Prime Minister Scott Morrison is being encouraged to meet transgender youth and their families after tweeting that “gender whisperers” need to be kept out of Australian schools.

- Advertisement -

The Prime Minister shared a story from The Daily Telegraph which revealed that schools are receiving more requests for specifically trained counselors to deal with transgender students. Australia’s new leader said “gender whisperers” were not needed in Australian schools.

In the article it’s revealed that teachers are receiving training to help them spot the signs that a student may be dealing with gender dysphoria.

The number of people aged between 6-16 who’ve been referred to gender clinics is increasing. Hospitals have this year already referred 74 children within that age group to specialist services, 52 more than in 2015.

Dr Elizabeth Riley, an expert in gender counselling, told the Daily Telegraph it was important that teachers were equipped with the skills and knowledge to assist transgender kids.

“Trans children are in every school, they’ve been around since the 1800s … If a school has 1000 students, 10 of them will be trans, whether they go on to transition or not. It’s important we support them so they get the right advice­ early so they are not bullied or go into hiding.” Dr Riley said.

The Prime Minister did not agree saying there was no need for “gender whisperers”.

LGBTI rights advocates have immediately written to the Prime Minister asking him to meet with transgender and gender diverse Australians.

Just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said the Prime Minister needed to get a better understanding about transgender Australians and the impact of negative comments.

“We have asked Mr Morrison to meet and talk with transgender and gender diverse Australians so he can better understand the terrible impact of prejudice and ignorance.

“Australia’s most respected mental health group, Beyond Blue, has found that most transgender and gender diverse young people experience abuse because of who they are, leading in turn to higher levels of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

“In response, Beyond Blue has recommended the kind of teacher awareness Mr Morrison is rubbishing.”

“If Mr Morrison is going ‘to be on the side of Australia’ he must open his heart to those Australians who are the most vulnerable to hate and fear.”

In its letter to Mr Morrison, just.equal has also asked him to meet with survivors of LGBTI “conversion therapy”, which Mr Morrison declared to be “not an issue for me” earlier in the week.

“Anything that inflicts unnecessary and preventable harm on everyday Australians should be of concern to the Prime Minister” Croome said.

The longstanding LGBTI rights activists went on to criticise attacks by the Prime Minister via twitter.

“Australians do not want their Prime Minister imitating Donald Trump by sniping against minorities on twitter. It is weak, irresponsible and not the Australian way.”

Today’s comment is the third time this week that the Prime Minister has voiced his opinions about LGBTIQ+ Australians. On Monday he said he had no intention of engaging with the issue of gay conversion therapy despite it being the number one issue for LGBTIQ+ voters ahead of the next federal election.

Also on Monday morning the Prime Minister agreed that hearing that teenagers might be exposed to information about bisexual people or lesbians would make his “skin curl”. The Prime Minister told Sydney radio that he sent his daughter to a private school so they would not be exposed to programs like Victoria’s Respectful Relationships.

OIP Staff