Today marks the legislation of federal protection on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status. The new laws are hoped to halt alarming amounts of discrimination experienced by the LGBTI community.

These new laws mean that anyone discriminated against on the grounds of new protected attributes can make a complaint with the Human Rights Commission and take the issue to Federal Court.

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“This Commonwealth discrimination protection will make a significant and positive impact on the daily experiences of many people”, said Peter Hyndal, the executive Director for ‘A Gender Agenda’.

“A Gender Agenda particularly welcomes the inclusive definition of gender identity and protection on the basis of intersex status.”

The new protections make Australia the first country globally to acknowledge Intersex people at a federal level.

“We welcome the full, authentic inclusion of ‘intersex status’, a biological attribute, in anti-discrimination law for the first time. We have not previously been recognised in law, and our inclusion is of huge practical benefit,” said OII Australia Secretary Gina Wilson.