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Labor MP hails high-heel-wearing son's bravery in powerful religious discrimination bill speech - 9News

Labor MP Stephen Jones has delivered a moving and personal plea for Parliament to reconsider the religious discrimination bill, opening up about the recent death of his gay nephew and his fears every time his "beautiful" high-heel-wearing son leaves the house.
In an 11-minute address hailing the bravery of both teens, the Member for Whitlam in New South Wales said the Morrison government had "failed to bring forward a law which protects children."
Labor MP Stephen Jones delivered a moving and personal plea for Parliament to reconsider the religious discrimination bill. (Twitter/Stephen Jones)

"My appeal to you is to come together and think about our team," he told them.

But it's understood the safeguards won't extend to transgender students, sparking concerns from LGBTQI+ advocates and leading at least two Liberal backbenchers to threaten to cross the floor.

Mr Jones said his family last week farewelled his nephew Wally, who was gay, "uncertain about his gender" and took his own life at just 15 after struggles with mental health. 

Labor's shadow assistant treasurer went on to describe his own son as a "beautiful, creative, intelligent, 14-year-old" who makes his own clothes, wears handbags and vertigo-inducing heels, is a gifted make-up artist and "moves seamlessly between the wardrobes of men and women".

"He has more courage than any other boy of his age that I've ever, ever met," Mr Jones said. 

"He swims against the tide. I love and support him unconditionally, and I brag about his talents to anybody who was willing to stop for two minutes and glance at his Instagram page.

"But I worry myself sick every time he leaves the house. I think to myself, 'You look beautiful but you have to go out looking like that?'

"Because I know that the love and protection that he enjoys with his mother and his friends and his family is very different to the reception that he may receive in the outside world."

The Religious Discrimination Act would ​​seek to make it illegal to discriminate against someone based on their religious beliefs, with changes to the Sex Discrimination Act to prohibit expelling students for being gay. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison during an apology in the House of Representatives to victims of alleged sexual harassment, assault and bullying at Parliament House (Alex Ellinghausen).
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, pictured here in Parliament, called for MPs to "think about our team", during a party room meeting. (Alex Ellinghausen). (Sydney Morning Herald)

Labor has yet to publicly take a position on the latest incarnation of the bill and Mr Jones didn't call for it to be scrapped.

Instead, he called on both Labor leader Anthony Albanese and Mr Morrison to "take a step back" and "not do something in the name of freedom of religion that does damage or harm to those of us who we love".

"I'd ask the Prime Minister and every other member in this place to put themselves in the shoes of the parents, or the heels of their kids, as they step out in public," he said.

"What message do we want this Parliament to send to these kids? Are they as loved and cherished and respected as every other kid?

"Surely, we aren't saying 'it's okay if you're gay, just so long as we don't see it.' Surely we can do better than that."

At least 18 MPs made contributions during the Liberal party room meeting, including some who raised concerns about how far the protections go.

Liberal Trent Zimmerman told his colleagues he reserved the right to vote against the bill and Tasmanian MP Bridget Archer later said she could not support it.

"Whilst I'm very pleased to see that there would be an amendment to protect gay students, I'm horrified to see that it does not extend to children who identify as transgender," she told Parliament.

"More than horrified, I'm utterly distressed by this exclusion, so I can't begin to think how the children themselves or their parents feel."

Federal Attorney-General Michaelia Cash has argued an exemption for trans students would create problems for religious single-sex schools.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMipQFodHRwczovL3d3dy45bmV3cy5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvc3RlcGhlbi1qb25lcy1yZWxpZ2lvdXMtZGlzY3JpbWluYXRpb24tYmlsbC1zcGVlY2gtbGFib3ItbXAtaGFpbHMtaGlnaGhlZWx3ZWFyaW5nLXNvbnMtYnJhdmVyeS9jOGViN2FkNC00MmVkLTQ0NmUtODg3OC0wY2QwZTRmMzdlZWbSAUVodHRwczovL2FtcC45bmV3cy5jb20uYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS9jOGViN2FkNC00MmVkLTQ0NmUtODg3OC0wY2QwZTRmMzdlZWY?oc=5

2022-02-08 15:13:25Z
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