Safe Schools and Gender Fluidity

Safe Schools and Gender Fluidity: Conservative Christian Hype v’s Reality.

In 1997 Tasmania became the last Australian state to decriminalize consensual homosexual acts between adult men. There was nothing remarkable about this, except the length of time it had taken. The push toward gay law reform in Tasmania, commencing, in the 1970’s.

What this meant and what I witnessed amongst my own teenage peer group, was not only uncomfortable but also painful to watch.

There are two things, which resonate the loudest, to this day:

1.     During the height of the AIDS crisis, information and education was not provided to Tasmanian students, or was restricted to HSC (now TCE) students only. Despite the fact that HIV was no longer a ‘gay disease’ but was now virulent amongst the heterosexual community. Thus placing all sexually active Tasmanian teens at risk.

2.     Almost all of my LGBT friends did not ‘come out’ until they were old enough to leave Tasmania. Many forming ‘camouflage relationships with sympathetic friends of the opposite gender.

Imagine for one moment living and growing up in this environment. Unable to be open and truthful about whom, you are. Then consider how this would affect your own mental health.

Luckily, nationally, this is no longer the case. What I see now amongst the peer groups my teenage niece and nephews is quite the opposite. They are able to be open, honest and comfortable with themselves, their sexuality and relationships – whatever that might be and to the greater extent, their peer groups are completely accepting.

Unfortunately, in Australia we are now witnessing a rise from the fundamentalist Christian Conservative, politicians, press, Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) and shock jocks such as cranky pants Latham. Lyle Shelton is becoming incredibly vocal, particularly when it comes to the Safe Schools Program*.

The tactics these individuals and groups employ are nothing short of outright lies and blatant shock tactic misinformation. They’ve included untruths such as One Nation claiming primary school childrenare being taught masturbation.

"...Aaaannnnd then Mrs Mentula said, Swallow don't Spit and always wear your raincoat when it's raining!"

So what is the truth?

In a nutshell Safe Schools began in Victorian Govt Schools in 2010, thanks to the Safe Schools Coalition. It has since become a national program. 

• Safe Schools is a voluntary program, not a curriculum (absolutely not compulsory). 
• Safe Schools is run at the discretion of principals, teachers and the school community, with schools able to use as little or as much of the resources as they choose.
• The program was devised and originally available to Govt secondary schools, however, it is now accessible to non-Govt and primary schools. 
• Safe Schools DO NOT teach gender fluidity. 

What is Safe Schools is:

A program, which assists schools to create and foster a supportive, inclusive and safe environment for LGBT students. The aim is to tackle bullying and harassment and prevent self harm and suicide.

Why?

LGBT people have the highest rates of attempted suicide and suicide in Australia.

The rate of self harm and suicide is sixtimes higher in same sex youth, than within their heterosexual peers, with the first suicide attempt at around 16years of age. These youngsters aren’t self harming and attempting suicide because the are LGBT, but because they are being bullied, harassed, beaten up, threatened etc. within their own schools and no child learns or reaches their full potential in such environments.

Those who publically sprook false information and outright lies about the Safe Schools program, particularly within the public domain, do so with only one agenda and that is to force their brand of ultra conservative ideology onto a secular Australia. In so doing they are using the very mechanisms Safe Schools aims to remove from Australian schools.

When they attack programs such as SafeSchools, they are using the health and well being of Australian youth to forward their cause. This is child abuse and this is before we even consider the impact of gay conversion therapy, a practice must become illegal in every state and territory.

Whilst these groups represent less than 1% of Australian Christians, let us not forget or turn a blind eye to what is occurring in the USA. Particularly whilst the Australian Tax Office continues to consider groups such as the ACL to be ‘Religious Organizations’ – they are not, they are political lobby groups and must be taxed and held accountable accordingly. They should never be allowed to use Australia’s younger generations to be used as cannon fodder in their intolerant zealot cause. 

To those conservatives wishing to use religion as an excuse for all this, I say. For decades secular Australia had to tolerate Christian studies in Govt schools and even quite recently (then) Prime Minister Tony Abbott, placed Chaplains in schools; instead of mental health professionals. So to these people and organisations, my answer is simply; if you don't like programs such as Safe Schools, simply remove your offspring, home educate, or find schools which do not use such programs and do not force your fundamentalist Christian views on the other 99% of Christians you don't represent nor secular Australian society. 

*Same Sex Marriage (and homosexuality) we will discuss another day. 
Image: original drawing by VacuousNess