“Hey y’all, my name is Tone or Tones, I use she/they pronouns and it is very scary being up here so if I’m not looking up please forgive me.
I would like to acknowledge the privilege it is to be standing here today on Yorta Yorta woka, and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
I am honoured to be asked by Greater Shepparton City Council and their LGBTQIA+ Advisory committee to speak here today. Its so lovely to see everyone here for IDAHOBIT day, thank you for being here to take up and share space.
Some of you may know me, some of you may be seeing me for the first time – but there’s one thing I know about all of you, and its that you’ve made the effort. And that’s so important, a community coming together to stand up against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia is a community I am proud to be a part of.
I refer to myself often as a loud and proud queer and genderqueer human, because it honours that I wasn’t always loud and proud in my queerness.
I remember what it was like to be told that my sexuality wasn’t real, or didn’t count.
A core part of who I am, and who I am capable of loving was being dismissed and rejected.
This impacted my ability to feel connected to others, to my community. It impacted my self esteem, my education, my trust and faith in people.
I also acknowledge the privilege of my visibility now, that I have handcrafted a circle of people who know me and accept me so I can thrive and be confident in the face of adversity.
So thank you to the people who showed me what being loud and proud is, so I can have a slice of that cake too.
So look around, this is our community, connect with the people around you and lean on each other as we recognise and acknowledge that it isn’t easy to be visible, it isn’t always safe to show up as your authentic self and that we have work to do.
Our allies who work alongside us to forge change – we see you.
Our young people, who are still facing challenges that the generations before us did, you are resilient and you are powerful.
Our queer elders, thank you for your tireless efforts to keep us safe, to rattle the cage and kick down the doors.
This years theme for IDAHOBIT Day is “No One Left Behind: Equality, Freedom and Justice for all”.
When I heard this, my heart and my mind were racing.
I thought about how overwhelming it is to be a young person, any person, in todays climate.
2 out of 3 LGBTQIA+ Australians experience abuse because of who they are.
Our trans community have a shorter life expectancy than cisgendered people.
42% of LGBTQIA+ people hide their identity at events.
60% of identifying young people leave school due to feeling unsafe.
63% of trans and gender diverse people experience homelessness.
Trans and gender diverse people are 15x more likely to attempt to take their life.
Equality, Freedom and justice for all.
We have the weight of the world on our shoulders, how many social issues that we are left to fight for and alongside.
I think of Gaza, and the genocide that is happening right before our eyes.
I think of how women being murdered at the hands of men are becoming dystopian numbers on a screen instead of real humans who deserve prevention and action.
I think of our first nations people who are disproportionately incarcerated and institutionalised in our justice system, who are continuing to die in custody at the hands of our so called protectors.
I think of the inaction and carelessness around climate change.
Equality, Freedom and justice for all.
Like I said, I was overwhelmed. And I’m sure you all are too.
And you should be.
This isnt normal, this isnt okay. And to have these feelings is how you know you care, how incredible that after all of this – we still give a shit.
Alongside just being very very gay, one of many attributes I have gained from being queer, is empathy. I know pain, I know shame, and I can feel it alongside others.
I care more about how things are impacting other people.
Being apart of the LGBTQIA+ community and standing up for all marginalised groups, in my opinion, is at the forefront of standing up for ourselves too.
We have to support each other, to strengthen our movements – and advocacy for one, can be advocacy for all.
Each of you here, although it doesn’t always feel like it, are conduits of power, of love, of compassion, of resilience, of dedication, of hope, of change. There is value in all of you.
There isnt one quick fix to any of this, its vigour and passion and a slow burn.
So, I urge you all to care for one another. To be the change in your own backyard.
What’s that one advertisement? From little things, big things grow.
See the value in what you do, from showing up to queer events or calling out people at school or in your workplace, see the value in being visible and creating safe spaces for people to be themselves. See the value in allyship. See the value in intentionality.
I urge you all To connect, and share the burden. To let nature care for you, and find ways to care for it. To stay curious, and ask questions.
To call out shitty behaviour, including your own. To get amongst grassroots projects and organisations, to attend rallies and events, to sign and start your own petitions. To keep each other safe. To be loud and proud.
Thank you.”
