Page 1028 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 21 April 2021
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rainbow flags outside the Legislative Assembly on Monday, 17 May to show visibility and celebrate Canberra’s sexuality and diverse community.
No doubt we are the most progressive legislature and the most progressive city in the country, Madam Speaker. That is demonstrated not only in the three out of four positive votes we saw for marriage equality, but in the very make-up of members in this legislature. I am proud to be one such member who brings their own flavour of diversity to this space.
I rise in particular to encourage LGBTQIA people—across Canberra, but in particular in my electorate of Brindabella—to please reach out to me as they start to conduct their planning for their own IDAHOBIT events. If you need a rainbow flag, let me know; I will get you one. If you need a guest speaker, I have never found a microphone I do not enjoy. If you are a young person who is interested in engaging with politics or civics and citizenship more broadly and you are dealing with the complexities of navigating this, let us say, robust space, please reach out. I want to do all I can to support Canberrans who want to one day be in this space, already planning their retirement now—well, four or five terms in the future, when we need to find another sassy gay boy to sit on the crossbenches in here.
Mr Parton: We have a different date in mind.
MR DAVIS: Do we, Mr Parton? I am sure that we had another date in mind, but I hope my continued work sees my date a bit further out than yours.
I am rising a month early, I know, in earnest, to encourage not just people in my electorate of Brindabella, but people right across Canberra who are looking at celebrating IDAHOBIT, to please reach out to my office. I want to make sure that IDAHOBIT is celebrated in every workplace, in every school, in every cul-de-sac, right across our community.
Visibility is one of the most powerful ways that we can combat prejudice and discrimination for any marginalised group. Simply bringing to the fore the things that make people unique, different and special, and highlighting them in parliaments, at parties, at music festivals and in workplaces, is the most powerful way to combat discrimination.
It goes right down to the words, doesn’t it? Look at how each one of those words—transphobia, homophobia, biphobia—concludes. Phobia, by its very definition, is fear. Fear is always overcome by knowledge; by storytelling; by meeting people who are different from you, who have a different lived experience from you. You would be surprised how it can change people.
I have invited every member in this place to an IDAHOBIT event that I intend to host here in the reception room on IDAHOBIT. I hope everybody can make it. It will be an awesome way for you to meet a diversity of rainbow Canberrans, hear their stories and hear how they found navigating being a Canberran, whether it be in accessing services, entering the workplace or whatever it may be. It will further build on your
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