Equal age of consent reform in Queensland, Australia
Target:
seeking urgent reform for an equal age of consent at 16 for all youth
Sponsored by:
The state of Queensland is the only region in Australia which has a "sodomy law" which defines a higher age of consent at 18 for homosexual male intercourse than for heterosexual intercourse (which is 16). The severe penalty for any offender is up to 14 years imprisonment. Queensland is also the only region where 17 year olds are tried as adults (it is 18 everywhere else in Australia).
Equal age of consent reform is necessary so that same gender attracted youth can expect to be protected and supported by the law in true equity with their heterosexual peers and siblings.
The current law only serves to reinforce institutionalised homophobia, leaving same gender attracted youth at increased risk of harassment, abuse, depression and suicide. They may also face increased risk of HIV infection through reduced self-esteem and impeded delivery of vital STI health education.
Queensland's Labor Government refuses to discuss any possibility of equal age of consent reform, even though their official Policy Platform specifically supports it.
In April 2007 Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Susan Booth stated that "The current provisions of the Criminal Code that impose different ages when people can lawfully participate in sexual intercourse are not consistent with the objects of the Anti-Discrimination Act. These laws discriminate on the basis of sexuality. The Anti-Discrimination Act requires that everyone should be equal before the law %u2013 and that includes equal benefit of the law, without discrimination. I support the removal of the provisions that discriminate against same sex attracted young people."
Please add your voice (from wherever you are in the world) to help ensure that all Queensland youth are treated with equity.
Equal age of consent reform is necessary so that same gender attracted youth can expect to be protected and supported by the law in true equity with their heterosexual peers and siblings.
The current law only serves to reinforce institutionalised homophobia, leaving same gender attracted youth at increased risk of harassment, abuse, depression and suicide. They may also face increased risk of HIV infection through reduced self-esteem and impeded delivery of vital STI health education.
Queensland's Labor Government refuses to discuss any possibility of equal age of consent reform, even though their official Policy Platform specifically supports it.
In April 2007 Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Susan Booth stated that "The current provisions of the Criminal Code that impose different ages when people can lawfully participate in sexual intercourse are not consistent with the objects of the Anti-Discrimination Act. These laws discriminate on the basis of sexuality. The Anti-Discrimination Act requires that everyone should be equal before the law %u2013 and that includes equal benefit of the law, without discrimination. I support the removal of the provisions that discriminate against same sex attracted young people."
Please add your voice (from wherever you are in the world) to help ensure that all Queensland youth are treated with equity.
The state of Queensland is the only region in Australia which has a "sodomy law" which defines a higher age of consent at 18 for homosexual male intercourse than for heterosexual intercourse (which is 16). The severe penalty for any offender is up to 14 years imprisonment. Queensland is also the only region where 17 year olds are tried as adults (it is 18 everywhere else in Australia).
Equal age of consent reform is necessary so that same gender attracted youth can expect to be protected and supported by the law in true equity with their heterosexual peers and siblings.
The current law only serves to reinforce institutionalised homophobia, leaving same gender attracted youth at increased risk of harassment, abuse, depression and suicide. They may also face increased risk of HIV infection through reduced self-esteem and impeded delivery of vital STI health education.
Queensland's Labor Government refuses to discuss any possibility of equal age of consent reform, even though their official Policy Platform specifically supports it.
In April 2007 Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Susan Booth stated that "The current provisions of the Criminal Code that impose different ages when people can lawfully participate in sexual intercourse are not consistent with the objects of the Anti-Discrimination Act. These laws discriminate on the basis of sexuality. The Anti-Discrimination Act requires that everyone should be equal before the law %u2013 and that includes equal benefit of the law, without discrimination. I support the removal of the provisions that discriminate against same sex attracted young people."
Please add your voice (from wherever you are in the world) to help ensure that all Queensland youth are treated with equity.
Equal age of consent reform is necessary so that same gender attracted youth can expect to be protected and supported by the law in true equity with their heterosexual peers and siblings.
The current law only serves to reinforce institutionalised homophobia, leaving same gender attracted youth at increased risk of harassment, abuse, depression and suicide. They may also face increased risk of HIV infection through reduced self-esteem and impeded delivery of vital STI health education.
Queensland's Labor Government refuses to discuss any possibility of equal age of consent reform, even though their official Policy Platform specifically supports it.
In April 2007 Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Susan Booth stated that "The current provisions of the Criminal Code that impose different ages when people can lawfully participate in sexual intercourse are not consistent with the objects of the Anti-Discrimination Act. These laws discriminate on the basis of sexuality. The Anti-Discrimination Act requires that everyone should be equal before the law %u2013 and that includes equal benefit of the law, without discrimination. I support the removal of the provisions that discriminate against same sex attracted young people."
Please add your voice (from wherever you are in the world) to help ensure that all Queensland youth are treated with equity.
We signed the "Equal age of consent reform in Queensland, Australia" petition!
# 91:
7:11 am PST, Jan 10,
Christopher Lee, Illinois
# 90:
8:45 pm PST, Jan 8,
Alan Haggard, California
# 89:
5:10 pm PST, Jan 1,
Name not displayed, Kansas
# 88:
6:36 pm PST, Dec 31,
Deanna Zimmerman, California
# 87:
2:12 pm PST, Nov 20,
Anne Seidel, Germany
# 86:
9:40 pm PST, Nov 17,
Sara Neveu, New Hampshire
# 85:
8:16 pm PDT, Oct 18,
Carla Gorton, Australia
# 84:
3:16 am PDT, Oct 15,
Name not displayed, Australia
# 83:
2:52 pm PDT, Oct 14,
Stuart Aitken, Australia
# 82:
9:15 am PDT, Oct 14,
Carole Hagen, Oregon
# 81:
5:25 am PDT, Oct 3,
Name not displayed, North Carolina
# 80:
5:22 pm PDT, Sep 29,
Lisa Stanley, Australia
# 79:
11:46 am PDT, Sep 28,
Pam DeLitta, Texas
# 78:
10:00 pm PDT, Sep 26,
Aleasha Casaretto, Texas
# 77:
3:16 am PDT, Sep 20,
Edvin Husoy, Australia
Catch up with the rest of the world Queensland. Enact equality in regard to age of consent legislation.
Catch up with the rest of the world Queensland. Enact equality in regard to age of consent legislation.
# 76:
2:14 am PDT, Sep 20,
Sabina Nowak, Australia
# 75:
9:13 pm PDT, Sep 17,
Kim Voll, Australia
# 74:
5:36 am PDT, Sep 17,
Paul Mitchell, Australia
Section 208 of the Queensland Criminal Code (the sodomy law) must be repealed for good. The age of sexual consent should be 16 for oral, anal and vaginal sex for males, females - both gay and straight!!!!!
Section 208 of the Queensland Criminal Code (the sodomy law) must be repealed for good. The age of sexual consent should be 16 for oral, anal and vaginal sex for males, females - both gay and straight!!!!!
# 73:
8:15 pm PDT, Sep 16,
Tim Stirrat, Australia
# 72:
10:24 pm PDT, Sep 15,
Aaron Willis, Australia
# 71:
10:18 pm PDT, Sep 15,
Chris Seed, Australia
# 70:
8:47 pm PDT, Sep 15,
Jenny Duggan, Australia
Change the law - get with the times like the rest of Australia and stop discriminating!
Change the law - get with the times like the rest of Australia and stop discriminating!
# 69:
7:04 pm PDT, Sep 15,
Troy Parkinson, Australia
# 68:
6:31 pm PDT, Sep 15,
Tim Spratling, Australia
# 67:
2:06 pm PDT, Sep 15,
Name not displayed, Australia
# 66:
2:25 am PDT, Sep 15,
Sarah Hutcheon, Australia
# 65:
1:29 am PDT, Sep 15,
Scott Brown, Australia
# 64:
11:48 pm PDT, Sep 14,
James Torcetti, Australia
time for archaic, draconion and bias laws to be changed.
time for archaic, draconion and bias laws to be changed.
# 63:
10:10 pm PDT, Sep 14,
Timothy Marcs, Australia
# 62:
9:39 pm PDT, Sep 14,
Paul Camilleri, Australia
# 61:
9:04 pm PDT, Sep 14,
Amanda Amagrande, Arizona
# 60:
7:34 pm PDT, Sep 14,
Name not displayed, Australia
# 59:
6:34 pm PDT, Sep 14,
Ben Wilcock, Australia
# 58:
4:22 pm PDT, Sep 14,
Bernard Gardiner, Australia
It is part of the role of leaders in government to lead, that is to assert what is fair and reasonable in the face of ignorance and homonegativity. Issues such as this need to be drawn above the political fray, and are a real opportunity for politicans to become Statesmen (or women) if they can rise to the challenge of greatness.
It is part of the role of leaders in government to lead, that is to assert what is fair and reasonable in the face of ignorance and homonegativity. Issues such as this need to be drawn above the political fray, and are a real opportunity for politicans to become Statesmen (or women) if they can rise to the challenge of greatness.
# 57:
5:38 pm PDT, Sep 13,
Name not displayed, Australia
# 56:
5:08 pm PDT, Sep 9,
Carl Rosenstock, Wisconsin
# 55:
5:44 pm PDT, Sep 8,
Peter Pawson, Australia
# 54:
5:40 pm PDT, Sep 8,
Rufus Beckroge, Australia
It is time to correct this stupid anomaly/discrimination.
It is time to correct this stupid anomaly/discrimination.
# 53:
5:20 am PDT, Sep 8,
Zuleyka Zevallos, Australia
# 52:
4:13 am PDT, Sep 8,
Claire Rowe, Australia
# 51:
9:18 pm PDT, Sep 7,
Barry Nicholls, Australia
This current Queensland law is discriminatory and does not give equal rights to all in our democratic society. We should allow what the other states already do!
This current Queensland law is discriminatory and does not give equal rights to all in our democratic society. We should allow what the other states already do!
