OPINION
Earlier this week as grey skies loomed over Perth, they were reflective of my mood.
Reporting the news can be challenging. There are many different types of stories, there’s good news stories, yarns about people’s achievements, fun stories, history to share, good books to read, amazing films to see and captivating music to explore.
Then there’s political stories. Sharing the comments made by politicians about LGBTIQA+ people and their families. It is important to hold people to account. Yes, there is free speech, but it comes with accountability, and statements should always be challenged. There’s been a lot to challenge lately.
There’s no doubt that the number of negative stories is rapidly escalating. There are so many things that are happening in the USA under the Trump administration, a daily stream of executive orders, illogical interpretations of those orders and tales of people then emboldened to discriminate, insult and abuse.
Around the globe this anti-LGBTIQA+ sentiment is parroted. We know reading the news can feel like an onslaught, we feel it too. I know many people will just avoid reading the news altogether, that’s understandable. You’ve got to look after yourself.
It’s fair to say by the middle of this week writing news reports, followed by blocking people from our social media pages for outrageous, offensive and threatening comments was getting me down. If I’m feeling it, I truly fear the most vulnerable in our communities.
In my grey slumber, I noticed the bright colours of flowers of the gum tress I was walking by. It led me to thinking about how in Noongar culture the seasons are celebrated.
The Indigenous people of southwestern Western Australia recognise six seasons.
Over a year we pass through Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang. The changing from one season to the next is not marked by a solid date on the calendar but by observing the changing of the plants, the birth of animal’s offspring and differences in the weather.
We’re at the end of Bunuru, moving into Djeran. It’s a time when there’s a break in the hot weather, cool nights lead to morning dews. The winds pick up and flying ants can be seen. The red flowing gums bloom and Banksia’s start displaying their flowers.
I wondered if the politicians and television pundits who proclaim there’s only two genders would launch a passionate defence of there only be four seasons. Is there a Sky News presenter ready to launch into a ten-minute editorial on the defense of summer, proclaiming it ends on February 28, and not a day more!
Later that day Senator Ralph Babet from Clive Palmer’s previous political party United Australia posted a 10-minute video about why he believes there were only two genders.
Senator Babet is fond of diving people into whether he considered them to be ‘alpha males’ or ‘beta males’, he often describes his political opponents as ‘feminised men’, and he argues that he should be able to use slurs against minority groups in the name of free speech.
Often when he goes off on these topics, I’m reminded of the line in Douglas Adams novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy where they recall the past as a time when “men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.”
Senator Babet rabbits on about masculinity decades after Joe Jackson let us know who ‘the real men are’.
In his video Senator Babet dismissed concerns raised by Transgender Victoria about the ads from Clive Palmer’s newest political party Trumpets of Patriots, labeling the group “obscure”, before launching into criticism of newspapers who apologised for running the ads, describing staff at the Newcastle Herald as “so-called journalists”.
“Ninety-nine per cent of the Australian population know full well that you are either male or female. This s neither controversial nor hateful, any more than saying that the sky is blue would be controversial or hateful.” Senator Babet proclaimed.
There are only two genders. The sky is blue.
The sky is blue Senator, but not always. Sometimes it grey. Sometimes its red, often it’s a bright orange. In fact, it’s a wide spectrum of colours throughout the day.
I’m thrilled that I love in a world where there can be six seasons or four, where they sky can be many colours.
Where my friends can be any sexuality or gender description that works for them. A world where people’s relationships come in a range of combinations and arrangements, if it works for them – who am I to judge or insist they conform to a pre-determined standard. I like a world where young people can bloom and reach their full potential.
It’s brighter more colourful and richer world. Take a moment to stop and appreciate the flowers amongst us. They’re the brightest and most colourful.
