Basil Zempalis Claims Non-Binary Kids Are Confused, Not Genuine
Image: Source: Basil Zempilas, WikiMedia Commons
Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas has said to Sky 今日吃瓜 that 鈥渋t鈥檚 impossible not to think鈥� that most students identifying as non-binary across Australia aren鈥檛 genuine.听
Zempilas鈥� comments follow an article published by The Australian which reported that the number of students nationwide who identify as non-binary has risen by 20%, from 128 in 2019 to 2,560 in 2023.
When asked about why this was by Danica De Giorgio, : 鈥淲ell, I think the environment has been created where people feel like there are alternative answers they can give, whether or not they are genuinely challenged by that question.鈥�
鈥淎nd so, it鈥檚 impossible not to think that that number is inflated simply because of the environment that now exists where that style of thinking is okay,鈥� Zempilas continued.
鈥淭here will be some kids who just don鈥檛 know. I accept that. They are confused, they don’t know. But that many? I doubt it.鈥澨�
It鈥檚 not the first time that Zempilas has made insensitive comments directed towards the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2020, the Mayor made transphobic comments on a local radio station about how it was 鈥渨rong鈥� to self-identify as a gender that does not reflect anatomy.听
Increased LGBTQIA+ presence nationwide
Though comments by Basil Zempilas and other Liberal party members like Nicolle Flint continue to into the visible increase in non-binary young people, it鈥檚 worth remembering that this increased number coincides with growing societal understanding.听
In Transcend Australia鈥檚 , they say:
鈥淭rans young people have always existed. Society and health care services simply have an increased level of understanding on how to support and treat people. Young people are feeling safer to express themselves, it is important they continue to feel this way without shame or stigma and receive the support they need.
Furthermore, scholars have suggested that concepts of in a variety of cultures, from the 鈥楾wo-Spirit鈥� in Native American cultures and the 鈥榞ender-transcendent鈥� Bissu in Indonesia.
Furthermore, the number of people identifying as LGBTQIA+ in Australia has rapidly increased amidst greater acceptance and knowledge about queer people. In Australia, the percentage of people who don鈥檛 identify as heterosexual make up . In the 16-to-24 age range, that number is 18.9%.听听
