Senator hit for toilet remarks
SEPARATE toilets for men and women could be “no longer necessary”, Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner has told a federal politician.
Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Sarah Bolt made the remarks in a letter to Liberal senator Claire Chandler, who has been hit by a complaint about her comments on female changerooms and transgender women.
The complaint to the Tasmanian Equal Opportunity Commission is regarding Senator Chandler’s support for author JK Rowling’s stance on “cancel culture” and her views about transgender women using female toilets, which were made in an editorial for the Mercury in July.
Senator Chandler also has been accused of remarks on gender identity that could be “offensive, intimidating, insulting, ridiculing or humiliating” in her response to an email from a reader.
The senator said she responded to the email, which asked her to clarify if she understood the difference between sex and gender, by saying: “I do understand the difference – that’s why I’ve made the point in my article that women’s sports, women’s toilets and women’s changerooms are designed for people of the female sex and should remain that way.”
Senator Chandler, who raised the matter in a speech to parliament on Thursday, said the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner wrote to her to say the sentence could be offensive and had summoned her to attend a compulsory mediation session with the complainant.
Ms Bolt wrote in a letter seen by the Mercury: “It is arguable that following shifts towards unisex toilets, it is no longer necessary to have separate toilets based on gender or sex.”
Senator Chandler said it “sends a clear and chilling message to every Australian that free speech is dramatically under threat in this country”.
“Of course, the complainant, and indeed the AntiDiscrimination Commissioner, are perfectly free to disagree with me on this issue,” she said.
“Indeed, they are both perfectly free to never cast a vote for me as a senator for Tasmania if they don’t wish to do so.
“But I am quite sure there are plenty of Tasmanians who do agree with me on this.
“And they have every right to have their say and for their views to be represented in the federal parliament by people such as myself.
“It is deeply concerning that in a democracy, instead of using their own free speech to respond, and perhaps even campaign against me in an election, some people are instead seeking to use the law to silence me and every Tasmanian who shares my concerns.”
Due to confidentiality provisions under law, Equal Opportunity Tasmania was unable to confirm to the Mercury if a complaint had been lodged with them regarding Senator Chandler’s comments or to comment further on the letter to the senator.
Equality Tasmania spokesman Charlie Burton, who is a trans man, has urged Senator Chandler to meet young transgender Tasmanians.
“We want Senator Chandler to hear what life is really like for Tasmania’s trans and gender diverse young people and their families, including their desire to be accepted just like everyone else, and how negative stereotypes and misinformation can cause deep harm,” Dr Burton said.
Dr Burton added: “With every right, including free speech, comes a responsibility not to exercise that right in a way that harms others.”
“We are pleased Tasmania has a strong independent umpire, like the Anti-Discrimination Commission, to judge where the balance should lie.”