To let people know; 100-120 people turned up on Monday for a spirited and
angry rally against Howard and Bracks' homophobia and misogyny.
Organised in just 4 days the numbers were good. We didn't get any media cos
they all go home about 5pm (so if you want media you have to schedule
actions earlier).
We had a big chalk up and a number of fiery speakers. After telling the
cops we didn't want to go for a march, we went for a march and stopped
traffic while yelling "Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Right to Decide". Another
gem was "Not the Church, Not the State, WOmen must decide our fate".
Other Chants for others organising actions were "What to we want: IVF; when
do we want it; NOW!" "We're here, we're queer, give us IVF".
Another funny one was "We Bleed, We Breed, Give us the fucking Seed!".
Heehhee! Another wacky one was "Nuclear Families, not the answer, Lesbian
families don't get cancer". (yes well, it rhymes)
We also sang a song "Build a Bonfire, build a bonfire, put Howard at the
top; put Wooldrige in the middle and burn the bloody lot (alternating
between Bracks and Wooldridge)... If anyone has any other cool chants or
songs we can sing a demos that would be great to hear.
Update on the Issue:
Bracks has come put and said that "Marital Status is no longer an issue
under the new rules"; and that medically infertile single women, including
lesbians will be able to access IVF treatment in Vic, under new rules
approved by the Vic Government.
In _REAL_ terms this means the Vic g'ment will continue to discriminate
against single women and lesbians who are (as they say) "socially
infertile". It raises a vexing ques for lesbians, in particular. How can
you find out your "medically infertile" if your not fucking a man, unprotected?
The only way for lesbians, and single women to find out they're "medically
infertile" is if they have unprotected sex with a man (which is, according
to all reports, quite unhealthy if you don't know them, their sexual
history or have a blood test handy) or try donor insemination.
But under the law, which Bracks said he's not going to change (cos the
Court case in Melb only ruled on IVF, not donor insemination) donor
insemination for single women and lesbians, is illegal.
So women have to head up to NSW and the pain starts all over again.
So in essence, the State Labor Government is renewing and clarifying it's
discrimination against lesbian and single women.
So while the fight in Victoria is on 2 fronts; protesting the Bracks
government and protesting Howards proposal to change the Federal Sexual
Discrimination Act. It will be interesting to see how Howard and co. relate
to Bracks' non-change.
Well: happy demoing!
Cheers
Rach
--
Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html
Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop
Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink
Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
