Following the Daily Telegraph‘s front page yesterday, touting the alleged “uproar” from parents over a scheduled screening of Australian documentary ‘Gaybay Baby’ at Burwood Girls High School this week—eventually leading NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli to ban the film from being shown in school hours—an online petition has emerged, campaigning for the film to be shown at the school.
Launched overnight by Lucy Honan, and penned as a call to action for Burwood Girls’ High Principal Mia Kumar, the “Show Gayby Baby, Stand Up To Homophobes” change.org petition has clocked up almost 1400 signatures so far.
The petition criticises the series of events that have unfolded in the past 24 hours, calling for the film to be screened as a sign of acceptance and support towards the LGBT community.
“This film, directed by ex-Burwood Girls High School student Maya Newell is a powerful documentary about the lives of children with same-sex parents. The school’s intention to show the film during the school day shows an excellent commitment to educating all students about creating equal, respectful, diverse communities.Instead of supporting initiatives to combat homophobia in schools, the Liberal ministers’ interventions show cowardice and perpetuate bigotry and discrimination. We call on the principal of Burwood Girls High School and the school community to stand proudly against the Liberals’ homophobia and defy the ban on the screening of Gayby Baby.”
Signatories of the petition have shown firm support for the cause. “I am signing because I have a rainbow family and there is nothing controversial about that,” wrote one supporter; “I believe tolerance should be taught in all schools and that open-mindedness should be encouraged,” wrote another.
Overnight, the prefects of Burwood Girls’ High posted on their Facebook page, in a powerful statement to affirm their student body’s support of diversity, equality, and acceptance.
Despite The Daily Telegraph and columnist Piers Ackerman reporting on the widespread “outrage” and “numerous complaints” by parents at Burwood Girls’ High School over the film this week, yesterday evening, The Guardian revealed that no complaints had in fact been lodged by BGHS parents, according to a statement from the Department of Education.
Labor Senator Penny Wong wrote an opinion piece for The Guardian today, lambasting the Daily Telegraph’s “manufactured furore” over the screening, and calling for News Corp staff to watch ‘Gayby Baby’ for themselves. “I’d encourage them to turn down the outrage and watch the film. They might learn something from these kids about respect, love and tolerance,” Wong wrote.
Meanwhile, adding fuel to the tired Mebourne vs. Sydney fire, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has used the controversy to take aim at the NSW Baird Government.
“The New South Wales Liberal Government has banned a film from being shown to high school classes after a newspaper called it homosexual propaganda. I’m getting really sick of this stuff,” Andrews wrote on Facebook today.
The New South Wales Liberal Government has banned a film from being shown to high school classes after a newspaper…
Posted by Daniel Andrews on Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Those wishing to support the petition for Burwood Girls’ High to screen ‘Gayby Baby’ can do so here.
