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The Pink Ceiling is Too Low (1999) (183kb) |
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Workplace Discrimination Fact Sheet (36kb) |
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RESOURCES:
Anti-Discrimination
Board's website has a great deal
of information on discrimination and your rights.
The Legal
Information Access Centre regularly puts out a plain English
booklet on legal rights and issues called Hot Topics. This focused on
Discrimination
in September 1998.
Anti-Discrimination and Social Justice
Despite advances in gay and lesbian rights, lesbians and gay men are
not equal in Australia. Discrimination takes many forms with common problems
including unequal laws, media bias, prejudice in the workplace and harassment
at school and in the streets.
For a basic fact sheet on discrimination against
gay men and lesbians, and for other fact sheets dealing with various areas
of discrimination, check the column on the right.
There is insufficient protection against discrimination. Discrimination
on the basis of homosexuality is prohibited in NSW under the Anti-Discrimination
Act. However, the legislation is not as effective as it should be. For
starters, same sex couples are not
recognised meaning that couple-based discrimination is not specifically
covered. This means employers and others may deny benefits to our partners
with impunity. Worse, there are broad exemptions that limit the application
of the law. Private schools and churches effectively operate outside the
law.
Private schools and churches sometimes act like a law unto themselves.
They are. Private educational facilities - including
the many church-run schools - are not covered by the same discrimination
laws as public schools. There is also a broad religious exemption that
allows churches and other religious organisations to discriminate against
gays and lesbians.
Workplace discrimination
Discrimination against young people
Young gays and lesbians are frequently harassed at school and work and may be discriminated against by teachers, peers or employers. GLRL's fact sheet on Gay and Lesbian Youth touches upon some of these issues and provides contacts for young people.
What to do if you have been discriminated against
In NSW (and many other states) discrimination on the basis of homosexuality
is prohibited in employment, public education, the provision of services
and some other situations. Complaints can be made to the Anti-Discrimination
Board (ph (02) 9268 5555 or 1800 670 812).
You may want to seek legal advice if you have been discriminated against.
For information about free legal advice and assistance, check out the
Legal Information Access Centre's (LIAC) referral
guide.
The need for federal anti-discrimination legislation
In 1995 the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby prepared a discussion paper
to canvass some of the issues relating to a proposed Commonwealth Act
to outlaw discrimination against lesbians, gay men and transgender persons.
The paper deals with the need for such legislation; the power of the Commonwealth
to pass legislation dealing with sexuality related discrimination and
the form that any legislation should take.
GLRL continues to lobby for federal anti-discrimination legislation which
is needed in order to cover Federal issues, rectify gaps in State legislation
and ensure that State governments do not themselves discriminate.