Freedom of Sexuality: It's Freedom Friday FreeFolk!
It's freeeeedoooommm friiiiiiiddddddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy folks, well, it is down under (oo er) and @eaglespirit has posed the topic for this week which is FREEDOM OF SEXUALITY and you can find her post here outlining the initiative. I freaking love Freedom Friday because it asks us to reflect on the most precious of things, something we all need to show up for and care about. Last week was super cool too as @freewritehouse got on board too, so there was lots of freedom friday fun to be had. I try to post this early my time to alert y'all to WRITE - you've got 24 hours to whip up something and go and read what others think of it. Engage, peeps, engage - it's the best thing about being here, and without it, we may as well fly away somewhere else.
So. Freedom of Sexuality - here I ramble!
I've been lucky as a woman in Australia, and have always felt in charge of my sexuality. Given how sexuality is fluid, I've easily slipped in and out (seriously, no euphemism intended - although, that's what @eaglespirit will like most about this post, oo-er) out of my various sexual identities as needed. I've also been lucky enough to have one of the more 'hidden' queer identities as a bi-sexual who ended up chosing a man as soul mate, so the vast majority of people I know wouldn't even know that side of me and I never feel the need to bring it up nor do I feel the need to express that side of myself as I'm completely happy with my beautiful partner. And when I have referred to it, my family hasn't batted an eye, so accepting they are of who I am.
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I could remember, I suppose, times in my life where my sexuality was threatened and I just got my feminist queer politics out and slapped them with it, even from an early age. Thanks feminist Mum. Luckily enough, I never really encountered any objections to my sexual selfhood, and if I did, I probably wouldn't hang out with them. I've always hung out with people who were a bit free and loose like that, or at least tolerant and non-judgemental. Maybe both. I've never had to tolerate the ridiculous prospect of 'Straight Lives Matter' rallies where people say things like:'You gay fuckers are typical left wing scum.' or risked having a record for homosexual sex being on the record for the rest of my life like it was until 1975 in South Australia, and 1991 in Queensland (lucky I didn't have gay sex in Queensland or get caught for it, for that matter). Check out the timeline here. Tassie criminalised gay men until 1997, the year my son was born.
Clearly, overt and proud sexuality is not so easy for all.
This week in Australia, we've been hotly debating whether religious schools should be allowed to kick students out on the basis of their sexuality or refuse to hire teachers if they identify as LGBTQI. The debate centres around the right to have religious belief, and to act upon it, as well as whether this freedom should trump other freedoms, such as the right to be free from persecution and discrimination. Many LGBTQI are irate that this is even being discussed and used as a polarising political issue, because they've just been in the spotlight having to defend their identities as Australia finally joined other countries (late, mind) in approving of same sex marriage. Whilst I'd immediately agree with most in saying that there is no way religious schools should be exempt from discrimination laws (you're not meant to discriminate on the basis of sex, class, or race either) there's also the very real debate about whether they are being discriminated against as well, because they aren't allowed to act in accordance with their beliefs.
Well, hello, we've all seen where religious belief and the manifestation of that belief gets the more dogmatic, fundamentalist religions. Whilst I'm mostly live and let live, there's got to be lines drawn as to what freedom is afforded religious institutions, especially in light of the freedoms afforded the Catholic church as a blind eye was turned against pedophilia and other institutional child abuse. It seems most of Australia is keeping this in mind as we argue the child comes first. Given LGBTQI people in Austraia suffer poorer mental health outcomes and have higher risk of suicidal behaviors than their peers, a result of being stigmatized and discriminated against (and abused) I can't see any reason whilst we should work toward inclusion in other aspects of society, but allow it in religious schools. Sure, if you're a parent sending your gay child to a school who doesn't accept it, you'd rethink where to send them, but what if you're a kid who's struggling with their identity and is already in the school?
Whilst media would have most of Australia as homophobic gay bashers (which we can be) it's heartening to see polls where the vast majority agree that there can be no special exemptions granted to religious schools, enabling them to discriminate on this basis. Tellingly, when you break the stats down, One Nation only had 51 percent support - don't move to Queensland, in other words. 62 per cent of Coalition supporters, 81 per cent of Labor voters, 92 per cent of Greens voters think there should be NO exemptions. Go Greens. But we've got a long way to go before all forms of sexuality and sexual expression are seen in society.
In debating this issue with my students this week, particularly the 'gay cake' fiasco that came up in Ireland and in America (because I'm all for airing topics that are taboo or avoided) one student wrote in response:
It is absolutely absurd that homophobes think that they can get away with this through the guise of "Freedom of Religion". As a gay student and a Christian myself, I am embarrassed by the acts of these maniacs who believe that their God hates other people and who also supposedly represent my faith with their homophobia. I've been to church and I've read the bible and yet, I still haven't been able to find the sections where it says that "every good baker should not serve LGBT people". However, this debate isn't about religion and whether or not people should have the right to hurt others because of their "beliefs". Fundamentally, It's about whether or not people want the right to treat others differently based on a quality which they cannot control. Sexuality, just like race and gender, is not a choice. We can't choose who we are attracted to. What we can choose however, is how we interpret our beliefs and how we use them to treat others. Sadly, many are making the wrong choice, choosing to attack others when they instead could love one another, just like their beliefs actually tell them to. Why not sell gay cakes? Why not celebrate diversity? Why are people still continuing conduct toxic behaviours when they have no reason to do so? To all you haters out there, who think that I am inhuman because of my sexuality, who believe that I should not enjoy the same rights as other Australians, who think that I have no right to love who I love, if my God doesn't hate me because of my sexuality, why do you?
I totally teared up a bit when I read this response. I wouldn't be a teenager struggling with my sexuality for quids. Sex and sexuality are pretty rad things to negotiate as it is when you're growing up, let alone fearing you'll be judged for it, and knowing you're going to be excluded in some areas of society.
Whilst I do believe in freedom of belief, I don't believe it should over rule other liberties - and if we can't discriminate against indigneous men and woman (anymore, because we've got a really shameful history here) and we can't discriminate against woman (which of course is still deeply embedded in society, and I'd argue in both cases the law doesn't do a LOT to stop that kind of thing) we shouldn't allow discrimination against sexual identity or sexuality either. Whilst religious schools might argue they wouldn't, and that's all well and good, if the law isn't made super clear and is applied to all elements of Australian society, then that's just perpetuating inequality.
Religion is an idea like any other set of ideas and needs to compete on an equal playing field.
![image.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/riverflows/EapqXkPb-image.png)
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I love freely expressed sexuality in all it's forms (unless it is harming others but I shouldn't have to say that) and love humanity for it. Let's all get naked and cover ourselves in rainbow paint and dance through the streets and kiss who we want, without fear of reprisal or criticism. That'd be an awesome freedom, don't you think? Fuck protecting religious beliefs - they're antiquated and don't fit with the world we want to become. They can shove their exemptions up their homophobic butt holes.
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lovely post dear and so on point for a very important discussion point! you're so good at putting different facts together to tell the current story... as a queer kid (came out later) who grew up in a religious school i 100% support support for queer youth and teachers within those institutions!! as the kid says, nowhere does it say you can't support the LGBT baker... happy you had such a safe space growing up (within your family) and that Australia is getting on board to make better laws. we are SO behind here in the US too and the populace is very polarized. in the end i think it comes down to bigotry and also confusion about what the bible says. people use the bible to justify their own sentiments and prejudices... XO
Thanks honey. I don't think I did a good job at writing really.. a bit of a freeform babble without editing properly. But I hope I expressed myself well enough. I think many religious beliefs don't.fit with the world we want to manifest and though I feel a little aggressive in my last line, I left it in as when I think of how people have suffered in the name of God I feel upset and angry.
You know, when this stuff comes up in class I never really say how I identify as I worry about the repercussions of that. Yet it's fine for straight people to asset their sexuality all the time. In smaller conversations with bright queer kids I'm more forthcoming as I want them to know they aren't alone.
Yeah I'm lucky. And my boy was, in his circle.. a super tolerant school with many openly gay kids and relationships. My fear was when they got out into the world as some don't fare so well. So far my son's mates have done fine.. guess we are fairly liberal round here.
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Yeah. Frikkin-A!!!
I can't believe the shit going on about gay kids in schools. I mean, seriously.... WTAF!??!
I still think just ignore the religions and their schools, and don't send your child there... but as you say, what if the child is already enrolled and attending and realises they are homosexual (which is probably more likely).
I guess you could keep quiet about it... but then where is the freedom of sexual expression?!? Tricky question.
Honestly, people who get hung up about sexuality are probably not getting any.
🍆🍑👄💦😜
Ha maybe. It's the same thing with the cakes though @metametheus... I thought that maybe you could just veto them but then I thought well.. if a bakery refused to serve a black man.. wait what? Now that's a story in our history we changed! This isn't any different. Why should religious institutions be exempt from the laws that apply to the rest of us? And think about gay Christians that might WANT to attend said school.
J. weirdly went for a term job at a Baptist college once and was asked what he thought about homosexuals. He was so taken aback he didn't say what he wanted to say but did say he absolutely had no problem with it, knowing t was a loaded question. Didn't get job. Wouldn't have taken job.
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Damn straight!
I'm totally down with this! ^^ Fabulous post.
Yay!!! Or maybe butt naked on a beach @katrina-ariel???
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Yes!!! Let’s go! ☺️
go lovely to read this, a very different story to mine, but yet we both feel the same way with regards to sexuality. Love the freedom you have had and I look forward to joining you and Katrina on that celebration xxxx
Yes, that Irish cakes thing is just weird and sad. I'm astonished that sodomy was a capital offence in Australia. And that homosexuality wasn't decriminalised in some areas until 1997! I've never understood why people's sexuality is other people's business anyway.
I'm with you all painted up in rainbow colors, dancing naked in the streets, free to kiss who ever you want! That made me chuckle, the images that were dancing through my head!
I can't believe they actually criminalized gay men right up until 1997! Yikes!
I sure feel for that young teenager who wrote that essay. It bought home all the struggles teenagers have (which I had almost forgot about) with their newly amerging sexuality as they are reaching maturity and where some have to struggle more than others. Good on that young fellow for speaking up and bringing clarity to his situation as a Catholic gay teenager. I do hope no schools will be able to exclude anyone based on sexuality.
wow mama River you delt it!! love your passion and info, a lot of good stats in here and then the letter. for anyone to be in sadness over their freedom of any aort being hindered makes me sad too. phht
as much as i want to support everyone for their feelings on issues its hard to strike this balance with religion and sexuality. id say that i support your last paragraph head on and would add everyone to the mix! all himans, humanity, just accept one another in love. totally idealistic maybe but still its who i am to the core. thank you for sharing such a lovely post and that last photo is super lovely.
much love,
eagle spirit
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