The Socialist Alliance supports the political independence and self-organisation of the gay and lesbian liberation movement. We support all struggles against discrimination and oppression of women, lesbians and gay men, transgenders, people with HIV, and sex workers.
While much has been gained over the last 30 years, we still have a long way to go to achieve full liberation.
- We are still faced
by the reluctance of the NSW Labor government to equalise the age of
consent for gay men.
- The churches by and large are still rabidly anti-homosexual; the Anti-Discrimination
Act allows them to legally discriminate against us.
- The privatisation of welfare, health and education has pushed us further
into the oppressive hands of the churches.
- The education system remains largely hostile: kids are still bullied
in schools; most teachers dare not come out; the anti-homophobia kit
remains optional, so most schools opt out!
- We are still discriminated against in superannuation.
- We still cannot adopt children.
The list goes on.
Lesbians, gay men, and transgenders can resist and overcome these obstacles by organising ourselves, through mass action and public demonstrations, by lobbying, voting, and by building alliances with the broader working class, feminist, and anti-capitalist movements.
The Socialist Alliance supports politically independent and self-organising social movements that fight the oppression of women, lesbians and gay men, transgenders, people with HIV and sex workers through mass action, public demonstrations, lobbying, voting and by building alliances with the broader working class, feminist, and anti-capitalist movements.
We oppose sexism, racism, ageism, and discrimination against people with disabilities within the lesbian and gay communities, as we do in the broader community.
We support and campaign for the following demands.
* Retain 'homosexuality' as a ground in NSW Anti-Discrimination Act.
* Strengthen NSW anti-discrimination law by removing exemptions for organisations run by religious groups.
* All public funding for education, youth, aged, health, employment and welfare to be directed through non-discriminatory government and/or secular non-profit community organisations.
* Reduce the age of consent for sex between men to 16 years.
* Legislate against use of non-violent homosexual 'advance' as a defence of 'provocation' in violent crime.
* No discrimination on the basis of homosexuality or transgenderism in child custody and adoption.
* Full social, legal, trade union and industrial recognition of same sex relationships.
* No discrimination in entitlements to welfare on the basis of relationship status, gender or sexual orientation.
* For the right of every worker to nominate who will inherit and benefit from their superannuation, irrespective of relationship status.
* State funding for anti-prejudice community education programs.
* Education in schools to incorporate positive material on homosexuality and transgender.
* State funding for rebuilding the Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras as a political celebration.
* State funding for gay, lesbian and transgender youth services, including an expansion of youth housing.
* Full union rights for workers in gay and lesbian services and businesses.
* Remove gender from identity documents such as birth certificates, drivers' licences, and passports.