Roxon, Roxoff…

So, remember that happy little post I made a while ago about the release of the brochure ’21 Reasons Why Gender Matters‘?

Well, it seems like Federal Minister for Health and Aging,  Nicola Roxon has managed to unintentionally put her foot in it by appointing two of the authors of this vile document as ambassadors for men’s health.

Whoopsie.

Warrick Marsh and Barry Williams, both members of prominent Father’s rights organisations were appointed as members of a panel responsible for the promotion of Men’s health and wellbeing. It has now surfaced that both men are anything but the squeaky clean, pillars-of-the-community that they claim to be.

The responses of both Marsh and Williams to the accusations are fairly hilarious. Williams is frantically denying anything ever happened, and Marsh is playing the righteous indignation card superbly.

“They’re rebelling. They actually end up hating the gender that’s hurt them. Ultimately the really sad thing is…have you talked to people with AIDS? I don’t like to see people get AIDS and get abused and a trail of destruction. The bottom line is there’s heightened levels of drug abuse and suicide”

*sigh* Aaand he uses the classic ‘lesbians are just women that have had bad experiences’ line. Because yunno – it’s impossible for any sane women to exist without a man. Also – I love the sudden switch of conversation from Marsh frantically denying that he’s a raging homophobe (because we’re totally buying that one..) to  AIDS, drug abuse and suicide. Applying stereotypes – great way to prove you’re not homophobic Warrick.

It might also be prudent to consider that perhaps – just perhaps the high levels of drug abuse and suicide amongst the GLBTI community are the result of years of prejudice and discrimination rather than some inherent trait in Queer people that pre-disposes them to self-destructive behaviour. The suicide rate amongst same-sex attracted and trans* people is higher not because they are same-sex attracted and/or trans* – but because of the implications of living in a society that – for the large part, does not acknowledge or respect their existance.

Marsh continues to shoot himself in the foot that claiming that gays can ‘change if they want to’ by harping on about the ‘former’ gays and lesbians that have helped his organisation. Can someone please inform Mr.Marsh that there is no such thing as a ‘former’ gay or lesbian? There’s a lot to be said for internalised homophobia – but simply putting a squeaky-clean, god-fearing heterosexual gloss over things doesn’t change who you are, and pretending that it does cannot end well.

Not suprisingly, but it seems that Marsh was one of the key players in the 2004 ban on same-sex marriage.

Nicola Roxon has sacked Marsh, but seems to believe Williams’ sob stories.

“Look, it is very strong stuff but I think that this is a document that was authored by 34 people. I think that Mr Williams’ sins are not having read and taken care what he put his name to,” she said.

“He has publicly and expressly disassociated himself from any of these comments and I am prepared to accept that explanation.”

Referring to the vitriolic bile spouted by the authors of ’21 reasons why Gender Matters’ as ‘strong stuff’ is a little bit like saying that Hitler was ‘a bit naughty..’ In my opinion, anyone that cares to put associate their name with 24 pages of homophobic, trans*phobic, sexist, poorly researched and heavily baised tripe is not fit to be in the position of a role model or an authority. Williams’ excuse is as insulting as it is transparent – this is a document that his own organisation published. One does not become a signatory on anything ‘by accident’ – and I doubt that Williams would be stupid enough to put his name onto anything that he had not read. I read, with a strange combination of mirth and anger at Williams’ last ditch attempt to save himself that he acknowledges that ‘some of my best friends are gay.’

Do…do people actually still use that line anymore? For real..?!

If this is true, than Williams proves that with friends like these – who needs enemies? His group, The Loan Fathers Association of Australia submitted a report against the current reforms that would see same-sex couples granted equal rights. He was also a speaker at a forum in May this year that protested the Same-Sex Relationships Bill as being a threat to traditional families and a detriment to children – dismissing the bill that would grant same-sex couples and their families as ‘politically correct madness’. Williams also appears to be rather good at flinging his signature at conservative, discriminatory documents with misleading and potentially harmful information regarding abortion, censorship and contraception.

(It may also be noted that the findings of ’21 reasons whyGender Matters’ have been proven to be incorrect. Incase – yunno…there was ever a shadow of doubt that same-sex parents are just as  capable of raising children…)

Williams has also slammed critics who claim that he should be sacked as ‘feminists who hate our guts‘. *sigh* I hate it when ‘feminist’ is used as a dirty word. And one really doesn’t need to be a jumped up, man-hating femmenazi to find these views abhorrent. There are, of course the usual hoards of self-righteous Christian groups outraged that the Government is hesitant to appoint homophobic, borderline misogynistic wingnuts to advisory committees. In this same strain of logic, taking a strong stance against homophobia and sexism somehow insinuates that family matters and men’s wellbeing are of lesser importance.

It also looks as though Williams and the LFAA have some rather interesting views on domestic violence and violence against women.

Here, Williams and his ilk completely miss the point and purpose of the UN’s stance on Violence against Women. The fact that 1 in 3 women worldwide will, at some point be beaten, raped or abused in their lifetime (most often by an intimate partner) and  that women are the the most common victims of illegal trafficking and exploitation, enforced marriages, genital mutilation, female infanticide, dowry murder and sexual harrassment. The UN’s response to violence against women is not a means by which to degrade violence against men – but to address the enormous power inequalities between the sexes and the way in which women are frequently victimised because of their sex. Acknowledging that there is an uneven balance of power that often results in gendered- violence and exploitation does not insinuate that any other kind of violence does not exist. To suggest that the UN does not implement these measures because of some pre-conceived and poorly researched notion that women are as much to blame for violence as men, or that women make up the minority of those affected by violence is utterly reprehensible.

Independent Nick Xenophon has supported the sacking of both ministers.

Now, I can understand how Nicola Roxon would have screwed up. On a men’s health advisory committe, it would be very prudent to include members of Father’s rights organisations – as I will freely admit, there are many situations (mostly pertaining to child custody and family matters) that put men at a significant disadvantage. It is deeply unfair that so many men are unable to see their children due to nothing more but a bias on behalf of the family court towards females, and I’d very much like to see that kind of discrimination come to an end. I can also appreciate that it is important to have diversity of opinions and experiences on this board so that the needs of men from all walks of life can be catered to. But this is utterly unacceptable. Homophobia, trans* phobia and dismissive attitudes towards gendered violence have no place on any kind of Government appointed body, especially one that is meant to advocate for the wider community that may have nothing to do with Queer issues.

I fully acknowledge and understand the need for men’s issues to be fully recognised. I have absolutely no problem with such an initiative – in fact, I support it thoroughly. So many men are hesitant to seek help for their problems, a reluctance to find assistance for medical problems and/or psychological disorders. It’s also shown that male victims of domestic violence are less likely to seek help. What I do not understand and will not accept is this ‘one or other’ approach to the homophobic statements made by Williams and Marsh. As I said before – having a committee that is equitable and does not seek to encroach upon the rights of others does not dilute their ability to advocate on behalf of men, and it certainly does not insinuate that the rights of one group of people are more important than others.

~ by soverysmall on December 3, 2008.