As we head towards the May 3 federal election, ensuring we all have access to clear, fact-based information is more important than ever – because an informed vote is a powerful vote.
As discussed in this Q&A, the challenges faced by the trans community have been highly politicised, with widespread disinformation contributing to misunderstandings and misconceptions.
Here, Jackie Turner, Director of Trans Justice Project, explores a range of issues relating to the experiences, challenges, and advocacy of the trans community in Australia, highlighting the realities behind the headlines and how we can all be better allies.
Thank you Jackie for sharing her knowledge and experiences.
Please tell us about the trans community in Australia?
The trans community is incredibly diverse. ‘Trans’ is often used as an umbrella term to encompass the entire gender-diverse community including people who are non-binary, those who don’t experience gender, and the many cultural and spiritual gender roles around the world.
Many First Nations people in so-called Australia use the terms Sistergirl or Brotherboy, meaning that they have a female or male spirit and take on those gendered roles within their community.
Can you share a bit about your journey and what being trans means to you?
I am a trans woman who has spent most of her adult life working as an organiser and campaigner on climate change and economic justice.
I knew I was trans from when I was about 23 years old, but it still took me until I was 30 years old to come out and affirm my gender.
This is a really common experience, many trans people fear that they will be rejected by their families, will struggle to find work, or will be treated badly simply because of who they are.
It’s been a long journey to navigate my way through that fear, find pride in myself, and pride in being a trans woman.
Tell us about the Trans Justice Project and what it does?
The Trans Justice Project is a national, trans-led campaigning organisation working to build a powerful movement fighting for freedom, justice, and equality for all trans and gender diverse people.
We work to support local groups, communities, and allies to take action for trans justice through training, coordination, resourcing, and strategy.
In February this year, we mobilised thousands of people across the country in our Protect Trans Youth campaign to overturn the Queensland government’s cruel ban on gender affirming care for trans youth.
Ahead of the Federal election, we are calling on individuals and candidates to sign the Trans Justice Pledge – a public commitment to fight for the freedom and equality of trans and gender-diverse people.
What issues do people in the trans community face?
We know that when trans people have access to health care, feel safe in their communities, and have the freedom to build good lives – we thrive.
Gender-affirming care is vital to the wellbeing of many people in our community. It can include access to medical care like hormones and surgery, but also things like counselling, voice training, and support services.
The issues we face are a direct result of the discrimination and historic marginalisation of our community. That’s why, for instance, half of trans and gender diverse people reported experiencing anti-trans harassment, abuse, or violence in 2022-2023.
We also know that one in three trans people have experienced homelessness and our unemployment rate is 3 times the national average.
To combat these issues we are demanding four things:
- Protect trans youth from attacks on their health care.
- Make trans healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone who needs it
- Support reforms that give trans people the same rights and protections as everyone else.
- Invest in trans lives by combatting homelessness, poverty, and unemployment.
What are some common misconceptions people have about trans people – what do you wish more people understood?
I would want people to understand that trans people have always existed. Gender diversity exists in every culture and throughout all recorded history. We are a natural and wonderful part of human diversity.
Trying to legislate us away, block our access to health care, or strip away our rights will never stop us from fighting for our right to thrive.
Do you feel trans people are fairly represented in media and politics?
I think there is much more positive representation of trans people in creative media today than when I was growing up. The fact that trans advocate Georgie Stone is able to play a character on Neighbours is something I wouldn’t have believed possible as a teen.
However this is also happening at a time when we are under unprecedented attack. Cynical politicians are using anti-trans politics as a way to attack the bodily autonomy, freedom, and equality of all of us.
This is a strategy called political scapegoating. The same people who are opposing trans people’s freedom are also campaigning to overturn the advances we have made on reproductive rights.
What changes would make the biggest difference for trans rights and inclusion?
Besides the big changes and funding that we need, something that would make a huge difference is people actually knowing a lot more about our community, and knowing more people who are a part of our community.
A recent poll found that 75 per cent of young people in the US who hold strong anti-trans views have never (to their knowledge) met a trans person in real life. This is a staggering statistic that just shows how little information people actually have about what it means to be trans.
What are the politics behind all of this? (there’s always politics).
The anti-trans lobby is exploiting the lack of familiarity that people have with the trans community to try and maintain a really outdated and patriarchal understanding of gender norms. Just like when they target any minority, they are doing this to try and win and hold onto power.
Many groups who are now anti-trans started out as anti-marriage equality organisations, or as organisations that promoted conversion practices for gay and queer youth. Over the last 5 years or so they have simply switched to attacking trans people.
The attacks on trans and gender-diverse people are in many ways a recycling of the things that people said about gay people in the 70’s and 80’s.
What’s the disinformation to look out for in regard to the trans community?
We have done a lot of work in combating anti-trans disinformation. It’s important that people know that the groups that are promoting this are specifically targeting parents to try to stoke hatred and fear, particularly when it comes to health care.
We have produced a free guide on our website called the ‘Anti-Trans Disinformation Handbook’. It goes through the most common lies used by anti-equality groups and how to challenge them.
I think the most important rule here is that there should be ‘nothing about us without us’.
Many of the groups that are opposed to trans health care do not have relationships with our community, have no clinical expertise, and don’t have our best interests at heart. This is like having Andrew Tate run a women’s health clinic.
When you encounter disinformation online ask yourself whether this group is reputable, what their agenda is, and whether trans people themselves are involved in it.
What can each of us do to address the issues you raise? How can we be more effective allies?
A big thing that people can do is to engage with our movement and decide to learn more.
We know that when people know someone who is trans they are much more likely to support us having the same rights and protections as everyone else. But currently only about one in five people in Australia actually know someone who is trans.
You can help close this gap by learning more and having conversations with the people in your life. We can’t win a better future unless a huge number of allies are taking action to support and defend our community.
You can also help by explaining how trans justice is connected with other issues that are impacting people in your community. What impacts the trans community will impact all of us because the fight for trans justice is about bodily autonomy, having the freedom to be yourself, and to be able to build a good life free from discrimination.
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Thank you to Jackie Turner from Trans Justice Project for sharing her knowledge about the trans community in Australia, the issues they face and how we can all be better allies.
In the lead up to our May 3 federal election, let’s draw the line between the issues we face and our informed vote. After all – it’s we who elect the people who make decisions on the vital issues impacting all Australians. It really is up to us!
See other articles in this Women’s Agenda series here:
- We lose more on gambling than Australia spends on aged care: A look at gambling harm and what we can do about it
- What do recent electoral reforms mean for our democracy? Kiera Peacock explains
- ‘Biases are supercharged’: Tracey Spicer on what women should know about AI
- How the death of Julie-Ann Finney’s son prompted her advocacy for better veteran mental health support
- Why becoming more politically active is the best new year’s resolution you can make
- We’ve just experienced Australia’s hottest spring on record. Here’s what that means for all of us
- What is the most powerful thing we can do to support asylum seekers and refugees? Jana Favero explains
- Why is abortion suddenly back in the headlines? Here’s what you need to know