Celebrities same sex law reform National Education Campaign
Natalie Bassingthwaighte
National LGBT Health Alliance Executive Director, Gabi Rosenstreich said the Wear it with Pride campaign fused human rights with arts to create a visually engaging and interesting campaign.
“Today’s spectacular art installation at the Opera House showcases some of the 85 t-shirts that form a part of our innovative education campaign. With the help of our celebrity campaign ambassadors, we hope all Australians and especially same-sex attracted Australians will inform themselves about these historic reforms.”
The celebrities, which include Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Ruby Rose and Kylie Gillies, have been joined by other grass-roots community members in a campaign called WEAR IT WITH PRIDE. To celebrate the 85 same-sex law reforms, 85 t-shirts inspired by the changes have been produced. The campaign ambassadors now want people to find out which ones fit them at wearitwithpride.com.au
The first of the eighty-five unique designer t-shirts were also unveiled today. Custom designed by some of the country’s hottest artists and top designers from Australia and beyond, they aim to spark conversations about the law reforms that give same sex couples equal rights in the areas of employee entitlements, privacy rights, tax, superannuation, child support and insurance.
Other campaign ambassadors include Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Todd McKenney, Richard Reid (Today show), drag identity Courtney Act, Prof. Kerryn Phelps (former Head of the AMA), media personality Julie McCrossin, Geoff Field from the Kyle and Jackie O show, Jess and Lisa Origliasso from The Veronicas, Indigenous Actor, Director, Choreographer Noel Tovey, performer iOTA, David Page from the Bangarra Dance Theatre, Air Commodore Tracy Smart and Adam Sutton, the man who was Heath Ledger’s inspiration for Brokeback Mountain.
Campaign organisers thank the Australian Government for the funding for the campaign, along with The Sydney Opera House, Hills Australia, Partridge Partners and creative agency M&C Saatchi for helping to take the WEAR IT WITH PRIDE to all Australians.
The campaign is looking for more people to become ambassadors for the campaign or to design a t-shirt for the campaign. Involvement is entirely voluntary and pro-bono. Each participant, whether they’re a designer or influencer, will play a vital role in promoting this human rights milestone for Australia. For further information visit www.wearitwithpride.com.au
“I believe having the same legal rights for all relationships is a massive step forward for the community as a whole,” commented MTV personality Ruby Rose. “I’d say almost everyone knows or comes into contact with someone who is gay, whether it is your bar tender, hairdresser, Lawyer, cousin, sister, family member, Train driver, Doctor… If it’s ok for them to cut your hair, drive your train, be your doctor, it should of course be ok for them to have a loving relationship with equal rights.”
Noel Tovey is an indigenous actor, director and choreographer who recently celebrated his 76th birthday. Through his life Noel has experienced many highs, but his lows have been equally memorable. At the age of 17 he was tried for the abominable crime of ‘buggery’, for which the death penalty was still in Australia’s statutes. “Ever since I can remember I’ve fought for equality- black, white, whatever. Same-sex couples of my generation who previously had no rights will now have rights. If one dies, the other won’t be thrown out of their house. There are now social security laws to protect them. And fortunately they will protect the younger generation of gay people, because they won’t have to endure any of the things that I did.”
Professor Kerryn Phelps is the former Head of the Australian Medical Association. “Every person in a same-sex relationship has suffered discrimination whether they know it or not. The people who really know about it are those who have faced a crisis where their sexuality has become an issue in their job or with their family. Maybe they’ve been expelled from their family or their partner hasn’t been welcome at family events. We had a letter from an elderly woman who lost her partner and was denied access to her partner’s bedside in a hospital because she was told she wasn’t family. They had been together for 42 years! Now these are the sorts of stories that just shouldn’t be happening in Australia in this century. What these law reforms mean is there will be fewer opportunities for these types of discrimination to happen.”
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