Hundreds of people have shown their support for the young transgender community in Geelong during a nationwide rally against the Queensland government.
More than 300 people gathered in Johnstone Park for the Trans Justice Project’s Protect Trans Youth Day of Action in Geelong’s CBD, organised by Geelong Rainbow on Saturday, February 8.
The day of action aims to oppose Queensland health minister Tim Nicholls’ decision to pause prescriptions of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to new public health patients under 18 years old.
Geelong Rainbow vice president and trans woman Audrey Stringer said she was glad to see members of the gender-diverse community and their allies “out and proud”.
“Over half a dozen queer and trans youth got up and did speeches and held microphones during the rally,” she said.
“I’m 28 now, but if I had the language when I was a teenager to understand what being trans meant, I would have definitely gone on hormone blockers.
“It’s becoming more common because the people in our community have always existed, but there’s actual language and solid research for kids to understand what being trans means.
“Whereas when I was an early teenager, the research was very underground, and it was not really something that was spoken about a lot because there was a lot of taboo around that topic.”
Trans Justice Project director Jackie Turner said Mr Nicholls’ decision would halt evidence-based healthcare for 491 young people and their families in Queensland.
“This cruel ban is the first of its kind in Australia, and it must be reversed immediately,” he said.
“Governments cannot be allowed to ban vital, evidence-based healthcare solely on the basis of their political beliefs.”
