Freedom of expression, association and assembly Australia

Amnesty joins chorus of LGBTIQ+ allies in support of religious discrimination protections

Amnesty International Australia has joined more than 50 LGBTIQ+ advocates, organisations and allies in a joint statement in support of an affirming Religious Discrimination Act.

Joint LGBTIQ+ community statement in support of religious discrimination protections

We, the undersigned LGBTIQ+ advocates, organisations and allies, place on the public record our support for protections from discrimination for people of all faiths, and for people who don’t hold religious beliefs, provided these laws do not sanction new forms of discrimination against others.

As members of LGBTIQ+ communities, we have seen and experienced firsthand the immense harm discrimination causes. Discrimination has a devastating impact on physical and mental health, and an individual’s sense of acceptance and belonging.

We strongly believe that no one should be treated as ‘less than’ because of who you are or what you believe.

For more than forty years, we have advocated for the removal of discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics. We have stood in solidarity with women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability and many others in their fight for equal treatment under the law.

So too we stand with all people of faith in their fight against discrimination because of their religious beliefs, including discrimination against people because they don’t hold religious beliefs. We recognise and acknowledge the many LGBTIQ+ people of faith, and the positive steps taken by many faith groups and schools to model genuine inclusion, showing how the rights of all can be integrated harmoniously.

We call on the Australian Parliament to introduce laws that appropriately strengthen that shield of protection for people facing discrimination because of their religious beliefs or because they don’t hold religious beliefs.

Equally, we caution the Australian Parliament against laws that would give some people within society a ‘sword’ to use their beliefs to harm others by cutting through existing anti-discrimination protections.

We will oppose any new laws which would give religious groups a license to discriminate against others in a way that would sanction mistreatment or wind back the clock on equality.

And we will continue to call for the removal of existing laws which allow religious schools to exclude and discriminate against LGBTQ students and teachers across the country, and from critical government funded services.

Australia has long prided itself as being the land of the fair go. Australians have consistently demonstrated that they value equality before the law – as shown by the overwhelming majority who voted YES during the marriage equality postal survey, including people of faith.

Australia is well on the path towards becoming a more equal place, and we support fair and balanced protections from discrimination for all people which move us forward on this journey.

Signatories:

  1. A Gender Agenda
  2. ACON
  3. ACT LGBTIQ Ministerial Advisory Council
  4. Activate Church
  5. AIDS Action Council
  6. AIS Support Group Australia
  7. Aleph Melbourne
  8. Amnesty International Australia
  9. Australian Catholics for Equality
  10. Australian Council of Social Services
  11. Australian GLBTIQ Multicultural Council
  12. Australian Marriage Equality
  13. Australian Transgender Support Association of Queensland
  14. Bisexual Community Perth
  15. Curtin University Centre for Human Rights Education
  16. Democracy in Colour
  17. Equal Voices
  18. Equality Australia
  19. Equality Gilmore
  20. Equality Tasmania
  21. Gay & Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW
  22. GLBTI Rights in Ageing
  23. Goulburn Valley Pride
  24. Human Rights Law Centre
  25. Intersex Human Rights Australia
  26. Just Equal
  27. LGBTI Legal Service
  28. Minus 18
  29. National LGBTI Health Alliance
  30. Parents of Gender Diverse Children
  31. PFLAG Tasmania
  32. Public Interest Advocacy Centre
  33. Queensland AIDS Council
  34. Queer Society
  35. Rainbow Families NSW
  36. Rainbow Families Victoria
  37. Rainbow Territory
  38. Social Justice Commission of the Uniting Church of Western Australia
  39. South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance
  40. Stonewall
  41. Switchboard
  42. The Equality Project
  43. The Pinnacle Foundation
  44. Thorne Harbour Health
  45. Trans Folk of WA
  46. Trans Health Australia
  47. Transcend Support
  48. Transgender Victoria
  49. Twenty10
  50. Uniting Church LGBTIQ Network
  51. Victorian Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby
  52. Welcoming Australia
  53. Zoe Belle Gender Collective

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