“The unifying trans experience is rejection and repudiation.” So says Cate McGregor’s character in the Sydney Theatre Company’s production Still Point Turning: The Catherine McGregor Story.
This one line summarises a sad reality of life for trans and gender diverse people. Despite coming from different cultural, religious and class backgrounds; despite there being so much diversity of opinion and politics; and despite expressing their gender identities in so many ways; what unites them is having experienced stigma and denigration.
In Tell Me I’m Okay, author and retired sexual health doctor David Bradford relates a remarkable set of stories about growing up as a gay child in a strongly Christian family, struggling with his sexuality, serving as an army doctor in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, working as Director of the Melbourne Communicable Diseases Centre at the time of the arrival of HIV/AIDS, and in private practice with hundreds of AIDS patients, many of whom did not survive.
May 17 is IDAHOT Day and the theme is "Alliances for Solidarity."
Cate McGregor and Gordon Ramsay MLA laid a rainbow wreath paying special tribute to brave LGBTI personnel who have served with honour and to commemorate the sacrifice of all Australian and New Zealand soldiers, sailors and airmen.