Politics

The Australian Has Compared Being Transgender To Having Coronavirus

"These are real life kids that The Australian continues to attack."

by Rachael Conaghan  10 February 2020
The Australian

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The Australian has continued its long-running attack on the trans community today, this time comparing transgender people to those with coronavirus.

Many would say that comparing a contagious virus that has killed more than 800 people to a gender identity is a hideous thing to do. But according to writer Bernard Lane, coronavirus is taking too much attention away from the “under-reported global contagion” of transgender teenagers.

According to this study, almost half of transgender and gender diverse people (aged 14 to 25) have attempted suicide in their life, and there is an argument to be made that more attention should be focused on how we can reduce that shockingly high number.

But no — instead the article was criticising Queensland’s Children’s Hospital, which offers affirmative care for vulnerable young people in their gender clinic.

“University of Queensland law dean Patrick Parkinson, speaking in a personal capacity, conceded authorities would be worried and busy with the coronavirus but said the explosion in transgender teenagers, chiefly girls, was “another epidemic” — one that had ‘so far escaped public attention’,” Lane wrote.

People have not reacted well to the piece.

The article also looks at the caseload for the clinic before drawing a long bow and delving into gay conversion therapy — saying attempts to criminalise it is a “global tactic of trans activists”.

“And opponents of the (conversion therapy legislation) say the real worry is a deceptive widening of the term conversion therapy to criminalise any attempt to “change” the inherently changeable “gender identity” of very young children and those navigating the turbulent teenage years. This is said to be a global tactic of trans activists,” Lane wrote.

If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.