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The Rainbow Report broadcasts live every Thursday 7-8pm AEST in Melbourne Australia on 94.9 FM, streaming via the web at joy.org.au. PODCASTS are available via the Joy website and now also on iTunes.

gay rights gay marriage equality discrimination - Rainbow Reporter

Foes of same-sex parenting damage children

December 22nd 2008 08:25
Lesbian Mums
Pic from Parentbloggers
Lesbians great parents, says 22 year study

“The longest-running study into lesbian parents in the United States has found that discrimination and not the sexual orientation of their parents harms children.”


Backing up every other well-designed and reputable study into the subject, the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (NLLFS) shows that the children of lesbian parents are happy, healthy and ‘high-functioning’.

The only handicaps faced by the children of same-sex parents are those created by outsiders who do not approve of their family structure.

And even the setbacks due to this prejudice, discrimination and homophobia can be overcome when the children live in communities and attend schools that are pro-actively accepting of diversity.

Those who claim they oppose lesbian parenting for the good of the children are in fact the ones causing any suffering the children experience.

“The NLLFS confirms the findings of over 40 other studies on the children of lesbian and gay parents, and supports the positions of all major professional associations on the well-being of children growing up in lesbian and gay families.”

Time for the opponents of same sex parenting to shut up and start working to overcome their prejudice – for the good of the children.

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A Gay Christmas List

November 23rd 2008 01:56
Kevin Rudd
Hey, look, I can do this 'blessing' thing, too!!


Santa Kev is on track to deliver my Christmas present: the Omnibus Bill removing the discrimination against same-sex couples identified by the Same Sex: Same Entitlements report. A big thank you to the Australian Human Rights Commission, to the government for keeping its promises, and to everyone working towards equality. But there’s lots of other things on my list for Santa Kev.

Last minute present for 2008: fix up benefits and entitlements. If we’re in a relationship, from July our entitlement will be calculated on our income as a couple. If I’m on benefit and partnered with a high earner, Centrelink will give me less money, or maybe none at all. If we’re both on benefit, we’ll drop to the couple rate. It’s going to be a struggle.

I’m not asking for a continuation of the special treatment we’ve had up to now. Instead, lift everybody’s benefits to a level we can actually live on. We’re with the old people and the disabled and everyone else on this.

The gift you left out this year: private same-sex superannuation. Your reforms only helped 10% of us – those in Commonwealth superannuation schemes. For the 90% of us with private super, you left it up to the funds to decide whether they could afford to treat us equally. We have to ask them if they do, and if they don’t, move our money to one that does – and hope they don’t change their minds later.

Next years BIG present: new anti-discrimination laws. State anti-discrimination laws cover sexuality, but they don’t work very well. I know from experience that under Victorian law it’s very difficult to prove discrimination. The process is slow, complex, expensive, and bureaucratic.

And there’s a huge loophole. You can discriminate against GLBTI people if 'the discrimination is necessary for the ... [offender] to comply with the ... [offender’s] genuine religious beliefs or principles'. Other state anti-discrimination laws contain similar loopholes, though none so obscenely wide.

This legalises discrimination in ‘religious’ schools, universities and hospitals, all paid work arrangements, the provision of goods and services and all other areas covered by the Act, in adoption, employment, medical services, education, training, and housing. All these ‘religious’ businesses – including the well-known food company Sanitarium – are also tax-exempt. It’s OK – and tax-free - to be a bigot, so long as you’re a religious bigot. That can’t be right.

Please fix up Commonwealth anti-discrimination law so that it includes discrimination on the grounds of sexuality, overrides all those confusing state laws, and cuts out the ‘religious’ exemptions.

A little something for the kids: make sure the new national curriculum includes GBLTI issues, for example, in history, culture and sex and relationship classes. We’re sick of being the invisible Australians.

The “Daddy, Daddy, can I please have a pony NOW?” present: marriage. Of which I’ve written more than enough already.

I know this looks pushy. I haven’t even got this year’s present and already I’m asking for 2009. But this way you’ll get my letter before anyone elses!!

Oh, and one more thing. Tell those whingers from the CMST (church, mosque, synagogue, temple) lobby they have to play nice next year or you’ll take away their lucrative tax exemptions and government contracts and give them to somebody who deserves them (hint)!!
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Rainbow Report Tonight

August 28th 2008 05:31
Finally back from holidays and the usual mad scramble to put a show together - and so much to talk about with . . .
Rainbow Lorikeet

Senator Louise Pratt
Pippa Grange of the AFL Players Association
Corey Irlam of the Australian Coalition for Equality
Tim Wilson from the Institute of Public Affairs
Richard Watts of MCV

We can’t go past Matthew Mitchams gold medal in the Olympics, so as he’s a Queensland boy, naturally, we’ll be talking to Ian Clachair of Pride Queensland about that, and about the renegade Catholic parish that’s in hot water with the Vatican for blessing same-sex couples – among other things.

Of course even confirmed Olympicphobes like Kaye Sera have noted Matthew Mitchams epic triumph in the diving, and his even greater triumph is acknowledging, hugging and kissing his partner Lachlan on Seven’s evening News – an event Nine news referred to in passing as ‘getting a hug from a friend’.

In the US, the NBC network didn’t even mention he was gay, but they’ve now apologized for that ‘unintentional’ omission.

Prompted by this touching display, today the Herald Sun ran another piece by Rob Mitchell, who listeners will know as a regular guest on the Rainbow Report, in which Rob urged the AFL to get with the program and start tackling homophobia in their sport.

It’s the latest in a series the paper has run on the issue, with comment from Nathan Burke, Kevin Sheedy, and most recently Jason Akermanis. There’s speculation the AFL is doing a John the Baptist, paving the way for an AFL player to come out – and the last couple of days the internet has been buzzing with rumours that the Footy Show has negotiated a big payout to an AFL player to come out on the show tonight.

The Rainbow Report has already interviewed representatives of the VCFL, the VFL and the AFL: we wanted to talk to a coach or a player, but so far no luck. However tonight we will be speaking with Pippa Grange, General Manager of People, Psychology and culture at the AFL Players Association, for her take on the issue.

Leaving football aside, Corey Irlam from the Australian Coalition for Equality joins us to report on the progress of the Family Law Amendment Bill: the report of the Senate Inquiry forced by the Opposition was tabled in parlaiemtn today, and he unamended bill passed the lower house.

Staying with politics, the newly elected Senator from WA, Lousie Pratt made her maiden speech in parliament yesterday, and in it she called for the legalization of gay marriage. She joins us on the line tonight.
And rounding out the panel tonight, Tim Wilson of the Institute of Public Affairs – bit of a comedown from needling Penny Wong on live television but hey, I hear he enjoys slumming – and the one and only Richard Watts, Editor of MCV – who coincidentally had their own AFL scoop this week, too.

That’s tonight on the Rainbow Report, Joy 94.9, streaming live www.joy.org.au - call 03 9699 2949, email onair@joy.org.au or text on 0427 JOY 949.
And join in the show by emailing onair@joy.org.au between 7-8pm AEST tonight!
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Gay Marriage Works! (LINK)

July 13th 2008 04:36
Heinz Mayo gay kiss
Hold the mayo! From the canned Heinz ad

Sure it can look odd – even to a dyed-purple-in-the-womb old pouf like me – to see two grooms or two brides standing at the altar, or pushing a stroller. That’s because we’re not used to it yet – it’s too new.

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A Gay Marriage

July 7th 2008 03:10
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tended to ignore my own birthday, but this year I decided I would have a little celebration. Nothing fancy, just a buffet lunch on Sunday afternoon with a few of the people who matter to me. I could have invited at least a dozen more, but it’s a while since we’ve entertained and I didn’t want to take too much on.

My partner was initially angry because I sent out the invites without telling him my plans, but he came round. It saved a lot of arguments! As I’ve learned from dealing with editors and program managers, it’s better to do it first and apologise after, if necessary, than to spend hours in fruitless argument


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Gays & Muslims Marriage Alliance?

June 26th 2008 02:55
polygamy
Polygamy is suddenly all over the Australian media. Where did that suddenly come from?

Keysar Trad, president of the Islamic Friendship Association, backed calls by Sheik Khalil Chami of the Islamic Welfare Centre, for polygamous relationships to be recognized in Australia


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