Lately my inbox has been full of radfem drivel from people who assume I support regressive and hateful transphobic agendas. I don’t.

I support discussion on various topics, like how being inclusive of various gender identities could effect things like safe spaces, cis lesbian women, discussions of terminology etc. As we make progress as a community to embrace certain topics and people, concerns arise. And that’s ok! It is something we need to talk about to make progress, to educate and to understand and accept. However,

I do not support blatant bias and hate. I do not support outings. I do not support trans-phobia. Please stop sending me messages asking me to rally to your disgusting and hateful cause, and perhaps go and rethink what it means to be a decent human being.

In an edited version of a speech by Justice Chris Maxwell, president, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Victoria, Justice Maxwell tells us how complicated sentencing really is. He said that ‘not enough attention is paid to the core work of the criminal justice system, which is the investigation and prosecution of serious crime, and the conduct of fair trials. The integrity of our trial process is beyond question.’ This completely misses the point- once again. I feel its a way to silence the public when they ask for harsher sentences.

I’m pretty sure no one said sentencing was easy mate. I’m pretty sure also that everyone wants trials to be fair. Thats NOT what the public is complaining about. The complaint is sentencing and how pathetically low it is in this country compared to the rest of the west.

They are complaining about serious criminals who have been found GUILTY recieving TINY sentances in a system that has 0 effective rehabilitation currently. We are complaining about criminals having the lowest conviction rates, lowest sentences and lower time served for serious crimes than almost anywhere in the west.

We are angry that Between 2002 and 2003, more than one in ten convicted rapists in Victoria, Australia, served a wholly suspended sentence, and the average total effective sentence for rape was seven years. 

We are angry  six teenage juveniles did not even have a conviction recorded for gang raping a 10 year old girl, and that they be placed on a 12-month probation order: Because the 10 year old ‘probably wanted it’

We are angry that the average jail sentence for rape between 1999 and 2008 was just over five years- regardless of the ‘type’ of rape.

We are angry a church leader who drugged, strangled, beat on, raped and attempted to murder a young girl by setting her on fire- leaving her with horrific, serious permanent damage that leaves her unable to even care for her basic needs can be out in 16 years on parole.

These examples don’t even touch on murders, or torture. You should see how low sentences are for people who keep, sell and rape slaves!

No one is saying sentencing is easy; what we are saying is that an average of 5 years for horrifically violating someone isn’t good enough, and that 16 years for that plus torture and ATTEMPTED MURDER isn’t good enough. These numbers do not reflect what the public believes is fair. Do not tell us that we ‘just don’t get it’. We know it’s not easy and there are a lot of factors to consider but that doesn’t mean that such low sentences are therefor hunky dory- esp. when other countries similar to us have in some cases double the sentences or ACTUAL life sentences for the crimes we give a slap on the wrist for.

It’s not good enough, Justice Maxwell. The system or your response. 

I’m thinking next week some time, that I’d like to hang out the front of the Fertility Control Clinic in East Melbourne (beside Jolimont station- just past Richmond) with a giant sign saying “I support and respect you! Your body your choice!” with a BIG smiley face. I intend to use it to block out the anti-choice signs (which are getting quite graphic and abusive) for when women enter the clinic. I suspect it’s probably going to be a rather manic but merry sign jig to cover the worst ones. 

Is anyone interested in coming with me, to show a little support? Even one or two in front of a crowd of 12-30 haters can make a difference. It should be a fun day or shits and giggles for a good cause- I promise it. I’ll be bringing lots of bubblegum and lots of positive vibes. If not, I’ll wear some headphones so I can ignore the ever more abusive anti-choicers when they inevitably try and “talk” to me. :3

I intend to be perfectly silent and non confrontational, and all the signs will just be supportive and non confrontational. Maybe some pictures of baby ducks and kitties.


Seriously though; PM me if you’re interested in joining us, or I can give you my email / twitter and whatnot :)

Australia’s Largest Anti-Choice Rally to End to Abortion in Australia is being held to Sydney. So far over 2000 people have signed on to protest against women having control and freedom over their own bodies and reproductive rights. 

If you think that treating women like invisible incubators with no rights isn’t ok, please join us in a peaceful protest against the religious conservatives hellbent on ruining the lives, minds and bodies of women around the country.

THE FACEBOOK GROUP EVENT IS HERE.

I stumbled on this facebook event “Largest Pro-Life Rally - End to Abortion in Australia“ (I dont know how big or legit it will be) and thought it would be cool to organise a retaliation protest. 

I think we most certainly should! I’m in Melbourne but would gladly have a road trip to protest against this protest! I’m not sure how we would go about making this happen. I’d love to see more pro choice advocates than the horrible catholic anti-choicers. (Not anti-Catholic overall but this protest is run by Catholics)

Australian feminists and pro-choice advocates; Will you join us spread the Peaceful, Powerful Pro-choice message?

If so, how should we co-ordinate this? Facebook group?

The Victorian police are to be given new rights to ‘crack down’ on illegal brothels. Citing that Melbourne had a ‘booming illegal sex trade’ and that illegal brothels posed serious risk to the community because illegal brothels promoted abuse of women, tax avoidance, illegal immigration and health risks due to unprotected sex among other things. Cracking down on sex slavery is one thing but this is not whats going on overall.

I’d just like to say; if the government thinks that a return to the misogynistic, whorephobic and violent Vice Squad style of policing the underground sex industry is going to help women- they are deadly wrong- and it’s going to destroy and hurt many lives.

This isn’t about helping women. Sex slaves or freely and happily working.

It’s about getting rid of ‘illegals’ and ‘undesirables’ (Generally poor and abused women from Asian countries who want a better life but can’t get visas as they aren’t doctors/nurses/teachers/tradies- which is all we are taking in.)

It’s about taxing an underclass to death for jobs that already pay much less than they should so that life is unbearable and it makes legal work like prostitution not worth the tiny scrap of money you’ll have left over after tax worth it.

It’s about keeping women under the hand of oppressive “regulators” (pimps and brothel pimps) and keeping their pockets well filled, while stealing that money from workers. “Regulators” who in Victoria take MASSIVE and unfair cuts from women’s pay in exchange for little more than a legal venue to work in (often they take more than 50-60% of what they charge clients for the woman’s time- google-fu Melbourne brothels and see), making it unprofitable or unworth working in a ‘legal’ sexual; service venue. Many of whom force workers into contracts stating where else they can and can not work, taking advantage of women and smothering them.

It’s about fear mongering and then ‘fixing’ the ‘moral’ problem to ‘protect’ the public from its pearl clutching against many poor women who are just trying to get by but who are tired of Victoria’s nonsensical and grey-area laws regarding private sex work, who are tired of having over 50% of their hard earned money taken from legal pimps who give fuck all in return BEFORE tax, and who are tired of being discriminated against for being a sex worker even when it’s legal by almost every industry. 

As such they decide not to register as prostitutes, work for a ‘safe and legal’ pimp, decide to work for themselves or privately for an amount that is actually fair and reasonable for the work they do, not pay a huge lump sum of unfair tax for services they will not be allowed to use because they are part of a legal but disliked profession and as such are legally discriminated against.

Going after illegal brothels in the business of sex slavery is different, but over all this is not what it’s about at all. They should stop pretending this is about anything but hatred of illegal immigrants and underclass, making more tax money, fattening the pay packets of pimps and publicity at the expense of real people. I say;

NO RETURN OF THE VICE SQUAD!

(Source: theage.com.au)

Federal Finance Minister Penny Wong who recently was in international headlines for standing her ground after being ‘meowed’ at in parliament (and caused massive stir- and rightly so! See the video HERE) in Austrlian parliament has released a statement today revealing her long-term partner Sophie Allouache was expected to give birth in December after falling pregnant through IVF.

Penny Wong has always been openly gay, and was the first sitting member of the Australian Labor Party to “come out” while still in parliament. She has put up with a lot of flack for both her gender, orientation and her strong opinions. Even though she is not part of my political party of choice I highly respect Ms. Wong in every way. She is strong, well spoken, independent and has never put up with any sexist or homophobic BS that Australian politics has thrown her way. She is an incredibly inspiring woman.

Congratulations Penny, to you and Sophie. I am sure you will both be fantastic mothers and I personally am over the moon for you.