Greens name Senator Nick McKim as new LGBTIQA+ spokesperson
New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/greens-name-senator-nick-mckim-as-new-lgbtiqa-spokesperson/
Greens name Senator Nick McKim as new LGBTIQA+ spokesperson
Senator Nick McKim has been named as the new LGBTIQA+ spokesperson for the Australian Greens.
Stepfather of prominent Tasmanian transgender advocate Jasper Lees, Greens Senator Nick McKim is the party’s new LGBTIQA+ spokesperson.
McKim shared his excitement about inheriting the LGBTQIA+ portfolio on Twitter/X yesterday.
“So much to do,” McKim wrote.
“And I look forward to working with some of Australia’s most powerful change-makers,
“To finally end discrimination against queer folks and right some of the wrongs of the past.
Source: Twitter/X
Over 20 years of experience advocating for equality.
The move has been welcomed by the national LGBTIQA+ advocacy organisation, Just.Equal Australia.
“Senator McKim has over twenty years’ experience as an advocate for LGBTIQA+ equality.”
“First, as the Tasmanian Greens’ party leader,” Just.Equal spokesperson Rodney Croome said.
“Then as a state Cabinet Minister and more recently as the Justice Spokesperson for the Australian Greens.
“He helped lead the campaign for state same-sex marriage laws when the Commonwealth refused to act,
“He oversaw LGBTIQA-inclusive school programs as Tasmanian Minister for Education,
“He has been a vocal opponent of exemptions that allow discrimination in schools and services,
“And he has been a strong defender of trans and gender diverse inclusion and equality.
“I have no doubt Nick will move LGBTIQA+ equality forward at a national level at a time when there is a danger it might stall.”
McKim’s Greens portfolios include Economic Justice & Treasury, Forests and LGBTIQA+.
He takes the place of gay Greens MP Stephen Bates, who lost the seat of Brisbane in the Federal Election.
No place for Transphobia in Tasmania.
A staunch and proud Tasmanian, Nick McKim’s website says he “is an unapologetic defender of the things that make his home state different from the rest of the world.”
“A passionate defender of multicultural Australia,”
“And an advocate for a humane and compassionate approach towards people seeking asylum.
“He is also fighting for a fairer and simpler immigration system and for better protections of people’s human rights.”
In 2023, he couldn’t be prouder of his state when anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, known online as Posie Parker, came to town.
Around 400 trans equality supporters gathered on parliament’s lawns to sit and show they “weren’t standing for transphobia”.
While Keen’s rally in Hobart “turned into a pathetic agglomeration of about a dozen people”.
“Hundreds of Tasmanians who believe in fairness and equality and who wanted to support their transgender siblings, came out, shouted them down and ran them out of town,” Nick McKim told the Senate.
“It was a glorious day for my home state because Tasmanians came out and made it clear that hateful, transphobic, fascist agenda has no place in our society. [It] has to be stood up against and has to be fought.”
McKim called to name “Posie [and her] ilk what they actually are. That is trans-exclusionary right-wing dropkicks – T-E-R-D-S.”
“They are not TERFs; they are TERDS, and that’s how we should describe them: T-E-R-D-S.”
In that same Senate speech, McKim called out another Twitter user for persistent “vile and disgusting” abuse of his trans stepson online.
“You can get in the bin alongside Posie Parker,” he told the Senate.
“Jasper has more humanity in his little toenail than either of you have in your entire bodies.
“He is an intelligent, funny, highly empathetic human, not to mention a very handsome young man.”
I could not be more proud of my home state of Tasmania for drumming those Nazi-supported transphobes right out of town. ️⚧️ pic.twitter.com/i3xbEE9VyK
— Nick McKim (@NickMcKim) March 22, 2023
Greens hold sole balance of power in Senate.
With the Greens holding sole balance of power in the Australian Senate, Just.Equal Australia’s Croome says he will liaise with Senator McKim.
To discuss existing exemptions in federal law allowing discrimination by faith-based schools and services.
“This unjustifiable exemption must be removed,” said Croome.
“Not only because it allows discrimination in states without their own protections, like NSW,
“But also because Catholic school authorities have invoked the federal exemption to override existing discrimination protections in states like Tasmania.
“Federal discrimination law does not override state discrimination law,
“But so long as Catholic school authorities wrongly defend discrimination by citing federal exemptions, all LGBTIQA+ students and staff are at risk across the nation.”
For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news,entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.