Groups in Context Gay and Lesbian

Community and Family Studies HSC Enrichment Day 2013 Groups in Context Gay and Lesbian

Syllabus Focus Area Slide 2 Focus Question Slide 3 46 Enrichment Day 2013

Same Love Slide 4 "Same Love" (with Ryan Lewis) (feat. Mary Lambert) When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay Cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight I told my mom tears rushing down my face She s like Ben you've loved girls since before pre-k tripping, Yeah, I guess she had a point, didn t she? Bunch of stereotypes all in my head. I remember doing the math like, Yeah, I m good at little league A preconceived idea of what it all meant For those that liked the same sex Had the characteristics The right wing conservatives think it s a decision And you can be cured with some treatment and religion Man made rewiring of a predisposition Playing god, aw nah here we go America the brave still fears what we don t know And god loves all his children, is somehow forgotten But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago I don t know And I can t change Even if I tried Even if I wanted to I can't change Even if I try Even if I wanted to Enrichment Day 2013 47

My love My love My love She keeps me warm She keeps me warm She keeps me warm She keeps me warm If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me Have you read the YouTube comments lately "Man, that s gay" gets dropped on the daily We become so numb to what we re saying A culture founded from oppression Yet we don t have acceptance for em Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it Gay is synonymous with the lesser It s the same hate that s caused wars from religion Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins It s human rights for everybody, there is no difference! Live on and be yourself When I was at church they taught me something else If you preach hate at the service those words aren t anointed That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen I might not be the same, but that s not important No freedom till we re equal, damn right I support it And I can t change Even if I tried Even if I wanted to My love My love My love She keeps me warm She keeps me warm She keeps me warm She keeps me warm We press play, don t press pause Progress, march on With the veil over our eyes We turn our back on the cause Till the day that my uncles can be united by law When kids are walking round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are And a certificate on paper isn t gonna solve it all But it s a damn good place to start No law is gonna change us We have to change us Whatever god you believe in We come from the same one Strip away the fear Underneath it s all the same love About time that we raised up http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/macklemore/samelove.html (date accessed: 3/3/13) 48 Enrichment Day 2013

Activity1:... Gay and Lesbian Issues of Concern.. Pick TWO of these issues and say how it might impact on the individual s level of wellbeing (physical, socioemotional, spiritual, economic or political)............................... Enrichment Day 2013 49

Definitions Slide 5 Gay and Lesbian Characteristics Slide 6 50 Enrichment Day 2013

Activity 2: True or False Same-sex couples that conceive through surrogacy may have a birth certificate amended to recognise the intending parent/s. Gay and Lesbian individuals usually come from a low socio-economic background. Same-sex partners have equal rights to visit a partner in hospital and make decisions on behalf of an incapacitated partner. Same-sex couples account for a greater proportion of couples living in rural areas than of couples living in capital cities. More common for female than male same-sex couples to have children living in the family. Same-sex couples are protected from discrimination in employment, the provision of goods and services and accommodation, however some exemptions, often in religious contexts, apply. Even without a will, same-sex de facto partners have equal rights in inheritance laws. Like the great majority of Australian families (96%), most same-sex couples live in single family households (99%). Children in same-sex couples may come from a previous opposite-sex relationship of one of the partners or may have been conceived (often with assisted reproductive technology), adopted or fostered in a same-sex relationship. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accounted for 1.7% of people in samesex partnerships. Legal marriage under the Commonwealth Marriage Act (1961) must be between a man and a woman. Same-sex marriages performed overseas are recognized as a legal marriage in Australia. The Australian Government have legislated to put same-sex couples on the same basis as opposite-sex de facto couples eg. Superannuation, taxation, social security, inheritance and support for veterans. Enrichment Day 2013 51

Specific Needs Slide 7 Focus Question Slide 8 52 Enrichment Day 2013

Focus Question Refer to Activity 1 (issues of concern mind map) and assess (make a judgment of impact) the significant needs of Gay and Lesbian individuals? Issues of Concern Impact on Gay and Lesbians needs Enrichment Day 2013 53

Activity 3: Brainstorm the rights of the group based on what you see in the video. Love Like Yours : Australia It s Time Slide 9 54 Enrichment Day 2013

Activity 4: How the rights of the group influence society s attitudes Complete the Venn diagrams below. In the middle choose a right of the group place it in the centre of the Venn diagram below and explain how the right might result in positive or negative community attitudes. Positive influences on community attitudes RIGHT Negative influences on community attitudes Positive influences on community attitudes RIGHT Negative influences on community attitudes Enrichment Day 2013 55

Take Home Activities 1. What issues of concern are portrayed in the cartoon? 2. After reading the information below: What right is being lobbied for? and HOW might this community action influence the attitudes of the wider community? Make a stand against discrimination http://glrl.org.au/index.php/take-action/current- Campaigns/againstdiscrimination (date accessed:19/2/2013) Time is running out to demonstrate your support for equality for LGBTI people in Australia. There are only three days left to take a stand in support of new laws to prevent discrimination - submissions close Friday 21 December. The exposure draft of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill (2012) is currently being reviewed by the Senate Standing Committee on Legal & Constitutional Affairs. The result of years of consultation and lobbying, it promises to provide improved protections from discrimination for LGBTI people on the basis of "Sexual Orientation" and "Gender Identity" in Federal law, and the LGBTI community is campaigning for the Bill to include protection on the basis of Intersex status as well. The committee, however, needs to hear from you. There is a concerted effort by opponents of the Bill, including fundamentalist groups, to see it defeated and, with that, the dreams and aspirations of many to live lives free of discrimination quashed. Already, a number of submissions have attempted to label LGBTI people as perverted or diseased and some have even called for aged-care facilities to be able to actively exclude LGBTI people, treating them as second-class citizens and denying them a right to age with dignity. You can join us in taking a stand for LGBTI rights and write an email to the Senate committee, but we need to act now! To make a submission all you need to do is simply send an email to legcon.sen@aph.gov.au telling them you support the Bill, suggest making a few changes and urge the Committee to recommend the Bill be passed before the next election. Your email must also include your full postal address and contact details to be valid. We recommend that you choose some or all of the following messages - using your own words. Support the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill and ask the Committee to recommend it be passed in this parliamentary term. Include a story of how you or someone you know has been discriminated against and why you want Australia to protect LGBTI people from discrimination. Support the definitions of "Sexual Orientation" and "Relationship Status", which is broad enough to include gay, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning people. Recommend using the 2012 Tasmanian definition of "Gender Identity" (which is inclusive of Gender Expression/Presentation) Recommend the inclusion of "Intersex" as a protected attribute, using the 2012 Tasmanian Definition 56 Enrichment Day 2013

Support the prohibition on discrimination for Commonwealth-funded aged-care services administered by faith based organisations Recommend all Government funded services are restricted from discriminating, including faith based organisations Recommend faith based organisations, including in aged care, should not be allowed to discriminate against employees Recommend faith based organisations wishing to discriminate must publish a statement in position descriptions, on their website and in any brochures about their service, so that people know in advance what the organisation is about Recommend that the position of Commissioner responsible for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity discrimination be established in the legislation. Thank you for taking the time to read our call to action. Now is the time to act - join us in supporting the positive measures in this Bill, and get your friends involved too. Email, Facebook or Tweet this page (or the shortened version http://goo.gl/ariui) and, together, let s make history! 3. Highlight in the article below highlight the rights that exist for the Gay and Lesbian community. How do these rights impact societal attitudes of the Gay and Lesbian community? Your Rights Checklist http://glrl.org.au/index.php/rights/rights/your-rights-checklist (date accessed: 19/2/2013) Know where you, your partner and kids stand under the law. A simple 12-point plan to asserting your relationship and parenting rights. 1. Register your family for the Medicare Safety Net. See: Medicare and Aged Care. 2. Nominate your partner as your superannuation beneficiary. If you are in a private superannuation fund, check whether you nomination will be binding or persuasive. See: Superannuation and Tax. 3. Know your next of kin. Same-sex partners have equal rights to visit a partner in hospital and make decisions on behalf of an incapacitated partner. 4. Make a will. Even without a will, same-sex de facto partners have equal rights in inheritance laws but wills make it easier to distribute your property after you die. 5. Check your employment agreement and policies. Make sure your leave entitlements and workplace benefits include your partner and your kids. 6. Check your health insurance policy. Make sure your same-sex partner and kids are included in your private health cover. 7. Centrelink payments. If you are living in a same-sex de facto relationship and currently receiving a Centrelink payment, you need to declare your relationship to Centrelink from 1 July 2009. See: Social Security. 8. Properly fill out your tax return. Declare your relationship on your tax return to ensure you eligibility for family rebates is properly assessed. See: Tax and Superannuation. 9. Apply to have your child's birth certificate amended. Lesbian de facto couples who have children together through assisted conception procedures are now recognised as legal parents. See: New Lesbian Parenting Laws in NSW. In addition same-sex couples that conceive through surrogacy may have a birth certificate amended to recognise the intending parent/s. Most same-sex families are now recognised in federal and state laws. See: Parenting Rights. 10. Know that same-sex discrimination may be unlawful. Same-sex couples are protected from discrimination in employment, the provision of goods and services and accommodation, however some exemptions, often in religious contexts, apply. 11. Keep records. Keep some records of your relationship, such as joint bills, leases or even holiday photos, in case you are asked to prove your relationship. 12. Make your relationship count. Declare your relationship on the Census and make sure same-sex couples are counted. 2012 Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby Enrichment Day 2013 57

Notes:... 58 Enrichment Day 2013