Hobart Councillor Proposes Segregated Toilet Facilities For Trans Persons
starobserver.com.auHobart councillor and former mayoral candidate Louise Elliot on Monday introduced a motion to have segregated toilet facilities for trans persons and to exclude them from change rooms that correspond to their gender.Trigger Warning: This story discusses anti-trans statements, which might be distressing to some readers.
For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.LGBTQI activists said councillor Elliot’s motion in the Hobart City Council violates Tasmania’s “gold standard” anti-discrimination laws.
The councillor claimed that the motion was intended to make community members “feel safe and comfortable using the City’s change rooms, and toilet and shower facilities,” but on social media, the councillor Elliot turned on the anti-trans rhetoric. “Changes to Tasmania’s legislation have created an insane situation where women (and girls) no longer have the assurance that they’re dressing or showering in shared spaces where only other adult biological females are present,” Elliot said on her official page on . “This is about recognising the reality that many women feel unsafe or uncomfortable sharing vulnerable spaces like change rooms, toilets and showers with biological males,” Elliot claimed.
In 2020, Elliot reportedly addressed an email to non-binary councillor Jax Fox and signed off as “Kermit (Louise) Elliot” and added “riddup – I identify as a frog”.According to Rose Boccalatte, spokesperson for Equality Tasmania, the Aquatic Centre has had inclusive facilities for over four years without any complaints.
