Lesbian Action Group v Australian Human Rights Commission
Lesbian Action Group v Australian Human Rights Commission
The Lesbian Action Group (LAG) is an Australian lesbian community organisation. It was told that it must keep its events open to transgender lesbians as part of LAG’s ‘target group’ after the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) refused to grant it an exemption from anti-discrimination laws.
The AHRC’s decision prohibited the group from staging a planned “Lesbians Born Female” event to commemorate International Lesbian Day. It also challenges traditional notions of sex as a biological concept as the commission concluded that sex is non-binary and changeable.
LGB Alliance Australia - Lesbian Action Group - Explanation of Case
Link to Feminist Legal Clinic Page on the case
Status
The LAG is appealing the decision and will be in the administrative appeals court on Monday 2 September 2024. Evidence and arguments were heard on 2 & 3 September 2024. Tweet threads are below.
Live Tweeting Sessions
Monday 2 September 2024 - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
Tuesday 3 September 2024 - Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8
Abbreviations
M Member Stewart Fenwick
AAT Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Applicant
A LAG as the Applicant party
CA Carole Ann, LAG spokeswoman
LH Leigh Howard, LAG barrister
AK Anna Kerr, Feminist Legal Clinic solicitor
MB Megan Blake, FLC paralegal
Respondent
R AHRC as the Respondent party
DG Daye Gang, AHRC barrister
LW Louisa Wong, AHRC solicitor
Intervenor
RA Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls
SC Stephanie Cheligoy
Witnesses
SJ Sheila Jeffreys, LAG expert
PG Paula Gerber, AHRC expert
EJ Elena Jeffreys, AHRC expert
SP Siobhan Patton, AHRC witness
BF Bumpy Favell, AHRC witness
Other
SDA Sex Discrimination Act
GI Gender identity
GID Gender identity discrimination
CEDAW Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
BW Biological woman
BM Biological man
CW “Cis woman”
TW “Transwoman”
CGL “Cis gender lesbian”
TGL “Transgender lesbian”
SOFIC Statement of facts, issues and contentions
Press Coverage
Here are links to a selection of relevant press coverage about this case. These links are included without comment and are not endorsed by Tribunal Tweets. This is a sample of coverage only, with most recent first - it is not comprehensive. Please DM our main Twitter account to submit coverage from an established news outlet. Any paywalled article must be archived.
5 September 2024
Sky News Australia - The Late Debate
4 September 2024
The Guardian (Australia) - ‘We are seeking to discriminate’: lesbian group wanting to exclude trans women compares itself to Melbourne gay bar
3 September 2024
Sky News Australia - The Bolt Report
31 August 2024
The Guardian (Australia) - As Australian courts test legal definitions of gender, what will it mean for sex discrimination laws?
17 October 2023
Sydney Morning Herald - Lesbian Action Group loses bid to exclude trans women from events
Pink News - Australia’s Lesbian Action Group refused permission to exclude trans women from events
14 October 2023
Star Observer - AHRC Denies Discrimination Exemption For “Lesbian Born Female” Event
12 October 2023
Substack - Kara Dansky - Australian Human Rights Commission denies exemption for lesbian group to exclude men
29 September 2023
Q News - Human Rights Commission rebuffs ‘lesbians born female’ event
26 September 2023
Reduxx - Australian Human Rights Commission Decision Prohibits Female-Only Events For Lesbians
17 September 2023
Sky News Australia - Lesbian Group bids to exclude trans women from events
14 September 2023
Sydney Morning Herald - Bid to exclude trans women from lesbian event sparks stand-off
7 September 2023
LOTL - The Lesbian Action Group's Exemption Request: Balancing Rights And Inclusion
Equality Australia - LGBTIQ+ groups come out in full force to reject trans exclusion from lesbian event
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