今日吃瓜

MARRIAGE EQUALITY TAKES CENTRE STAGE

WHEN he became Prime Minister after challenging Tony Abbott in a , Australians expected to grant the Liberal Party a free vote on marriage equality to reflect his personal views.

However, he stood firm on the party鈥檚 policy and the issue will now be decided by public vote, most likely after the next Federal Election.

[showads聽ad=MREC] Despite that disappointment, it鈥檚 been an interesting year in the marriage equality debate.

The urging the government to allow a free vote on the issue, which followed a year of and passing similar motions.

Deputy Liberal leader and Foreign Minister of same-sex marriage, which commentators believe is significant given her influence in Federal Parliament.

More MPs changed their position on marriage equality this year than ever before, and only six聽votes would be needed to legislate marriage equality should a free vote be allowed.

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MARRIAGE EQUALITY FEVER聽IN US & IRELAND

AUSTRALIA remains the only western English-speaking country in the world to not have marriage equality following landmark decisions this year in Ireland and the US.

saw the Catholic-dominant country amend the definition of marriage in its constitution to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Less than two months later on June 26, the .

Momentum around the issue surged in Australia after both of these landmark reforms, partly because of Ireland鈥檚 ancestral links and of course the political and cultural influence of the US.

Following the US Supreme Court decision in particular, into visible statements of LGBTI pride and support by using a rainbow filter.

Mexico also ushered marriage equality, with three successful cases in its Supreme Court this year that enshrined the rights of same-sex couples to marry. However, it has not yet been written into law and same-sex couples still need to seek approval from a judge before marrying.

Northern Ireland also does not allow marriage equality, but it is a jurisdiction of the UK, of which Wales, Scotland and England have all legislated it.

LGBTI UNI GUIDE LAUNCHED

THE first revealed which universities were at the top of the game in LGBTI inclusion.

Produced by the Star Observer, NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby and Out for Australia, the guide looked at the existence of LGBTI student and staff groups and the breadth of support and health advice for LGBTI students.

It revealed only one in 10 universities鈥� equal opportunity policies fully reflect legally binding anti-discrimination legislation when it comes to protecting LGBTI students.

The guide will be updated and expanded in 2016.

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PrEP DISCUSSION SURGES

THE fight continues to bring PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to Australia.

US pharmaceutical company as a HIV preventation method in Australia, a process that could take up to 12 months before it can be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to make it affordable and easily accessible for those who need it.

In the lead-up to World AIDS Day, PrEP was mentioned in Federal Parliament with South Australian Greens Senator . Meanwhile, lower house Labor MPs Tim Watts and Teresa Gambaro made impassioned speeches to expedite PrEP鈥檚 approval.

In NSW, the World AIDS Day announcement that people by the 2016 Mardi Gras grabbed headlines nationwide. The trial expansion聽is expected to reduce new HIV diagnoses by 50 per cent or more in its first two years.

In mid-December in聽Victoria, an聽accord on PrEP was聽signed by a number of individuals and groups working in the local HIV sector as a way to show solidarity and support in their aligned goals.听The around the HIV prevention tool in areas such as education, stigma, and approval in Australia.

The only countries in the world that so far have PrEP approved are the US and France. The .

DAESH GAY RIGHTS ABUSE SHOCKS WORLD

THE safety of LGBTI people in Daesh-controlled parts of Syria and Iraq was the main focus on .

It is estimated more than 30 men accused of sodomy had been killed this year by Daesh, with the terrorist group often posting graphic images on social media showing the accused being thrown off the rooftops of buildings while blindfolded.

Attendees at the meeting, including gay Syrian refugee Subhi Nahas and US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, called on UN agencies working in the region to implement LGBT-specific programs.

MARDI GRAS POSTS聽FINANCIAL LOSS

THE Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras posted for a 15-month financial year ending in June.

Following on from the loss, event from the 2016 festival. It has been replaced with a series of more low-key events that will take place across the weekend Harbour Party was meant to take place.

Melbourne鈥檚 Midsumma Festival also suffered a financial loss in 2015, receiving only 10c of donations per person at its free Carnival event, despite a record number of attendance.

CHARLIE SHEEN REVEALS聽HIV STATUS

IN November, Hollywood A-lister for about four years.

His public admission was an attempt to stop people allegedly trying to extort money from him to not reveal his status.

Sheen鈥檚 revelation put HIV back into the international media spotlight and revealed there were still many myths and misconceptions about the virus, even among the gay community.

ROUGH YEAR FOR SYDNEY聽GAY BARS

2015 was rough for iconic LGBTI bars in Sydney.

Erskenville鈥檚 Imperial Hotel rose to fame after featuring in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert but was .听

However, it was in August. The iconic pub was , with the website saying it will be 鈥渦nlocking Priscilla鈥檚 box鈥� 鈥� suggesting it will retain its LGBTI identity.

On the city鈥檚 famous 鈥済ay strip鈥� of Oxford St, the closed after being sold while the which featured in Mardi Gras鈥� Laneway party closed after NSW鈥檚 lockout laws caused a downturn in business.

TRANS WOMAN ASSAULT CONTROVERSY

A TRANS woman and Sydney punk rocker was assaulted by two men at a Newtown venue in what was believed to be .

Stephanie McCarthy鈥檚 assault in June caught the media鈥檚 attention after she told her story on the Humans of Newtown Facebook page (see image below).

McCarthy鈥檚 assailants pleaded guilty to violent assault with one copping a 150 hour community service and 18 month good behaviour bond sentence. The second assailant is due to be sentenced in February.

Five months on from the assault .

SYDNEY鈥橲 RAINBOW FLAG STAYS

AFTER months of community debate, the in the LGBTI-centric suburb of Darlinghurst.

The flag was installed to replace the removal of the Oxford St rainbow crossing is similar to a flag in San Francisco鈥檚 Castro district and is popular with locals and tourists alike.

CIVIL UNIONS RETURN TO QLD

THREE years after state-sanctioned ceremonies had been banned and unions for same-sex couples were stripped back by the former Liberal-National Party government, c.

The restoration , and almost half the LNP MPs defied their leader Lawrence Springborg by crossing the floor to support the legislation during the parliamentary debate on the issue.

CAITLYN JENNER鈥橲 IMPACT

Following months of tabloid speculation about her gender identity, the Olympian-turned-reality TV star .

Formerly Bruce, Caitlyn鈥檚 transition and story became the most publicised story of a trans person ever, shining a spotlight on the marginalised community and increasing their visibility.

Jenner鈥檚 striking became one of the magazine鈥檚 most iconic, and while her story attracted transphobic detractors 鈥� such as Germaine Greer 鈥� she was met with overwhelming support.

CANBERRA WELCOMES MORE GAY MPS

IN 2015 when the Greens replaced outgoing South Australian Senator Penny Wright with 31-year-old Robert Simms.

Simms, who had previously served as a councillor in Adelaide City Council and was an adviser to Senators Scott Ludlam and Sarah Hanson-Young, became the third openly LGBTI Senator聽currently in Federal Parliament. The others are West Australian Liberal Senator Dean Smith and South Australian Labor Senator Penny Wong.

Meanwhile, the after听迟he Liberal’s Trent Zimmerman won the聽by-election for听迟he safe seat of North Sydney vacated by the former treasurer, Joe Hockey.

Over in NSW Parliament, a record six聽openly gay MPs sworn in after this year’s state election, three of which are from the Liberal Party. Returning were Sydney state independent MP Alex Greenwich, Coogee state Liberal MP Bruce Notley-Smith, upper house Liberal MP Don Harwin, and upper house . Newly-elected were upper house and upper house .

GAYBY BABY FURORE

WHAT set out to be a heartfelt look into the lives of children of rainbow families became one of the most controversial films of the year following tabloid uproar over .

The NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli as an apparent response to misleading controversy courtesy of the Daily Telegraph.

all came on board to publicly and welcomed it being shown throughout their states. NSW Premier Mike Baird said there 鈥渟hould be some parameters around [tolerance]鈥� in responding to Piccoli鈥檚 ban, but .

MALTA鈥橲 LANDMARK聽INTERSEX REFORMS

MALTA became following cross party support in April.

Organisation Intersex International Australia used the occasion to renew its calls for governments to , which would see similar protections to Malta enacted locally.

The after High Commissioner Zeid Ra鈥檃d Al Hussein highlighted the lack of awareness around intersex issues in a speech in Geneva.

EUROVISION鈥橲 60TH YEAR

THE world鈥檚 most-watched TV show 鈥� and one that seemingly attracts a large LGBTI fan base 鈥� Eurovision returned for its 60th anniversary in Vienna.

After being brought to Austria thanks to the contest鈥檚 iconic 2014 winner, , Eurovision took a markedly serious tone this year with .

In one of the most contentious voting results in recent years, Sweden eventually pulled away from Russia 鈥� 鈥� to claim .

CATE MCGREGOR A FINALIST FOR TOP HONOUR

THE world鈥檚 highest-ranked trans military officer, , became the first trans person to in November.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk presented McGregor with her award at a ceremony in Brisbane, after the National Australia Day Council decided to commend her for her work as a diversity champion and national leader in trans issues.

The Australian of the Year will be announced on Australia Day.

THE CONTEMPT OF KIM DAVIS

FOLLOWING the groundbreaking US Supreme Court decision in June that granted equal marriage rights for Americans, opposition was expected but few foresaw the rise (and fall) of Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis.

The controversial figure 鈥� who was shortlisted for Time magazine鈥檚 Person of the Year 鈥� was jailed for contempt following her refusal to grant marriage licences to same-sex couples in Rowan County.

on the proviso that she does not impede on other county clerks granting marriage licences to gay and lesbian couples.

Davis became the poster child for the American Christian far-right who defended her right to reject marriage licenses despite it being illegal to do so.

POLITICAL & UNIFORMED PRIDE

IT was a year of firsts for Brisbane and Melbourne as both cities鈥� LGBTI pride celebrations saw their highest level of political representation and attendance ever.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made a surprise appearance at 鈥檚 Fair Day in September, while her deputy Jackie Trad led in the preceding march alongside Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk.

Months earlier in January, at Melbourne鈥檚 Midsumma Carnival. a few weeks later.

2015 was also the first time Queensland, Tasmanian, South and Western Australian in their respective capital cities鈥� pride marches.

In Sydney,听迟he most senior enlisted member of the three armed forces in the聽Australian Defence Force .

VICTORIA REPEALS SECTION 19A

VICTORIAN Parliament of the Victorian Crimes Act in May, a law that criminalised the transmission of HIV.

The law was the only one of its kind in Australia and had threatened those who intentionally transmitted HIV with 25 years in prison, higher than the 20-year maximum for manslaughter.

HIV activist Paul Kidd said the decision sent a great message to the HIV community: 鈥淲hen people are criminalised it perpetuates stigma.鈥�

The push to repeal Section 19A became prominent in Melbourne.

BIG YEAR FOR BLACK RAINBOW

AN online聽social group catered to and run by聽Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who identify as LGBTI, sistergirl or brotherboy grabbed headlines after its .

Black Rainbow鈥檚 fundraiser, which surpassed its $25,000 鈥渢ipping point鈥� and $26,550 in February,聽meant the聽group could take听迟he first formal steps required to elevate it from a social media network and into the Black Rainbow Living Well Foundation.

Black Rainbow founder and leader Dameyon Bonson told the Star Observer that the success of the聽crowdfunding campaign also meant聽Indigenous LGBTI Australians now had a space to have their voices heard and ask for direct representation.

Several months later in October, Bonson and Black Rainbow’s advocacy work for the Indigenous LGBTI community was recognised when聽it was聽.

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VICTORIA鈥橲 NEW LGBTI TASKFORCE

THE with the aim of protecting the rights of sexually and gender diverse people across the state.

Equality Minister Martin Foley and trans advocate Brenda Appleton were chosen to co-chair the taskforce, which consists of two working groups: one focusing on health services and the other on law reform.

Earlier this year, the government also appointed .

POSTERS TELL MEN TO 鈥淔**K RAW ON PrEP鈥�

POSTERS with the slogan 鈥測ou can f*** raw, PrEP works鈥� appeared around Melbourne in September, .

Spokespersons for the Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) and Living Positive Victoria both affirmed the importance of making PrEP available in Australia, but questioned the appropriateness of the message.

More recently in the lead up to World AIDS Day, calling on VAC and ACON to take further action to get PrEP approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

QANTAS CEO ON GLOBAL 100 LIST

OPENLY gay Qantas chief executive in 2015.

Joyce was one of the few Australian names on the list and was only topped by Lloyd鈥檚 chief executive Inga Beale, the first-ever woman to have taken the top honour.

, although his colleagues, family, and friends already knew. He has led Qantas since 2008.

ACT ENACTS EXPUNGEMENT OF GAY SEX CONVICTIONS

THE ACT Legislative Assembly voted to allow men who were convicted of historic consensual gay sex crimes before decriminalisation to permanently clear the conviction from their criminal record.

Under the Spent Convictions (Historical Homosexual Convictions Extinguishment) Amendment Bill 2015, , men will be able to apply to have their convictions extinguished.

While advocates agree this was a necessary step, some are still calling for a formal apology.

The ACT joins and in allowing gay men to expunge historic gay sex crimes, while has a similar scheme in place.

ADOPTION EQUALITY IN VICTORIA

A BILL allowing same-sex couples to jointly adopt was passed in , although the right of religious service providers to discriminate based on their beliefs was also voted in.

The bill was passed with 31 upper house MPs voting in favour of same-sex adoption and eight voting against it.

Despite the bill being passed, it still needed to go back to the lower house thanks to the amendment allowing for religious exemptions.

The bill, including the right for religious organisations to discriminate, eventually became law after it .

Victoria now joins NSW, Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT in allowing same-sex聽couples to jointly adopt.

CHANGING CULTURE OF SPORT

THE AFL鈥檚 St Kilda Saints will play the Sydney Swans in a Pride Match during the 2016 premiership season.

The made in October follows the support the NRL, AFL and Football Federation had thrown behind marriage equality in in July.

NRL star by league bosses for posting a homophobic slur on Instagram in April.

Prior to that, Wallabies star was praised after video footage of him calling out a fellow rugby player鈥檚 homophobic slur on-field went viral.

In April 2014, the AFL, NRL, Australian Rugby Union, Football Federation Australia and Cricket Australia all .

SOUTH AUSTRALIA MARKS 40YRS OF DECRIMINALISATION

TO celebrate , Adelaide City Council installed a rainbow walk in Light Square.

The walk, alongside lighting up the city’s town hall in rainbow colours, were initiatives designed to help Adelaide鈥檚 LGBTI community feel more accepted and were done around the time of the city鈥檚 Feast Festival 鈥� the annual LGBTI cultural event.

South Australia was the first state to decriminalise homosexuality in 1975, although the ACT was 聽in 1973 鈥� but聽it was not ratified聽by the Prime Minister until 1976.

HOLDING THE MAN CAPTURES COMMUNITY AGAIN

THE聽first ever film adaptation of , which had its world premiere in Sydney in June, went on to be met with critical acclaim after聽it was released in cinemas nationwide in August.

The film 鈥斅燿irected by Neil Armfield, written by Tommy Murphy (who also wrote the globally聽successful stage adaptation of the book) and starring Ryan Corr, Craig Stott, Anthony LaPaglia and Guy Pearce 鈥斅燼lso .

Holding The Man was also , including Best Film, Best Direction, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

STONEWALL MOVIE CONTROVERSY

THE release of a fictional film based on New York City鈥檚 1969 Stonewall Riots caused uproar among the LGBTI community due to its allegedly inaccurate historic representation.

Widely considered the birth of LGBTI pride and one of the most important events in LGBTI history, the Stonewall Riots were led by people of colour, drag queens, 鈥渂utch鈥� lesbians and trans people. However, the movie had a cisgender white male in the lead and director Roland Emmerich was accused of 鈥渨hitewashing鈥� history.

circulated even before its general release and social media was rife with debate.

When the movie was finally released in September, it was met with mostly negative reviews and only took about $110,000 in the US box office.

The 聽Star Observer听迟hanks you for reading and supporting us throughout 2015

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**This article is a slightly edited/amended version of one that was first published in the , which is available from December 10, 2015. 聽in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and select regional/coastal areas.

Read听迟he January聽edition聽of the Star Observer in digital format:

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