A parliamentary inquiry into anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes established by the Greens heard damning testimony yesterday supporting a relationship between the rise of the manosphere, racism and other harmful attitudes in public and political discourse and recent violent attacks on LGBTQIA+ people.
This follows a troubling string of attacks on gay and bi+ men, which saw them being lured to public places through fake online dating profiles before being brutally assaulted.
Among the new testimony heard from victims and LGBTQIA+ community stakeholders, was the intersection of racism, misogyny and anti-queer hate – including instances where international students were being specifically targeted by perpetrators of the attacks.
Experts also noted implications of political discourse around ‘monoculture’, highlighting that hate groups are fixating on visible differences from their rigid worldview and seeing these differences as a target.
Greens spokesperson for LGBTQIA+ Equality, Aiv Puglielli MP said the testimony was damning, but also a clear demonstration that attitudes perpetuated by political actors like One Nation are creating the conditions for these recent attacks.
The inquiry’s hearings continue today, with a final report from the Committee due on 1 September.
As stated by the Victorian Greens LGBTQIA+ Equality spokesperson, Aiv Puglielli MP:
“Seeing elected politicians constantly attacking migrant communities and trans folks has created the conditions where these two communities are now being viewed as fair game by violent and insecure men.
“What political leaders say matters. The fact that the kind of rhetoric used by One Nation may be helping fuel these attacks is not surprising, but it must be called out and condemned.
“The Greens brought this inquiry to the Parliament because if these ideas aren’t confronted, then we normalise hate towards LGBTQIA+ people. Then it’s multicultural communities. Then it’s disabled people. And anyone ‘different’ becomes a target.
“Enough. We need to get to the root of this, and stamp out this hate.”
