Updated 12th March 2024
OUR BLOOD IS SAFE - LIFEBLOOD NEEDS TO KNOW
Through our campaign group, Let Us Give, Just.Equal Australia leads advocacy for a fairer and equal blood donation policy in Australia. Currently, Australia bans blood donation from sexually-active gay men, and bisexual men and trans women who have sex with men. This is at odds with the UK, US, Canada and many other countries that assess donors based on their individual risk by asking all donors the same gender-neutral questions. We are campaigning for the same policy in Australia.
Our work has resulted in a number of Australian health ministers declaring their support for individual risk assessment and in the Red Cross Lifeblood Service announcing in-principle support for that reform.
But there remains much work to do if the reform is to become a reality.
Read more about our campaign and sign our petition here...
Updated 10th July 2024
LGBTIQA+ HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER
Just.Equal Australia has been advocating for several years for the appointment of an LGBTIQA+ Human Rights Commissioner to the Australian Human Rights Commission.
An LGBTIQA+ Commissioner would ensure our rights are given the same priority as the rights of other groups that are currently represented by commissioners. The need was clear when the AHRC failed to issue a single statement in defence of LGBTIQA+ human rights between September 2021 and August 2023, despite escalating attacks against our rights.
In a welcome development, the Australian Human Rights Commission has recently launched an inquiry into the threats to trans and gender diverse human rights. You can make a submission here.
But this doesn’t lessen the need for a stand-alone LGBTIQA+ Commissioner. Just.Equal is actively lobbying members of federal parliament to ensure an LGBTIQA+ Human Rights Commissioner is appointed as part of current federal negotiations over religious and sexuality discrimination reforms.
Read more about our campaign Read more...
Updated 24th April 2024
INTERNATIONAL WORK
Just.Equal Australia continues to advocate for the rights of our communities overseas and supports our members' activities with regard to institutional struggles for equality by our peers in other countries.
JEA regularly monitors and publishes news reports of progress or otherwise of moves towards lgbtiq equality as well as regressive / harmful actions by governments and powerful actors in other nations. Sadly, awareness and publicity are mostly all we can do. However, occasionally JEA is able to take direct action.
Read more about our overseas support and advocacy Read more...
Updated 15th June 2024
PARTICIPATION IN PRIDE EVENTS SURVEY
Updated 17th June 2024
RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION: HELP US ENSURE THE COMMUNITY IS HEARD
Just.Equal Australia recently commissioned national polling from respected pollster, YouGov, about protecting LGBTQA+ people from discrimination in faith-based schools. Read more...
Updated 17th June 2024
TRANS DIGNITY AND EQUALITY
Just.Equal Australia has worked alongside members of the Australian Parliament to prevent an unnecessary, damaging and highly-politicised inquiry into affirming health care for young trans and gender diverse (TGD) Australians. Read more...
Updated 17th June 2024
INQUIRIES ON CENSUS, MEDICARE, AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Just.Equal has been an active participant in a number of inquiries.
Updated 17th June 2024
AUSTRALIAN LGBTIQA+ VOTING PATTERNS
Last year, Just.Equal released new research about how LGBTIQA+ Australians voted in the 2022 and 2019 elections. Read more...