A Homophobia Free Zone?

Local News, By gnosis, 21st August, 2008

Oxford Street is a “Homophobia-Free Zone” according to the City of Sydney Council. But this doesn’t actually mean the street is free of homphobia. But it is part of the council’s latest bid to crackdown on anti-gay violence in the area.

With the City Of Sydney elections coming up, homphobic violence on Oxford Street is a hot council issue. Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the zone would help Sydney take a more proactive approach towards protecting its gay residents.

“Homophobic abuse is often a precursor to violence,” Cr Moore said. She also stressed that all of NSW is technically “homophobia-free zones” but this strategy recognises “the importance and strength of the GLBT community in our city”.

She also pledged to implement the zone, collaborating with police, local businesses, gay groups and the community.

But Cr Moore’s Liberal and Labor opponents have criticised the zones. Liberal Councillor Shayne Mallard told SX that the zones were another “token PR gesture” from Cr Moore as Australia is a homophobia-free zone thanks to the anti-discrimination laws. He said he believed the zones may actually cause violence.

“The problem surrounds people who are actively seeking to commit violence against gay people, and a sign or a sticker which reads ‘homophobia-free zone’ won’t stop them – in fact it may actually provoke them.”

Mallard said the best solution is ” more and tougher high-visibility policing applying an aggressive zero tolerance policy”. He has called for Council to finance a community policing centre in the middle of the strip and adds the ACON safe space has “failed”.

Labor candidate Dr Meredith Burgmann said in a statement that she was “deeply angered by the Clover Moore Party’s soft approach to addressing homophobic violence” adding “the continuing homophobic violence on Oxford Street and indeed across the City is an indictment of the Clover Moore Party and its failure on this crucial issue.”

Cr Moore stands by the declared zone.

“A homophobia-free zone helps put [the anti-discrimination] legislation into effect at a local level, providing a preventive warning to anyone inclined to homophobia and helping Council, business and the community coordinate action.”

The City of Sydney Council Election will be held on 13 September 2008.

Your Thoughts

Hey there, you need to be logged in to get involved with SameSame, click here to login if you're already a member, or here if you need to become a new member.