It seems the Liberals’ desire for Australian women to have more babies only applies to some women! During the last Federal election campaign, Prime Minister John Howard announced plans to introduce a baby bonus tax incentive to reward women who have a baby and then give up work in order to stay home and look… Read more »
LGBTQ
World AIDS care movement wins concessions
Credit goes to the international movement, fighting to win affordable access to HIV medications, for making the biggest dent in the World Trade Organisation’s 2001 agenda. The movement scored three wins. First, the government of the U.S. was forced to drop its charges against Brazil at the WTO, charges which aimed to prevent production and… Read more »
Your Say
An enjoyable radical read I really enjoyed reading Freedom Socialist Bulletin # 24 — some great articles. I particularly enjoyed “I don’t want to let go of my rage” by Maria Mardones and “Loud, Proud and Effective,” the review of Graham Willett’s book, Living Out Loud. I do wish Maria and others the best of… Read more »
Victory for same-sex domestic partnerships: Queers now need economic independence NOT equal dependency
On May 1, the bitter debate in the Victorian Parliament over whether same-sex relationships should have the enjoyed by heterosexuals finally concluded with an overwhelming “yes” vote. Thanks to enormous community pressure, homosexual couples are now equal in a range of matters — from medical decision making to property and state taxes such as stamp… Read more »
New chance to get it right: S11 revives the spirit of Stonewall
There’s a new political mood among young queers. It’s militant and activist! The global anti-corporate movement is rapidly moving beyond protesting the ravages of neoliberalism to opposing capitalism itself. And queers — especially young queers — are at the front lines. The debate of the day is: How to achieve global economic justice — do… Read more »
Satellite nosedive shows queer workers must organise!
The collapse of The Satellite Group — the first publicly listed “pink dollar” company in the world — highlights the sharp class divisions in the gay and lesbian community. In 1999, Satellite blasted onto the scene, buying up 80 percent of Australia’s queer press — including the national magazine, Outrage — and establishing a media… Read more »
Solving the problem of HIV/AIDS
Melbourne — World AIDS Day, 1 December 2000 was marked by a resurgence of militancy. A Speak Out organised by Queers United to Eradicate Economic Rationalism (QUEER), which put forward both local and international demands, also celebrated the achievements of 17 years of organising to defeat HIV/AIDS. Activism worked then… Veteran gay liberationist and historian,… Read more »
Living Out Loud: Loud, Proud and Effective!
While reading Living Out Loud: A History of Gay and Lesbian Activism in Australia, an item on the TV news caught my attention — the Gay Games are coming to Sydney in 2002! The Chief Executive of the Board predicted more participants than the Olympics and Gay Games profits boosted through queer visitors booking out… Read more »
For Pat Parker and radical dykes everywhere!
I know this didn’t happen just this year, but the other day, I found out that Dykes on Bikes, the traditional leaders of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Parade changed to The Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. I wonder how much more the queer movement is going to allow itself to be co-opted into capitalist America… Read more »
Russell Savage: Hands Off Our Gender Identity!
The minority Bracks ALP Government in Victoria has caved in to demands made by conservative independent MP, Russell Savage, and withdrawn the Equal Opportunity (Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation) Bill until the Spring Session of Parliament. The Bill would enhance the rights of gay men and lesbians and, for the first time, make discrimination against… Read more »
