On Saturday 1st Feb, Brisbanites gathered at King George Square to protest the Religious Discrimination Bill. The #KilltheBill protest drew members of the LGBTIQA+, women’s and abilities communities alongside people of faith to spread awareness of their experiences and concerns about the new legislation.
“We deserve an Australia that gives everyone human rights! The Religious Discrimination Bill threatens the human rights of every person in the country, some more than others. The rights and freedoms of one demographic are not mutually exclusive to another.”
We call for instead, a Federal Human Rights Act, which Australia does not yet have.” Organiser and local activist Johnny Valkyrie.
“Doctors could use the provisions under this law to do things such as: express judgement or even interrupt gender affirming treatment to trasngender patients with gender dysphoria; devalue or denigrate the value of loving relationships and parenting that exists within the LGBT+ community; dispute the existence of quality scientific evidence… or even directly block access to medication, pathology, imaging, specialist medical, surgical and psychiatric care, without offering alterntive care pathways that are affirming of LGBTQ+.
When I graduated from medical school, I had to wear a version of the Hippocratic oath that contained an ethical principle: no harm. Therefore I, like many other doctors, stand vehemently in opposition to any laws that actually permit harm rather than outlawing it.
Dr. Ryan Williams
Organiser Johnny Valkyrie has released more information on their public page. If this topic has a special place in your heart, you can catch their interviews at 4ZZZ, their work in support of drag queen reading sessions or their other local advocacy initiatives.
The event was also captured by Reality Visuals, a local LGBTQ+ operated film-making and photography business (see here).
“We will survive this.” Johnny Valkyrie
