non-conforming teenage son may be attacked for telling people who he was.
Stephen Jones told Newsday: "I was just really determined that inside the Australian parliament, we weren't going to proceed with this debate we were having as if it was just about categories, and rights that were going to be assigned to specific categories, I wanted to talk about people".
Newsday - Could Australian religion bill lead to LGBTQ+ discrimination? - BBC Sounds
Posted from bbc.co.uk
Religion
Australia
LGBTQ+
Discrimination
Rights
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Equality advocates are mobilizing against the Coalition’s revived religious discrimination bill and urging changes to ensure minority groups are not harmed by the legislation.
The federal attorney general, Michaelia Cash, met with faith and LGBTQ+ groups last week in a forum attended by the Liberal MPs Dave Sharma and Warren Entsch, who have indicated they oppose a religious freedom act that would provide legal cover for discrimination against vulnerable groups.
Other Liberal MPs and senators have indicated they are prepared to cross the floor over the contentious legislation, which the government plans to introduce to parliament in the final sitting fortnight this year.
The Equality Australia chief executive, Anna Brown, said the current draft bill remained “deeply flawed”, with unprecedented and dangerous provisions that would undermine access to healthcare and inclusive workplaces.
“It was because of these provisions that a broad chorus of voices spoke out against the bill, from industry, unions, people of faith, women, people with a disability and LGBTQ+ people,” Brown told Guardian Australia.
“This coalition is coming back together over coming weeks to highlight the level of community opposition to laws that would take us backward. We urge the government to listen and to abandon proposed laws that would privilege religious institutions and entrench new forms of discrimination.
“Instead, the new attorney general should deliver on the government’s commitment to protect LGBTQ+ students at religious schools, and wind back outdated exemptions that allow religious institutions to treat people unfairly because of who they are or whom they love.”...
..."Equality advocates are mobilizing against the Coalition’s revived religious discrimination bill and urging changes to ensure minority groups are not harmed by the legislation.
The federal attorney general, Michaelia Cash, met with faith and LGBTQ+ groups last week in a forum attended by the Liberal MPs Dave Sharma and Warren Entsch, who have indicated they oppose a religious freedom act that would provide legal cover for discrimination against vulnerable groups.
Other Liberal MPs and senators have indicated they are prepared to cross the floor over the contentious legislation, which the government plans to introduce to parliament in the final sitting fortnight this year.
The Equality Australia chief executive, Anna Brown, said the current draft bill remained “deeply flawed”, with unprecedented and dangerous provisions that would undermine access to healthcare and inclusive workplaces.
“It was because of these provisions that a broad chorus of voices spoke out against the bill, from industry, unions, people of faith, women, people with a disability and LGBTQ+ people,” Brown told Guardian Australia.
“This coalition is coming back together over coming weeks to highlight the level of community opposition to laws that would take us backward. We urge the government to listen and to abandon proposed laws that would privilege religious institutions and entrench new forms of discrimination.
“Instead, the new attorney general should deliver on the government’s commitment to protect LGBTQ+ students at religious schools, and wind back outdated exemptions that allow religious institutions to treat people unfairly because of who they are or whom they love.”...
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel - me... me... my... my... me... me... my... my... it's all about them.
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