Media release – Equality Tasmania, 21 March 2023
400 REJECT ANTI-TRANS MESSAGE AT HOBART VIGIL
EQUALITY TASMANIA DOES NOT CONDONE CONFRONTATION
Four hundred people gathered peacefully on Parliament Lawns in Hobart today to affirm trans and gender diverse Tasmanians and reject hate.
The gathering coincided with the presence of anti-trans activist, Kelly-Jay Keen, who about twenty people turned out to hear.
Those attending sat down to show they weren’t standing for transphobia.
As the vigil progressed, some attendees gathered around Kelly-Jay Keen and shouted her down despite directives from Equality Tasmania not to confront or engage with Kelly-Jay Keen or her supporters.
Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rose Boccalatte, said,
“The large turn out in support of trans and gender diverse people shows Tasmanians embrace inclusion and repudiate hate.”
“Tasmanians are tired of a small minority stirring up unfounded fears about trans people and undermining our progressive discrimination and gender recognition laws.”
“The takeaway message of the event is that the majority of Tasmanians support rans and gender diverse people”.
“We understand the community’s pain and frustration, however Equality Tasmania was very clear that we did not condone confrontation or engagement in any form with the anti-trans rally.”
“The vigil was organised as an opportunity for Tasmanians to show solidarity with their trans and gender diverse siblings, and that was achieved.”
While Nazis were present at the Kelly-Jay Keen event in Melbourne, there was no visible Nazi presence in Hobart.
Featured image above courtesy Rod Spark Photography.
Cassy O’Connor MP, Greens Leader, 21 March 2023
Love and Inclusion Drowned Out Hate and Exclusion Today
Hundreds of vocal, passionate Tasmanians showed up to defend the rights of transgender people outside Parliament today, and the Greens proudly stood with them.
The vile, transphobic, fake feminist, Kellie-Jay Kean, and a handful of her supporters were completely outnumbered by people who were there to say loud and proud that transgender rights are human rights.
Trans people were joined by their many allies, Aboriginal community leaders, forest defenders and animal rights activists, doing what we do best – peacefully protesting for the best, and most just of causes.
It was a resounding show of love and support for transgender Tasmanians.
It made me proud to be a Hobartian.
Kellie-Jay Kean had to scuttle away from the crowd, taking her all-man security detail with her.
We hope she never returns.
On behalf of the Tasmanian Greens, I want to sincerely thank Tasmania Police for the calm and professional way they handled a potentially volatile situation. They too did Tasmania proud.
