Government rejects all UN recommendations on LGBTQIA+ rights

The Australian federal government has rejected all recommendations made by United Nations member states regarding LGBTQIA+ rights as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This process, which assesses each UN member state's human rights record every four and a half years, saw over 120 nations offer suggestions for improving Australia's protections.

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By refusing to accept any of the recommendations about LGBTIQ+ rights, the government has missed an opportunity to show it's serious about equality, safety and dignity for all Australians.

While the government accepted recommendations for various marginalized groups, it declined all eight specific proposals concerning the LGBTQIA+ community. These included calls to eliminate exemptions allowing religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ students and staff, ban conversion practices, and prohibit unnecessary surgeries on intersex children. Recommendations also aimed to improve legal gender recognition processes for transgender and gender-diverse individuals and fund public education campaigns to reduce stigma.

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The message seems to be that the government thinks there is nothing left to do for the LGBTIQ+ community in Australia.

Savanh Tanhchareun, a spokesperson for the queer rights advocacy group Equality Australia, described the government's stance as a "missed opportunity" to demonstrate a commitment to equality, safety, and dignity for all Australians. Despite Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's public support for the LGBTQIA+ community, including marching in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the government faces criticism for perceived inaction. The acceptance rate of UPR recommendations by the current government is lower than that of the previous Morrison administration and represents the lowest since Australia began participating in the review process over two decades ago.

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We need to be a country that respects everyone for who they are.