GLBTI

Thanks to everyone who participated in the first ever Gay and Lesbian, Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant comment Awards - the GLORIAs.

40 nominations were received in 7 different categories (Politics, Religion, Sport, Media, Law, Online/Misc and silliest GLBTI).

Over
2000 votes were cast online to decide the winners in each category. The
golden GLORIA was decided via a "boo off" by those who attended the
dinner.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott won the Golden GLORIA for the comment of the year about the GLBTI community.

The winners in each category were

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE (Parliamentary Secretary) [9.17 p.m.]: I
support the Relationships Register Bill 2010. This bill represents
another important step down the path to full equality for same-sex
couples in this State. The path to equality for same-sex couples has
been a long one, and it is still not complete. It was the Wran Labor
Government that first decriminalised homosexual activity between
consenting adults. It was the Wran Labor Government that introduced the
De Facto Relationships Act in 1984. That legislation was the first in
Australia to give legal rights to people living in de facto
relationships to seek court orders for an adjustment of property
interests when their relationships broke down. It was 1999 when Jeff

Have you ever yelled at the television, newspaper, radio or the computer when you have seen yet another offensive or stupid comment about the GLBTI community?

I have.

Tired of yelling, I have started a fun awards night called the GLORIA's (Gay and Lesbian, Outrageous, Ridiculous, Ignorant comments Awards)

I want you to nominate the comment that has most annoyed, angered, outraged or bemused you in the past year.

Comments can be nominated in seven categories (Media, Sport, Politics, Law, Religion, Online and Silliest GLBTI comment made from within the GLBTI community) until Thursday 22 April 2010.

Yesterday I chaired a session at the 4Rs conference. The 4Rs is being held in Sydney this week and aims to shine light on the issues that Australia needs to take forward to build a more socially inclusive future.

My session was on GLBT rights and I was fortunate to  hear from speakers, Mark Orr from ACON, Professor Jenni Millbank from UTS and Labor Senator Louise Pratt from WA. They articulated a very clear to do list of the reforms still needed.

Inquiries into three Bills introduced by the Federal Government as part of their commitment to remove discrimination against same-sex couples and their children from Federal legislation are closing soon.

Following on from the Same Sex: Same Entitlements report into discrimination faced by same-sex couples, HREOC have released an Issues paper exploring the human rights issues faced by people who are transgender, transsexual or intersex.

The Issues paper is a short analysis of some sex and gender diversity issues and their human rights implications.

The Attorney General, John Hatzistergos today announced that the Labor Government will introduce laws that give parental recognition to lesbians who have kids together. The government will also move on an additional 50 laws to extend equal rights to same sex defacto couples.

This is important reform that gives children of lesbian parents equal rights in workers compensation and victim compensation payments, inheritance rights, recognition of both parents by schools and health authorities.

With these wise words from Daniel Swaine I attended the opening session of the NSW Anti Homophobia Interagency Conference - That's So Gay. Daniel spoke eloquently of the experience of students in our schools and the need for our school systems to tackle hompohobia head on to provide safety and recognition of identity for same sex attracted young people.

The conference also heard from Azlan Currie. Azlan is a primary school student from northern NSW who happens to have two mums. She gave a very funny insight into her life and how she explains the ordinary to those who consider her life extraordinary.

You know when Rove asks his special guest every week who they would turn gay for - today when I attended the launch of the HREOC launch of Same- Sex - Same Entitlements Report I considered that I would be prepared to turn straight for Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes.

As part of World AIDS day there are a number of events happening around NSW. Check out the ACON site for all the details.

This afternoon I will be launching a new sexual health resource for youth workers. developed by the Youth Accommodation Association, this kit assists youth workers to begin dialogue with young people (in particular those who are homeless) about sexual health.