Transgender activism and anti-discrimination reform in 1990s New South Wales and Victoria

Australia in the 1990s witnessed the emergence of new transgender organisations that pushed for amendments to state and Commonwealth anti-discrimination laws. Like so many other social movements, they were subject to ideological and strategic divisions. Some transgender activists advocated for “passing” politics, while others adopted ideas about queer that celebrated difference and gender non-normativity. This article examines the politics around anti-discrimination reforms in Australia’s two most populous states: New South Wales and Victoria. New South Wales had a longer tradition of transgender activism and witnessed significant divisions across and within lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. In Victoria, initial divisions led to the formation of separate organisations for LGB and transgender groups. Yet, this proved a boon in the long run because these groups worked together in solidarity. Both state campaigns proved successful at securing similar legislative reforms in 1996 (New South Wales) and 2000 (Victoria), but with different levels of public and political support. This article draws on a mix of oral history interviews, media reports, archival records, parliamentary debates, and documents shared from transgender activists’ personal archives. It analyses transgender activism and politics in 1990s Australia and how different approaches reflected wider divisions among transgender Australians over identity.