Latest news with #LGBTIQA+
The Advertiser
16-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
'I didn't know the word lesbian': How LGBTIQA+ lives have changed across decades
When Laura Martinez, 27, introduced her girlfriend to her family, they welcomed her with open arms, a stark contrast to what coming out was like in years past. Cheryl Szollosi, 62, who stayed closeted for 10 years to keep her job in the Air Force, said she found it amazing that young people today could just be themselves. "They are so lucky - I wish I could have done that at my age," Ms Szollosi said. "It's just a sign of the times." ACM masthead, The Courier spoke with three people from different generations about their experiences growing up LGBTQA+. Helen Watson, 77, grew up in a small country town near Shepparton, VIC. "I didn't know anyone who was LGBTQ+. It's not to say they weren't there, but I didn't know them," Ms Watson said. "I think a lot of people lived quietly and out of sight." Ms Watson realised she was different in her early 20s, around the 1970s. "I didn't know the words, lesbian, gay, trans. None of those were part of my vocabulary. None of them were part of what I understood," she said. But Ms Watson's father told her a story about a family in Melbourne who were extremely well-known. "The tragedy that befell them happened when the daughter had left her husband and gone off with another woman. It was very clear. That was bad," she said. The 77-year-old said she spent years finding a community for her to belong to. "It was not easy. I was in my late 40s to find one," she said. Ms Szollosi knew "there was something wrong" when she was in primary school. "I just knew I was different, but don't know what it was," the 62-year-old said. "Then I joined the Air Force. This was in the 1980s when it was illegal to be gay. So I had to be closeted for 10 years. "I was just mortified that I could lose my job just for being who I was." Ms Szollosi finally came out and told her mum when she was 33 years old. "My mum never spoke to me after I came out to her," she said. Ms Martinez started talking to her friends about being queer when she was 15 years old. "For me, I think it just means how I choose to live and who I choose to be with, and it's just different from the norm," the 27-year-old said. "I had a very close community of friends who we flocked together - some of my friends were queer or some were straight, but very comfortable with everyone. "It's a very diverse community as well. I just think it's free to be whatever you want to be." Last year, Ms Martinez first introduced her girlfriend to her family. "[They] were all fine with it. Some of them said that it was not new information to them," she said. Ms Martinez said each year she would do something with the community to celebrate the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on May 17. It was the day that homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organisation's list of psychiatric diseases in 1990. Having witnessed society's changing attitudes toward the LGBTIQA+ community, Ms Szollosi said things were getting better and better. "Now, we have got equality rights, marriage rights. But we are still a minority," Ms Szollosi said. "As a community, we all bond together. We look after each other." When Laura Martinez, 27, introduced her girlfriend to her family, they welcomed her with open arms, a stark contrast to what coming out was like in years past. Cheryl Szollosi, 62, who stayed closeted for 10 years to keep her job in the Air Force, said she found it amazing that young people today could just be themselves. "They are so lucky - I wish I could have done that at my age," Ms Szollosi said. "It's just a sign of the times." ACM masthead, The Courier spoke with three people from different generations about their experiences growing up LGBTQA+. Helen Watson, 77, grew up in a small country town near Shepparton, VIC. "I didn't know anyone who was LGBTQ+. It's not to say they weren't there, but I didn't know them," Ms Watson said. "I think a lot of people lived quietly and out of sight." Ms Watson realised she was different in her early 20s, around the 1970s. "I didn't know the words, lesbian, gay, trans. None of those were part of my vocabulary. None of them were part of what I understood," she said. But Ms Watson's father told her a story about a family in Melbourne who were extremely well-known. "The tragedy that befell them happened when the daughter had left her husband and gone off with another woman. It was very clear. That was bad," she said. The 77-year-old said she spent years finding a community for her to belong to. "It was not easy. I was in my late 40s to find one," she said. Ms Szollosi knew "there was something wrong" when she was in primary school. "I just knew I was different, but don't know what it was," the 62-year-old said. "Then I joined the Air Force. This was in the 1980s when it was illegal to be gay. So I had to be closeted for 10 years. "I was just mortified that I could lose my job just for being who I was." Ms Szollosi finally came out and told her mum when she was 33 years old. "My mum never spoke to me after I came out to her," she said. Ms Martinez started talking to her friends about being queer when she was 15 years old. "For me, I think it just means how I choose to live and who I choose to be with, and it's just different from the norm," the 27-year-old said. "I had a very close community of friends who we flocked together - some of my friends were queer or some were straight, but very comfortable with everyone. "It's a very diverse community as well. I just think it's free to be whatever you want to be." Last year, Ms Martinez first introduced her girlfriend to her family. "[They] were all fine with it. Some of them said that it was not new information to them," she said. Ms Martinez said each year she would do something with the community to celebrate the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on May 17. It was the day that homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organisation's list of psychiatric diseases in 1990. Having witnessed society's changing attitudes toward the LGBTIQA+ community, Ms Szollosi said things were getting better and better. "Now, we have got equality rights, marriage rights. But we are still a minority," Ms Szollosi said. "As a community, we all bond together. We look after each other." When Laura Martinez, 27, introduced her girlfriend to her family, they welcomed her with open arms, a stark contrast to what coming out was like in years past. Cheryl Szollosi, 62, who stayed closeted for 10 years to keep her job in the Air Force, said she found it amazing that young people today could just be themselves. "They are so lucky - I wish I could have done that at my age," Ms Szollosi said. "It's just a sign of the times." ACM masthead, The Courier spoke with three people from different generations about their experiences growing up LGBTQA+. Helen Watson, 77, grew up in a small country town near Shepparton, VIC. "I didn't know anyone who was LGBTQ+. It's not to say they weren't there, but I didn't know them," Ms Watson said. "I think a lot of people lived quietly and out of sight." Ms Watson realised she was different in her early 20s, around the 1970s. "I didn't know the words, lesbian, gay, trans. None of those were part of my vocabulary. None of them were part of what I understood," she said. But Ms Watson's father told her a story about a family in Melbourne who were extremely well-known. "The tragedy that befell them happened when the daughter had left her husband and gone off with another woman. It was very clear. That was bad," she said. The 77-year-old said she spent years finding a community for her to belong to. "It was not easy. I was in my late 40s to find one," she said. Ms Szollosi knew "there was something wrong" when she was in primary school. "I just knew I was different, but don't know what it was," the 62-year-old said. "Then I joined the Air Force. This was in the 1980s when it was illegal to be gay. So I had to be closeted for 10 years. "I was just mortified that I could lose my job just for being who I was." Ms Szollosi finally came out and told her mum when she was 33 years old. "My mum never spoke to me after I came out to her," she said. Ms Martinez started talking to her friends about being queer when she was 15 years old. "For me, I think it just means how I choose to live and who I choose to be with, and it's just different from the norm," the 27-year-old said. "I had a very close community of friends who we flocked together - some of my friends were queer or some were straight, but very comfortable with everyone. "It's a very diverse community as well. I just think it's free to be whatever you want to be." Last year, Ms Martinez first introduced her girlfriend to her family. "[They] were all fine with it. Some of them said that it was not new information to them," she said. Ms Martinez said each year she would do something with the community to celebrate the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on May 17. It was the day that homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organisation's list of psychiatric diseases in 1990. Having witnessed society's changing attitudes toward the LGBTIQA+ community, Ms Szollosi said things were getting better and better. "Now, we have got equality rights, marriage rights. But we are still a minority," Ms Szollosi said. "As a community, we all bond together. We look after each other." When Laura Martinez, 27, introduced her girlfriend to her family, they welcomed her with open arms, a stark contrast to what coming out was like in years past. Cheryl Szollosi, 62, who stayed closeted for 10 years to keep her job in the Air Force, said she found it amazing that young people today could just be themselves. "They are so lucky - I wish I could have done that at my age," Ms Szollosi said. "It's just a sign of the times." ACM masthead, The Courier spoke with three people from different generations about their experiences growing up LGBTQA+. Helen Watson, 77, grew up in a small country town near Shepparton, VIC. "I didn't know anyone who was LGBTQ+. It's not to say they weren't there, but I didn't know them," Ms Watson said. "I think a lot of people lived quietly and out of sight." Ms Watson realised she was different in her early 20s, around the 1970s. "I didn't know the words, lesbian, gay, trans. None of those were part of my vocabulary. None of them were part of what I understood," she said. But Ms Watson's father told her a story about a family in Melbourne who were extremely well-known. "The tragedy that befell them happened when the daughter had left her husband and gone off with another woman. It was very clear. That was bad," she said. The 77-year-old said she spent years finding a community for her to belong to. "It was not easy. I was in my late 40s to find one," she said. Ms Szollosi knew "there was something wrong" when she was in primary school. "I just knew I was different, but don't know what it was," the 62-year-old said. "Then I joined the Air Force. This was in the 1980s when it was illegal to be gay. So I had to be closeted for 10 years. "I was just mortified that I could lose my job just for being who I was." Ms Szollosi finally came out and told her mum when she was 33 years old. "My mum never spoke to me after I came out to her," she said. Ms Martinez started talking to her friends about being queer when she was 15 years old. "For me, I think it just means how I choose to live and who I choose to be with, and it's just different from the norm," the 27-year-old said. "I had a very close community of friends who we flocked together - some of my friends were queer or some were straight, but very comfortable with everyone. "It's a very diverse community as well. I just think it's free to be whatever you want to be." Last year, Ms Martinez first introduced her girlfriend to her family. "[They] were all fine with it. Some of them said that it was not new information to them," she said. Ms Martinez said each year she would do something with the community to celebrate the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on May 17. It was the day that homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organisation's list of psychiatric diseases in 1990. Having witnessed society's changing attitudes toward the LGBTIQA+ community, Ms Szollosi said things were getting better and better. "Now, we have got equality rights, marriage rights. But we are still a minority," Ms Szollosi said. "As a community, we all bond together. We look after each other."
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Straits Times
Australian cops arrest dozens over LGBTQ dating app-linked assaults
SYDNEY - More than 30 people – mostly male teenagers – have been arrested over a series of attacks on men in Australia who were lured over LGBTQ dating apps like Grindr, police said May 9. Videos of some attacks were posted to social media accounts, Victoria state police said. Several different groups of alleged offenders were involved. The suspects, most aged from 13 to 20, were accused of contacting victims on dating apps or social media, then assaulting, robbing and threatening them, as well as making homophobic insults. 'It's mainly occurring on Grindr but also Scruff and Snapchat,' a police spokesperson said. Among the more than 30 arrests made since October 2024, police detained three boys aged 13, 14, and 15 for alleged armed robbery, violent disorder and false imprisonment. 'There is absolutely no place for this type of concerning behaviour in our society. It will not be tolerated,' Victoria police acting superintendent Carolyn Deer said in a statement. 'We know this has been a distressing situation for the victims involved – and these arrests show just how serious we are in holding offenders to account,' Ms Deer said. She added that police were 'committed to the safety and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ communities'. Police said they were working with dating app providers as part of the investigation, seeking to provide users with safety messaging, reporting options and details of support services. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
ABC News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Tasmanian equality campaigner Rodney Croome 'overjoyed' at Burnie Council's LGBTIQA+ advisory group
As Burnie City Council voted to establish an LGBTIQA+ advisory group on Tuesday night, members of the community applauded from the gallery — among them long-time equality campaigner Rodney Croome. Councillors voted 8 to 1 to develop the advisory group and develop an action plan to address discrimination. Mr Croome — a prominent advocate for LGBTIQA+ people in Tasmania for over 30 years and a key voice during Tasmania's decriminalisation debates in the 1990s — said he was "overjoyed" by the result. Photo shows The rainbow pride flag flying above town hall and people gather below it. Ulverstone, a town once the flashpoint for the debate on decriminalising homosexuality in Tasmania, raises the rainbow pride flag over its council chambers. "As someone who's been involved in that 30-year journey for Tasmania, this is one of the most important milestones for me," Mr Croome said. "It might seem like something small to others, that the council is simply convening a group and developing a document. "But the council's support for greater inclusion sends a really strong message that the North West Coast and Tasmania in general have really turned a corner." During the 1990s when there were anti-gay rallies in Burnie and in other parts of the state, Mr Croome said he hoped Tasmania could become a more inclusive and equal society, but it was hard to imagine at the time. "I certainly wouldn't have imagined the Burnie City Council taking such proactive steps to foster inclusion for LGBTQIA-plus people," he said. Rodney Croome pictured during his arrest in 1988 at Hobart's Salamanca Market for defying a ban on a stall featuring petitions to decriminalise homosexual activity. ( Supplied: Roger Lovell ) Deputy Mayor Giovanna Simpson tabled the motion and said she was overwhelmed by the "support and passion" of the people in the gallery. "I'm just really happy that it's passed, and we can actually move forward with this and get something in place so that everyone feels safe and secure," Cr Simpson said. 'We were behind' The new advisory group and action will follow the lead of other councils across Tasmania, who have taken similar steps to consult local LGBTIQA+ communities and develop action plans to fight discrimination, and improve inclusivity. The adoption of action plans by other councils include the training of council staff in LGBTQIA+ related issues, and in developing more inclusive services for the community. Deputy Mayor Giovanna Simpson tabled the motion. ( ABC News: Lachlan Bennett ) Cr Simpson said the existence of these action plans in other municipalities prompted her to ask why Burnie wasn't doing the same. "We were behind, definitely … I don't want it to be that way anymore," she said. While other councils in the state have implemented action plans, Burnie City Council is the first in the state's North West coast to do so, a fact that Mr Croome applauds. "I've got no doubt that Burnie's leadership on this issue will encourage other municipalities particularly in the North West of Tasmania to do the same," he said. While the motion had broad support from councillors, a single vote against the motion came from Cr Trent Aitken, who proposed an alternative motion deferring judgement on the group's establishment to the general public, via an elector's poll. "I believe we need to be fair and just to all groups in the community. But the motion before us, asks us to take another step, and to put one group of people above another. I can not support that, as we should all be equal," Cr Aitken said. Croome warns against complacency If you or anyone you know needs help: Mr Croome says he hopes overwhelming support for the motion will move Cr Aitken to reconsider his views. "I hope it sends a message to counsellor Aitken that he really needs to sit back and think about his views and his expression of those, that he'll take the opportunity to go out and talk to LGBTQIA+ people living in Burnie and find out what their lives are really like," he said. The council will now consult with members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their families, as well as service providers to develop the new action plan. Despite the progress that Tasmania has made on LGBTQIA+ issues, Mr Croome said advocates for equality shouldn't become complacent in fighting discrimination and stigma. "To have councils like the Burnie City Council sending such a strong message of inclusion helps us to address that continuing prejudice and discrimination," Mr Croome said.
The Guardian
13-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Labor announces $10m to provide ‘inclusive, culturally safe' healthcare for LGBTQ+ Australians
Labor would provide health workers with training to care for LGBTIQA+ Australians in a $10m package to upskill doctors and nurses alongside a new accreditation program, the health minister, Mark Butler, has said. The election promise, to be announced on Monday, would see Labor contract a training provider to design programs to train healthcare workers to help give 'inclusive, culturally safe primary care' for gay, lesbian and gender-diverse Australians. 'A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will continue to work in partnership with the LGBTIQA+ community to improve inclusive care nationwide,' Butler said. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter The minister's office said that after the election Labor wouldopen a competitive grants process to choose a training provider. It is understood the exact details of the course, and what specific issues or factors it would address, would be contingent on the program designed by the successful provider. The government pointed to related health announcements – including grants for health services, greater data collection, health and medical research, efforts to address HIV transmission, mental health supports and expanding IVF access – in making the announcement. Labor said it would also introduce a voluntary accreditation program 'so that healthcare providers can be recognised for meeting best practice for LGBTIQA+ care, helping patients identify safe and trusted services'. 'I am proud of the strides we've taken in our first term of government, from securing PrEP during supply shortages, to investing in medical research and delivering the first ever LGBTIQA+ Health Action Plan,' Butler said. The assistant health minister, Ged Kearney, said the funding would aim to 'break down the barriers that prevent too many LGBTIQA+ Australians from getting the care they need'. The Health Equity Matters chief executive, Dash Heath-Paynter, said a focus on providing appropriate care for gender- and sexuality-diverse Australians was 'vital'. 'With higher-than-normal rates of mental and physical health challenges, this funding directly addresses critical barriers to care,' Heath-Paynter said. Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion He said training and accreditation would help create settings where 'people can seek treatment without fear of discrimination or stigma'. LGBTIQ+ Health Australia's chair, Carolyn Gillespie, said a lack of inclusivity could be a barrier to seeking care. 'Building the capacity of primary care to ensure LGBTIQA+ people have equitable access is greatly needed,' she said. 'It is critical that this commitment supports LGBTIQA+ community-controlled health and wellbeing organisations to play a central role so that ongoing meaningful relations with Primary Health Networks can be enhanced and sustained.'
