High-profile Australians including Troye Sivan, Missy Higgins, and Joel Creasey have co-signed an open letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asking for a new anti-bullying program aimed at protecting LGBTIQ youth, but others have taken objection to the letter’s focus on “tolerance” over “acceptance.”
The letter, which comes after the Federal Government’s decision to cease funding for the Safe Schools program, asks Turnbull and Education Minister Simon Birmingham to implement a new platform that won’t be as “highly politicised and controversial.
“We wish not for controversy but for a program with a goal that everyone can agree on: an end to bullying and domestic violence in Australia.”
Yo @missyhiggins @troyesivan @joelcreasey your open letter is horrifying-what consultation with LGBTI activists/community did you undertake?
— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg) May 1, 2017
Promoting “tolerance,” as the new campaign puts it, certainly doesn’t seem like it’s entirely in line with that goal.
@macleanbrendan It smacks of a group of very well-meaning but disconnected people.
— Benjamin Riley (@bencriley) May 2, 2017
That perspective has been mirrored, too.
that’s what this sounds like hey. please tolerate us gays and we’ll let you pretend trans kids don’t exist
— Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) May 1, 2017
besides this aspect, & the tolerance shit, there (i assume) was no consultation with activists & experts working their guts out on this
— Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) May 1, 2017
You can check out the proposal in full, and have a look at the full list of big-name signatories, right HERE.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald / Change.org.
Photo: Emma McIntyre / Getty.