Editorial: Posie Parker presents an opportunity

Anti-transgender rights activist Posie Parker, or Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, speaking in George Square, Glasgow. Photo / Jane Barlow, PA Images via Getty Images, Fl;e

Opinion

EDITORIAL

British anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s views are surely a repugnance to every decent and reasonable person.

Opponents point out the woman - also known as Posie Parker - has called for violence against trans women, forced sterilisation of trans men, and armed people to patrol restrooms to confront trans women. They also note she wants to end Rainbow community access to hormone replacement therapy and remove support for trans children; as well as calling for physical confrontations with trans folk.

These incitements come from a position of intolerance and clear manifestations of hatred towards already much-maligned, marginalised and vulnerable members of our communities.

It has been a time of radical change as the world has recently grown to understand the LGBTQI+ community. Such a pace of change often leaves a proportion challenged as what once was becomes no longer the case. This process produces doubt, misunderstandings and resistance. Sometimes the resistance comes in extreme forms, such as Keen-Minshull.

This has led to a culture clash of protests and counter-protests in Australia as Keen-Minshull has espoused her views in public places, something she plans to do also in Auckland and Wellington this weekend.

Those who feel strongly either way about Keen-Minshull have the opportunity to turn out to make their positions public, as is our legal right, hopefully as peacefully and as tolerantly as possible.

But this visit also presents a chance for all to catch up on the difficulties faced daily by some of our multifarious people.