In July last year, the Federal Government amended 85 pieces of legislation which discriminated against same-sex couples in areas such as employee entitlements, privacy rights, tax, superannuation, child support and insurance. The new education campaign aims to increase awareness and understanding of these reforms among members of Australia's LGBT community.
Called Wear It With Pride, the campaign is based around a series of 85 designer T-shirts, with each shirt linked to one of the 85 historic reforms. Organisers are encouraging same-sex couples and other LGBT community members to learn more about their new rights and responsibilities by visiting the campaign website - wearitwithpride.com.au - and finding out which 'shirts' fit them.
Andrew Barr MLA will launch the campaign locally at a community forum on the law reforms. Mr Barr and his partner Anthony have been chosen to wear one of the unique designer t-shirts, along with 7 other Canberra LGBT community members.
AIDS Action Council General Manager Andrew Burry says that the campaign will remind the community about the importance of same-sex law reform.
"The many local individuals involved in the campaign remind us that every one of these 85 laws affects the lives of real people" said Mr Burry. "These changes are the result of decades of lobbying, advocacy and activism by thousands of individuals. As a community we deserve to celebrate and wear it with pride."
Australian celebrities involved in the project include singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte, DJ Ruby Rose, Ch 7 presenter Kylie Gillies, fashion designers Charlie Brown and Henry Roth, Ch 9 presenter Richard Reid, former Australian Medical Association President Prof. Kerryn Phelps, renowned Indigenous arts practitioner Noel Tovey and Air Commodore Tracy Smart.
The AIDS Action Council and ACON are launching this national Commonwealth-funded campaign on behalf of the National LGBT Health Alliance.
What: Wear it with Pride Canberra launch and public forum
Where: Hush Lounge, Cnr Launceston & Irving Streets, Phillip, ACT
When: 4.00pm Saturday 18 June 2010
Info: Andrew Burry, AIDS Action Council on 0403 416 040 or andrew.burry@aidsaction.org.au
Visit www.wearitwithpride.com.au to download stories about and images of the campaign's 10 celebrity ambassadors.
To page top