The Latrobe City Council in Victoria, Australia, has passed a motion of support for the LGBTIQA+ community, opposing transphobia and transmisogyny. The decision comes after a council member, Councillor Melissa Ferguson, published a series of “reprehensible” and “harmful” tweets that were critical of transgender rights activists.
During a council meeting, Councillor Tracie Lund proposed the motion, acknowledging her daughter’s concern about the rise of anti-trans sentiment in the state and their own city. The council’s motion of support follows a protest against transgender rights on the steps of the Victorian parliament.
Councillor Ferguson’s tweets, which included misinformation about vulnerable people, were widely condemned by the Gippsland Pride Initiative and Harriet Shing, the first openly lesbian member of the Victorian Parliament. The council spokesperson confirmed that the matter was being taken seriously and had been discussed with Councillor Ferguson, who abstained from voting on the motion.
The council’s chief executive, Steve Piasente, clarified that the motion of support is a reassurance to the trans and gender-diverse community and does not bind the council to future decisions. Co-lead of the Rainbow Local Government campaign Sean Mulcahy stressed the importance of elected officials publicly making supportive comments, despite the tendency to dismiss such actions as “virtue signalling”.
While the council’s decision to oppose transphobia and transmisogyny is a positive step, it highlights the ongoing discrimination and marginalization faced by the transgender community. Support services for the LGBTQI+ community are crucial, and ABCQueer has compiled a list of national and state-based services relevant to LGBTQI+ people, their families, and friends.
Public support is a crucial tool in the fight against transphobia and transmisogyny, and the Latrobe City Council’s motion of support is a step in the right direction. However, more action is needed to create a safe and inclusive environment for all members of the transgender community.