Same Same 25 Announced

Local News, By Christian Taylor, 17th December, 2008

From a 20 year-old to an 80 year-old, a diverse group of Australians from across the nation were last night named as the year’s 25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians at the second annual Same Same 25 awards.

Nicknamed the “Gaylies”, the list includes well known names like 20 year-old Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham, singer Sam Sparro, MTV host Ruby Rose and actress Portia de Rossi, as well as unsung heroes like Alice Springs policewoman Melinda Edwards, GetUp! Director Meredith Turnbull and 80 year-old activist John Challis.

According to Same Same co-founder Tim Duggan, the list was created to bring together a group of the most inspirational, aspirational and influential gays and lesbians in Australia, shining a spotlight on people and issues that should be talked about and debated, while creating the next generation of gay and lesbian role models.

“The Same Same 25 is a very important list,” he said. “The sheer range of the people who have shaped 2008 is a real testament to the year we’ve had. From inspirational feats at the Olympics to equality before the law, no matter what their age or occupation, the 25 Australians on this list have all influenced the wider community in a big way.”

The Same Same 25 was announced at a red carpet cocktail event at the Cell Block Theatre at the National Art School in Darlinghurst last night, attended by many of the 25. A heartfelt speech from the youngest member of the Same Same 25, gold medalist Matthew Mitcham was followed by one from the oldest member, 80 year-old John Challis, who spoke of the changes he has seen in his lifetime.

The awards were publicly nominated through SameSame.com.au before a panel of community leaders, including the publishers of Same Same, DNA Magazine, LOTL and Evolution Publishing, selected the 25 winners. The criteria for nomination in the Same Same 25 was that the nominated person must be an Australian citizen who has publicly acknowledged that they are gay or lesbian. They could be someone in the public eye, or a behind-the-scenes worker who is highly respected in their chosen profession.

Only four names re-appear on the Same Same 25 list for the second year in a row – Justice Michael Kirby, politicians Penny Wong and Bob Brown and author David Marr.

“Australia is at a stage where gay and lesbian people have a huge amount of influence across a number of different fields,” said Duggan. “Whether in sport, entertainment or politics, recognition for the men and women on the Same Same 25 list helps to not only applaud these individuals for their contribution to Australia in 2008, but to show the rest of society how strong, vibrant and unique our gay and lesbian community really is.”

The full 2008 list is very diverse, covering a broad range of ages, locations and fields of endeavour. There are some names people will already know and others that they won’t – but whatever the case, the Same Same 25 for 2008 is destined to once again enlighten, fascinate and spark plenty of debate.

Check out the full Same Same 25 list for 2008 by clicking here.

Check out photos from the announcement event by clicking here.

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Same Same 25 - 2009 17 December, 2009

Your Thoughts

pete1000

said ages ago

I dont care if penny wong or who ever want to keep their lives to themselves.Point is these people have been around for years>and Australian gay and lesbian reform is behind so many countries>this should have been changed years ago.Rudd and his mob are still stalling and thats a problem !

darrard

said ages ago

Katherine, having a look at John Challis' speech I think he mentioned death benefits of superannuation for partners, not pensioners. Unfortunately it is not really the high achievers who will lose benefits as a result of the same new laws that will allow me to leave a government superannuation benefit to my partner if I die before him. John Challis may be 80 but he has aged peers who no longer have any capacity to earn and who will lose a substantial portion of their aged pension or their disability pension at a time in their lives when their daily budgets will now have to be totally revamped. Some will have to leave their homes which they will not longer be able to afford. The old gay people thus affected are not necessarily high achievers or high profile in the sense that John Challis was mentioning but they are giants of the gay community, every day John and Johns and Joan and Joans who have been out their being the gay part of the backbone of heterosexual land all their long lives. And yes they are being treated equally with heterosexual couples but the rules have been shifted under their feet and many of them have no capacity to pick themselves up and move on. They are not young and capable people or the self funded retirees (like me) who will do OK from all this. If we all don't do something to prevent these people becoming the collateral damage of a very worthwhile change for an equal society then in 2009 they will not only be the heroes worthy of the Top25 but I fear some of them will also become reluctant martyrs to the cause. Let us absolutely celebrate and cultivate our high achievers that is something that Australia is thankfully getting better at doing. But let us also be vigilant as John Challis has warned in his speech, not just of the law changes that can erode our equality but of the uncaring implementation of those laws which gives equality via a ham fist. Darryl

largs girl

said ages ago

Darryl is right. I'm glad that the laws have changed so that my partner of 30 plus years will get my Commonwealth superanuation pension if I die (and our child will be counted as a dependent). This change to the law need to be made to remove discrimination. Before I could have met a man and got married and he would have imeadiately got access to my super if I died and not the person who stood with me through all those year when our relationship did not officially count. However we should not forget our brothers and sisters on the aged pension and DSP or who had every intention of being eligible but for the changes. Our next fight is for some 'grandparenting' of the changes so that those who dealt with discrimination in the past and will had to deny their relationship and be treated as 'single' should not now be treated as a 'couple' if it means that this will impoverish them.

CeeJay

said ages ago

Congratulations, it's a great list, balancing celebrity with overt/covert power and some of the unsung volunteers who make a huge impact on our community. However... at the risk of sounding like a broken record, it would be great if next year this was a public event, rather than invitation-only. I know Same Same is a private business, but it would be nice if next year this was a community celebration, rather than just the usual suspects and their mates.

trevleen

said ages ago

Penny Wong has let us all down seriously. She said in the senate that the new laws defined a couple but NOT for the purposes of social security - they get to define us themselves. I do not call that equality I call it a sell out. And as for her privacy, why award someone who can barely utter the word lesbian in public. how can anyone compare her to louise pratt who got up in the senate and spoke against her own party, in favour of gay marriage, when wong told us all to forget it. who on earth judges these awards. and how many pensioners got awards anyway, or they are busy wondering how to eat in 2009 while you all celebrate. vile.

trevleen

said ages ago

I have read John Challis' speech, I don'tknow how anyone else defined a pensioner, but I do not regard someone getting their partner's super as a pensioner, I am talking about people living on 200 dollars a week. People dependent on centrelink, people currently in fear and seeing psychiatrists due to anxiety created by these 'wonderful' reforms. If we do not ALL and I mean ALL speak out now we really have shown that the elite don't give a shit about those who are elderly and poor amongst us, shame shame shame.

trevleen

said ages ago

I wonder when same same will ask for an article on the plight of pensioners who have been left floundering in the water while we celebrate riding the wave of change. Did anyone read Adel Horin's article in the SMH on 6/12/08, this is deplorable and the govt should be ashamed. So should those of us who are patting each other on the back while our own are sold out and preparing to suffer.

trevleen

said ages ago

the entire premise of a 'couple' in centrelink or dss terms is based on a heterosexist model, it's an insult to any of us to be put into that category. why are none of you shouting this from the rooftops. that a couple gets leless money is based on the idea of a mmale and female, one the breadwinner. how outrageous we allowed them to apply that to us. When will someone who has won speak out. Harvey Milk would be appalled.

CeeJay

said ages ago

Although I have a great deal of compassion for those who have been caught by the changes in legislatsion, in terms of social equity - a gay pensionser couple is now no worse off than a straight one. If the pension is inadequate, it's inadequate for ALL pensioners. Perhaps that's where out focus should be - how we treat our aged and vulnerable of any sexual persuasion. And if there's too much red tape, maybe we need more compassion in the way social security is administered, but that should be an across the board thing, not a gay/straight thing.

trevleen

said ages ago

NO matter how hard I try I can't find the end of your message CeeJay, which is a shame. Suffice to say that if you are saying the pension is inadequate for all, I couldn't agree more. Further, the way it rates 'couples' and 'singles' is archaic clap trap. We should all be joining with the pensioners seeking to change the system, outdated as it is. A gay pensioner couple is no worse off than a straight one - what about the context of their history, are you serious that a 90 year old gay couple being forced out of the closet is OK? It is unconscionable and probably against UN charters. That DSS do not have to stick to the definition of a couple in the new legislation is outrageous, unfair and a sell out. Superannuants got their benefits backdated - easy for some.

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