When political figures argue that sexuality belongs behind closed doors, they are reaching for an old idea: that LGBTQIA+ people are easier to accept when they are less visible. For multicultural LGBTQIA+ Australians, who may already be negotiating racism, migration, faith, culture and sexuality, that demand for silence can reach into every part of life.
SCOA was proud to support our member AGMC and the Queer Multicultural Carnival. We were also very pleased that Assistant Minister Julian Hill joined the community that evening and addressed the Carnival directly. Political leadership has meaning when it is present. When a community’s visibility is being questioned in public debate, there is real value in elected representatives standing in that space and being clear about where they stand.
Julian spoke directly to this when he said, “We’ve all got multiple parts to our identity… to truly feel like we belong in Australia… we’ve got to feel safe to bring all parts of our identity into what we do.”
Australia does not need another debate about whether diversity has gone too far. Diversity is the country we already are. The work before us is to ensure that people can live within that diversity without being asked to edit themselves for the comfort of others.
That challenge belongs to all of us. Multicultural organisations must be willing to confront homophobia and transphobia within our communities. LGBTQIA+ movements must confront racism and understand how migration, faith and displacement shape people’s lives. Multicultural LGBTQIA+ people should not have to move between spaces where only one part of them is understood.
There is a lesson here too for the way we talk about social cohesion. A society does not become more cohesive by making its minorities quieter. People speaking about their lives, organising, celebrating publicly and demanding a voice in decisions that affect them are participating in democracy.
The AGMC Queer Multicultural Carnival was full of pride, colour and joy. It was also a public claim to visibility, voice and belonging. Multicultural LGBTQIA+ Australians have every right to make that claim.
SCOA congratulates AGMC and everyone who brought the Carnival together, and thanks Assistant Minister Julian Hill for being there, listening and speaking clearly alongside the community. At this political moment, that presence matters.
