Preventing Youth Suicide or not

Preventing youth Suicide or not:

 The safe schools program is a program set up to end school bullying and help prevent youth suicide. Homophobic bigots do not like the program as it helps LGBTQ kids survive into adulthood. It was revealed that NSW (New South Wales) would not be refunding the program. To which failed Prime Minister and admitted homophobe Tony Abbot proclaimed the scrapping was a good decision. This comes after the right had repeatedly made false claims about the program and disliked its factually accurate material which triggered the sensitive bigotry of right wingers. This program seems to be being "replaced" in NSW by one that does not address the higher rates of suicide or self harm in young LGBT people due to homophobia.

 In SA (south Australia) the life saving program will be replaced by the Shine SA program. It seems the "replacement" programs implementation is a farce, its opt-in, and if the vitriol we have seen leveled at Safe Schools showed us anything its that such a program should be mandatory in all schools. This plan would see the community's that are the most homophobic exempt from the anti bullying program?!? 

 The program will also require teachers to gain parental consent before stepping in and preventing bullying or offering help to vulnerable LGBTQ students. This in itself could be disastrous! The outing of young LGBT students to their parents could lead to abuse at home in addition to the abuse they are suffering at schools, t could also lead to higher rates of youth homelessness. 

 We can only hope these governments get voted out before too many lives are lost, so we can at least make a decent attempt to make our schools safe and help LGBTQ kids survive their school years.

Anti-bullying program 

Abbot a homophobe 

Implementation all wrong

SHine SA 

 You may not be able to find help at school or at home but there is help out there;

Being gay is not a choice or a health crisis

Being gay is not a choice or a health crisis

But the right wing media is out of hand 

 The daily telegraph is well known for its very right wing biased "journalism" and its horrible treatment of the LGBT community. It has repeatedly allowed publication of attacks on marriage equality and even safe schools, which is an anti bullying program designed to help prevent youth suicide.  
 As you can see from the main picture the title says fat chance of being healthy with the sub heading young Australians only have themselves to blame. 
 The Daily Telegraph would have its readers believe that psychological distress and being same sex attracted is a choice.

 ITS NOT!

And that being same sex attracted is a health crisis.

ITS NOT!

The health crisis is homophobia! Homophobia that might be lessened by programs such as the safe school program and granting same sex attracted couples the right to marry. And at least doing a basic level of fact checking on articles before they are published.

16.8%

 Whats also interesting is that homophobes usually try to lower the percentage of LGBT people, ), believing that somehow lessens the right to equality), but this "info-graphic" has the rate of same sex attracted rate at 16.8% among high school students, which is slightly higher then the average conservative estimate. So next time you are assaulted with some fake low statistic you can refer the bigot to this crappy article, as i am sure they will respect the Daily Telegraph.

 You can bet Turnbull will continue to not do a thing despite his assurance that homophobia would not be tolerated in Australia. I also feel really disappointed in Turnbull's support of homophobia in Australia, some even from within his own party. While he isn't as bad as Hanson straight washing the Orlando tragedy for political gain, it appears that his promises to fight homophobia in Australia was just hollow grandstanding, which is really sad and disrespectful. I would love for him to prove me wrong good first steps would be to make marriage equality a reality and make safe schools mandatory Australia wide.

Please join many decent Australians in lodging a complaint. 

Its Trash Day: Cory Bernardi

Its Trash Day: Cory Bernardi

 Cory Bernardi has a long and vocal history of homophobia. He denies he is a homophobic of course, i am not sure what definition he has invented in his head but he surely fits every definition of the word i have ever seen.

For those who don't know lets do a little history lesson of this radical far right politician and his extremist views;

Equal rights:

Bernardi shamefully opposed the 2008 same sex relationship equal treatment bill in the senate.
In 2012 Bernardi made the outrageous claim that marriage equality would somehow lead to bestiality.
Bernardi attacked what he termed "non-traditional families" in 2014, making the far fetched claim that they create criminal boys and promiscuous girls.
In 2016 he viciously attacked the safe schools coalition, a program designed to help schools reduce bullying and the lesson risks of youth suicide by creating a safe and inclusive environment.
Bernardi hypocritically advocated against a homophobic hate preacher, going so far as to say:
"At some point we will all have to confront the truth about where the inspiration for the hate speech comes from." It seemed the irony that he himself is a homophobic hate preacher was lost on him.
Most recently he has called on the government to break their election promise to have marriage equality vote before the end of the year, he went on to call equal rights a 'fringe issue'.

Refugees:

2011 Bernardi unbelievably claimed that Australia paying for the funerals of refuges seeking asylum in Australia was "wrong".

ABC:

Bernardi has called for a review into the ABC's funding, despite the fact the ABC at the time added to media diversity and was an important resource for regional Australians.
(the ABC was an independent government owned commercial free station)

Domestic violence:

in 2014 Cory Bernardi shockingly declared that 'There are times when it is appropriate for a man to put his partner in a headlock.'  
If that wasn't enough he has also directed others to a pro-rape blogger.

Conspiracy Theories:

* In 2007 he claimed that climate change was not caused by human activity.

* He has constantly insinuated, despite all evidence to the contrary, that allowing gay couples equal marriage rights would somehow harm children. 

* He makes the wild claim that Christianity is somehow under attack in Australia, despite a majority of politicians being Christian and Christianity being exempt from many anti-discrimination laws, and the freedom to practice religion being enshrined in our constitution.

* He is under the delusion that his views are "common sense" and that the majority of Australians support them.

* He has made the stunning claim that there is a major death industry that promotes abortion as a means of contraception despite any evidence of this industry existing.

 Of course these are not the only outrageous things he has said or done, he seems to be constantly attacking someone or against something, with single parent family's, foster families, non-Christians, blended families, non- married couples, dead refugees, women, moderate- Christians, the constitution, multiracial families, children, inter-generational households, and environmentalists, all drawing his ire at some point. 

 But he saves most of his hate for innocent LGBT Australians, who simply want the same human rights that he (has due to him being born straight), the same rights he selfishly guards from them.

 I am sure within a week there would be more to add to this incomplete list, but for the reasons listed here alone. 

 For the fact that he is a politician and should be responsible enough to educate himself on issues that he is ignorant in, before speaking out against them. 

 In my humble opinion, Cory Bernardi is trash.

Sources:

Defining Nontraditional Families
Marriage vote delayed
Traditional Families  
Cory Bernardi dangerous comments
Bernardi denies his own words
Non-traditional families upset Cory
Bernardi directs others to pro-rape advocate  
Climate change denial
Majority of Australians want equality
Orlando tragedy 

  And for those brave souls who have their tin-foil hat securely fastened to their head and can stomach the complete lack of common sense you can always get this kind of rubbish straight from the bigots mouth, so to speak. 

Cory Bernardi's totally not a parody website.

No really that is legit his website, you have been warned. In fact i would recommend you go to the Cory Bernardi Makes Baby Jesus Cry facebook page instead.

 

Are Safe Schools a bad thing?

Bigots Attack Children

The bigots are at it again, it seems the mardi gras  upsets the bigots and puts them into full hate mode. If only they would educate themselves or seek professional mental help. But alas we have public displays of homophobia and bigotry.

First we had the hate group calling themselves the The Australian "Christian" Lobby demanding that they and other homophobes be exempt from anti-discrimination laws, in the lead up to a plebiscite on equal marriage rights. 

Seriously if you need to worry about your message vilifying others, maybe you should examine that message. Instead of enabling these hateful bigots, i believe that we should strictly enforce our hate speech and anti discrimination laws during this time. We need to protect LGBTI people, families and youth, from these hate groups and the negative effects they have on our society.

 Imagine what the Australia "Christian" Lobby could do if they devoted their energy to good instead of evil...

 Then we have Cori Bernardi a well know homophobe who joined the Australian "christian" Lobby in its attacks on the Safe schools program. Remarkably our Prime minister bowed to this known bigot and put the program under review. 

One would hope that the only logical outcome of a review would be that the program becomes compulsory for all students in all schools.

 This program was designed to help stop bullying in schools, as LGBTI youth are more likely to attempt suicide due to the homophobia they encounter. These people are fighting against this program. How many of them call themselves "pro-life" when they are clearly not pro (LGBTI youth) life.

Speaking for myself, i grew up in a small town public school. I imagine if there was a program like this back then, maybe i wouldn't have been bullied by the faculty into leaving school in year 11 after being denied my year 10 certificate. Perhaps the faculty wouldn't have been so homophobic, perhaps i would have fought harder to get my year 10 certificate.  Maybe i wouldn't have faced years of depression if homophobia wasn't so prevalent?

 But it isn't just Cori Bernardi (Has not been disciplined and is still a minister) and the Australian "Christian" Lobby (Now lead by Lyle Shelton, has not been outlawed, or charged) attacking our youth, Tony Abbott (Nullified marriages in the Australian Capital Territory that were between same sex couples), John Howard (Changed marriage act to exclude gay people, without a plebiscite, making the law unconstitutional), George Christensen (Disgustingly accused the safe school program of pedophile grooming among other nonsense claims. He is still a minister and has not been disciplined or charged), Eric Abetz (Who, while clearly homophobic, just seems confused and out of touch with reality in my opinion.). If any of these people are your government representatives, why not contact them and let them know their views are abhorrent.

Of course they have hit back against being labeled bigots and homophobes. But they need to understand it isn't "name calling" to call a spade a spade, if you don't like the label that fits you, change your views so that you no longer fit that label.

 I really do wish they would "think of the children" before spreading such hate, before attacking a program that reduces youth suicide. Their actions have real world consequences in our society, and in our schools. I wish they would understand they have a responsibility, if in a position of power or influence, to educate themselves, and to do the most good they can.

 I think this should show our Prime Minister that some in our community are not mature or do not have the common sense to act responsibly in the lead up to a plebiscite on equal rights.
The harm such groups could cause truly worries me.

If you would like to help keep our schools safe for all students please sigh the petition.

If you are upset, negatively effected by homophobia, or are yourself homophobic, please seek help.
Beyond Blue should be able to help or get you into contact with someone who can.