今日吃瓜

A social media post promoting a听transgender and gender diverse swim night听hosted by Inner West Council听has received a deluge of abusive and transphobic comments, causing the post to be removed from Facebook.听

Earlier this month, Council announced that Ashfield Aquatic Centre would be hosting a 听for the local trans and gender diverse community, as well as allies, friends, partners and families. While the announcement was initially embraced online, a barrage of abusive comments on Monday night, believed to have come from users overseas, forced the post to be taken down.

An Inner West Council spokesperson told听Star Observer that 鈥渃ouncil officers took the decision to take down the post after a torrent of abusive transphobic trolling鈥�, and that the decision was taken to 鈥渄eny these trolls a platform for their abuse.鈥� They added that the swim night will continue to go ahead as planned, and that council will 鈥渆nsure an atmosphere of safety and support for all attendees.鈥�

Inner West Greens councillor听听said on Tuesday morning that 鈥�100s of transphobes and far-right鈥� people mainly from the United States and the United Kingdom were involved in the abuse,听tweeting that he was 鈥減roud to be part of a council that supports trans [and non-binary] people.鈥�

Late last night 100s of transphobes and far right (mainly from the US and UK) took to a IWC soc med post, and to a lesser extent my page.
I鈥檓 proud to be part of a council that supports trans + NB people – I鈥檒l never be discouraged from showing solidarity.

— Dylan Griffiths (@DylanInnerWest)

Cr Griffiths told Star Observer听on Wednesday that 鈥�after looking at some of the profiles that were engaging in trolling, these were people who really do peddle very hateful views towards a variety of marginalised groups.鈥澨�

He believed that the abuse was coming from overseas and not from people in the Inner West.听

Online Hatred Can 鈥榃orsen鈥� Mental Health Issues Already Higher in the Trans and Gender Diverse Community

Professor at the University of NSW Centre for Social Research in Health, Christy Newman, who focuses on LGBTQI health and wellbeing, told Star Observer听that trolling and online hatred can 鈥渨orsen the mental health issues that are already higher among this part of the community than others.鈥澨�

鈥淲e know that many public environments, and also online environments, can be really frightening for trans and gender diverse people,鈥� Newman said.听

They added that听鈥減ublic facilities and environments like swimming pools can feel unsafe or unwelcoming to trans and gender diverse people,鈥� and there was 鈥渞eason to create deliberately safe spaces in our local communities.鈥澨�

Inner West Councillors Condemn Transgender Discrimination听

The swim event comes after Inner West councillors unanimously condemned听 at a meeting in March. An amendment made to the motion included a push for Council to host events and actions to support the transgender community.

The trans and gender diverse community, as well as partners, friends, and allies, are invited to the swimming event on 听and will have access to pool facilities and refreshments, as well as an aqua aerobics class.听听

If you feel distressed reading the story, you can reach out to support services.

For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14

For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or .