OPINION: WHO WAVES THE HATE FLAG?

Why the campaign for “religious freedom” looks a lot like hateful ignorance.

Why the campaign for religious freedom looks a lot like hate, says Ross Larkin.

Most Australians don’t need reminding of the heinous Marriage Equality Postal Survey inflicted upon us two-and-abit years ago. You know, when suicide rates in the LGBTIQ+ community increased, when the whole nation judged our private lives, and we all felt that much more vulnerable and exposed? Yeah, that’s the one.

Now we’re facing a public debate around a religious freedom bill that allegedly aims to “protect” religious groups from discrimination.

Quite what they need protecting from in a country like Australia is anyone’s guess. However, the bill will potentially allow churches and all their associated organisations like schools, universities, hospitals, aged-care facilities, rehab clinics and migrant support services to discriminate against anyone they don’t like in the name of expressing their faith.

And when I say “anyone” I mean you and me and the broader LGBTIQ+ community.

Churches are already exempt from the AntiDiscrimination Act, so they are legally allowed to dismiss gay teachers in their employment or expel gay kids from their schools.

And, as we’ve seen with Israel Folau, it’s already perfectly legal for religious types to make hate-speech against us with impunity.

But the proposed bill would potentially make it legal for religious organisations and individuals to discriminate based on their particular interpretation of their faith.

Imagine the uproar if a restaurant refused service to Asian customers, or a hospital refused treatment to Indigenous patients. It would not be acceptable to civil society. Yet, this bill potentially allows the refusal of service to LGBTIQ people .

I recently returned from the USA where I was reminded just how many businesses and straight allies embrace our community in nearly every city, large and small, by displaying anti-discrimination messages and signs of welcome and assured safety.

Likewise, back home, throughout the marriage equality debate, the “yes” logos in windows, on streets and social media made big, bold messages of love and support. Happily, many were from people and places we least expected.

Yet, generally speaking, the haters and nonsupporters remained hidden, their “no” stance was not publicly advertised.

Sure, they weren’t afraid to hide behind television and billboard campaigns, and even some ludicrous skywriting. And there was never a shortage of keyboard trolls spouting anti-gay hate speech on social media forums and in the comments section of news sites.

The postal survey results showed us that Australia is rife with homophobes because at least 38 per cent of the population voted no. So, where were the anti-equality signs in their shop windows and front yards?

Where were the 38 per cent proudly wearing their “no” badges in public for all to see?

They weren’t. Why? Because they were, and still are, ashamed.

Ashamed that unlike those in favour of equality who are about love, acceptance, compassion and support, they are about judgment, fear, persecution and hate.

Who wouldn’t be cagey about owning that in public? Even the, “It’s okay to say no,” billboards reeked of guilt because they knew, deep down, it wasn’t okay. It was nastiness to the core: its fundamental message being that you aren’t worthy and cannot be accorded the same rights as the rest of us.

Moreover, most of them knew the real offense in all this, the real disgrace and the real sin was their own ignorance and hatred. They wanted to kick a marginalised community while they were down.

The Ku Klux Klan’s hateful work is performed with their faces hidden behind white hoods – because they know it’s wrong.

Now we are faced with the Australian government’s proposed Religious Freedom Bill, designed to protect institutions that are already masked, impenetrable and untouchable. Faceless, cowardly and seeking to institutionalise their own prejudice while eroding our freshly won civil rights.

The Religious Freedom Bill exists to appease the still-angry No voters, who never expected a conservative government to deliver marriage equality and still believe it’s the end of civilisation and a personal attack on their faith. If a redrafted bill ever reappears, we must be ready to oppose it if necessary.

Where were the 38 per cent proudly wearing their ‘No’ badges in public for all to see?