Clive Kelly
December 08, 2010
The Union's B-LeGITS committee, staff, members and friends represented members at the 21st annual Pride Parade on Saturday 30th October. Approximately 15 members, along with family, marched along William and James Streets in Northbridge celebrating the Union's role in supporting LGBTI teachers and students - and equality for all. Our banner bearers joined in the party atmosphere with alluring costumes.
As part of the nation-wide campaign for marriage equality Equal Love WA will hold a rally at Forrest Place on Saturday 6th November at 1 PM. Same-sex marriage is the issue that, despite the wishes of many politicians, will not go away. Let's keep it that way! There is majority support for same-sex marriage rights in Australia (Galaxy poll, 2009) - but we need to turn that passive support into active support.
Saturday 9th October saw sunny skies, large crowds and a friendly atmosphere at the annual Pride Fairday, held in Russell Square, Northbridge. Breaking with tradition, Fairday was held later than usual, a fortnight after the traditional time of the Queen's Birthday long weekend.
On the 14th of April, the SSTUWA hosted a Wine & Cheese night, with guest-speaker Daniel Witthaus reading excerpts from his book “Beyond ‘That’s so gay!’ Challenging Homophobia in Australian Schools.” As part of the WA leg of his national tour Daniel spent time in Perth, as well as visiting places such as Esperance, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie and Geraldton (see: his blog 
On the 14th of April the SSTUWA is hosting a Wine & Cheese night, with Daniel Witthaus reading excerpts from his book “Beyond ‘That’s so gay!’ Challenging Homophobia in Australian Schools.” Daniel is an internationally recognised authority in ‘challenging’ homophobia and also developed a school-based package, called “Pride & Prejudice: An educational package to challenge homophobia in secondary schools”
When Jack Hegarty was in grade 6, the children at school said gay men were all "poofs and faggots". If you were homosexual, you were guaranteed to get AIDS and die, and those attracted to the same sex were "disgusting". The homophobic vitriol that circulated in the playground cut deep for a teenager who knew he was gay and wanted to be open with friends at his Traralgon high school.
Austin didn’t know what to wear to his first gay dance last spring. It was bad enough that the gangly 13-year-old from Sand Springs, Okla., had to go without his boyfriend at the time, a 14-year-old star athlete at another middle school, but there were also laundry issues. “I don’t have any clean clothes!” he complained to me by text message, his favored method of communication.
Dear SSTUWA Member. You are invited to join the B-LeGITS committee of the SSTUWA in this year’s Pride Parade on Saturday 31st October in Northbridge. Be part of the marching party assembling in Brisbane Street (between William and Beaufort Streets) at 7.30pm (look for the B-LeGITS banner), or watch the parade travel along William and James Streets in Northbridge from 8.00pm. Look forward to seeing you there! B-LeGITS Committee
