Is the Australian Human Rights Commission conducting a witch-hunt?
Open Letter to the Australian Human Rights Commission

We are a group of civil society organisations, health practitioners, researchers, lawyers, writers and
individuals, people of faith and atheists, from across the political spectrum.
We are writing to express our deep alarm at the Australian Human Rights Commission’s current project
aimed at “mapping” alleged threats to the rights of trans and gender diverse (TGD) people. We believe
the language used in the project’s call for submissions represents an attack on the freedom of speech,
association, and political activity of all Australians and unacceptably compromises the Commission’s
purpose, independence and impartiality.
The premise in the call for submissions is that there are existing and emerging threats to TGD people’s human
rights from “anti-trans mobilisation” and “extremist” groups spreading “dis- and misinformation”. In our view this
signals the intent to conduct a biased, evidence-excluding investigation with a predetermined outcome. It is a disturbing example of a government organisation meant to promote all human rights being captured by a particular interest group.
The aim of this interest group and thus the project is to silence women’s rights groups, LGB organisations, faith
groups and individuals who have raised concerns about the impact of “gender ideology” on the safety and rights
of women and children, as well as the rapidly expanding robust research that shows the lifelong harms perpetrated against young people from medicalised transition.
The concept of gender identity is now firmly ensconced in public life with little consultation or consideration of its
impact, or intersection with other groups. Australian women and girls are already being forced to share intimate
spaces (changerooms, sleeping arrangements on school excursions, prisons, hospital facilities and women’s refuges) with trans-identified males.
Despite evidence of the impact of gender identity on other groups, the AHRC states that only “subject-matter experts” on trans and gender diverse experiences are invited to make submissions, creating an echo chamber in which to confirm the project’s premise. The result will be the use of a government agency to compile a blacklist of people and groups deemed “anti-trans”, with no right of reply.
The AHRC has no mandate to spend taxpayers’ money on witch-hunts.
We call on the Commission to:
• Identify what are defined as “threats” to TGD human rights for the purpose of this project and what evidence
is relied upon for this definition.
• Ensure the project accepts submissions from all those affected and forms its report and recommendations to
reflect all evidence.
• Confirm that women in Australia will continue to have the right to speak out about the impact of the loss of
single sex spaces, sports and services.
We urge the Commission to uphold its integrity, engage in open dialogue on the basis of credible
evidence, and consider diverse perspectives within our community, so that the human rights of all are
safeguarded without compromising essential freedoms.

Australian Feminists for Women’s Rights • Biological Reality Australia • Coalition of Activist Lesbians Inc
Declaration of Biological Truth Australia • Fair Game • Feminist Legal Clinic • Genspect Australia • IWD Brisbane Meanjin
Lesbian Action Group Vic Inc • LGB Alliance Australia • North Coast Feminists • Parents of Adolescents with Gender Distress–Victoria
Save Women’s Sport Australasia • Spinifex Press • Victorian Women’s Guild • Women’s Action Group
Women’s Declaration International • Women’s Declaration International–Australia • Women’s Forum Australia
Women Speak Tasmania • Woman Up Queensland • Dr Petra Bueskens, academic and psychotherapist
Dr Dianna Kenny, psychologist and psychotherapist • Dr Jillian Spencer, child and adolescent psychiatrist • Dr Maja Bowen
Clive Hamilton AM, Professor of public ethics • Professor Richard Dawkins • Emeritus Professor Bronwyn Winter
Emeritus Professor Madeleine Beekman, evolutionary biologist • Associate Professor Neil Foster
Dr Libby Connors, retired academic and author • Dr Geoff Holloway, United Tasmania Group
Julie Bindel, journalist and feminist campaigner • Helen Joyce, journalist • Michael Sherlock, atheist author and human rights activist
Fraser Anderson • Pam Atkins • Kathy Chambers • Phil Dye • Stassja Frei • Judith Hunter • Isla MacGregor • Dr Barbara Mattar
Madeleine Munzer • Deb Ramsay • Spider Redgold • Chris Sitka • Denise Weelands

To see more signatures, please visit our website https://www.equalityforhumanrights.org