In this episode of Family Matters, Simon speaks with Australian campaigner Kirralie Smith from www.binary.org.au. She updates viewers about her legal case relating to her having reposted public-domain information and questioned why males were playing in female sport.
In what can only be described as extraordinary for simply pointing out the obvious, Kirralie was summoned to court and has faced a two-year apprehended violence order and a vilification finding, including an order to pay $95,000 to two male athletes. Even more absurdly, she has been told to pin a public “confession” across her online pages acknowledging these biological men as being women.
Kirralie talks of her determination to keep fighting for the rights of girls and women, but notes her recent court appeal has been dismissed, and her legal options may include having to go to Australia’s High Court.
Simon and Kirralie also discuss Australia’s limited speech protections, what they describe as censorship and compelled speech, and how sporting bodies warn female athletes, parents, and officials against speaking out against the men coming into women’s spaces.
Kirallie also shares about the explicit death threats she regularly receives and how police respond by saying there is little they can do. She also talks of a recent women’s rights protest where rows of police in full riot gear were needed to face off trans activists – stressing how every police officer had their backs to the women, and all facing the threats coming from the trans counter protestors. As she notes, symbolic and telling!
Both Simon and Kirralie talk about how most people understand the absurdity of all that is happening, with Kirralie stressing the way forward is for more people to speak up, donate, and direct pressure on elected representatives.
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