Chinese Australian petition against Safe Schools tabled NSW parliament

Chinese Australian petition against Safe Schools in NSW

Using multiculturalism to mask bigotry is about the best way I can describe this petition. I don't know how well known the petition itself is known of within the Chinese Australian community here in Sydney, or what sort of diabolical information was presented to those who signed it, but because at $17,000 signatures it can therefore be tabled in the New South Wales parliament here.

The views expressed are completely misinformed. Calling the gay community an "ideology" shows no understanding of the fact that being who we are isn't an ideology. We're not engaged in dogma trying to take over the world by some new system of ideas, we're just wanting to exist equally in society like everyone else. We want to be safe from discrimination like everyone else, and those of us with children want those children to be safe just like everyone else.

The LGBT would arguably be the most diverse and inclusive people in the world. Wherever you find humanity, you will find gay people. Across all countries, races, societies and ideologies. We are everywhere, including the Chinese Australian community.

I find it very strange that those in said community, who live in a multi-cultural society under laws against discrimination, with encouragement to embrace diversity and have respect for difference, would be so disrespectful to another minority as they have been to the LGBT with this petition.

In fact the views expressed in the petition are the very reason why Safe Schools was implemented. What must it be like being a gay Chinese Australian young adult in one of those families that signed the petition? Where would they find understanding, acceptance and support at a very difficult time as this? In such an intolerant environment suicide of young LGBT students is a very real issue. Safe Schools is about protecting their children too.

A petition against the Safe Schools program with more than 17,000 signatures from the Australian Chinese community has been tabled in the New South Wales Parliament. 

The Liberal Member for Epping, Damien Tudehope, lodged the petition today and said there were significant concerns about the program in migrant communities in north-western Sydney and throughout the city. 

Safe Schools is a federally funded anti-bullying program aimed at helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or intersex (LGBTI) school students and is administered by state and territory education departments. 

The program was subject of a Federal Government review earlier this year after several conservative MPs aired concerns that the material was not age appropriate and more parental consent was needed. 

The petition is calling on the program to be scrapped in NSW schools, saying it "promotes a particular ideology, including gender fluidity, that is contrary to our cultural and belief system". ABC  

Safe Schools against 17k, Safe Schools for 32k. https://t.co/1qpDYIkRy0

— David Stone (@ProfDStone) August 23, 2016