Trans teenager allegedly assaulted by No campaigner in Melbourne
Image: (Image credit: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer)
A trans teenager in Melbourne has reportedly been assaulted on a train by an older man wearing a 鈥榲ote no鈥� badge.
Sebastian Taylor, 13, was travelling home from school on the Lilydale line when the alleged attack occurred on Wednesday afternoon.
鈥淚 noticed [the man] straight away because he had this huge 鈥榲ote no鈥� badge,鈥� said Sebastian.
鈥淚 was just minding my own business.鈥�
Sebastian said the man yelled and threw a water bottle at him.
鈥淚 ignored him, and when I got off the train鈥� he looked me straight in the eye and went 鈥榦ink oink鈥� at me,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 felt like he was trying to rile me up and belittle me. I didn鈥檛 feel afraid but I did feel uncomfortable.鈥�
Sebastian said he thought the incident may have been because he is trans.
鈥淚 feel like I don鈥檛 鈥榩ass鈥� well鈥� I don鈥檛 look particularly like a male,鈥� he said.
He managed to use his phone to snap a photo of the alleged assailant.
Sebastian鈥檚 mother Anna helped him report the incident to railway staff and police.
鈥淢y older daughter called me and said Seb had rung, very upset, and needed to be picked up from the railway station,鈥� she said.
鈥淲hen I got there he was in tears.鈥�
She said Camberwell train station staff were 鈥渁bsolutely lovely鈥� and police very supportive when Sebastian reported the incident.
The alleged assault is the only violence Sebastian has experienced as a young trans person, with Anna describing his school as 鈥済reat and so supportive鈥� and their inner-east neighbourhood as 鈥渟afe and boring鈥�.
Anna blames the campaign against marriage equality for recent violence against LGBTI people, especially young trans people.
鈥淭he no campaign has been played out over the bodies of trans children,鈥� she said.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e chosen a particular vulnerable population and targeted it.鈥�
Anna said she was particularly upset that a grown man had attacked a child, while other commuters didn鈥檛 intervene.
鈥淗e鈥檚 someone who鈥檚 very obviously a school kid,鈥� she said.
鈥淗e had his school sports shirt on. There鈥檚 no way this person did not know that this was a child.鈥�
Police have confirmed they are investigating the incident.
“Investigators have been told the incident occurred between 3:30 and 4 pm on the Lilydale line,” said a police spokesperson.
“The teenager, a 13-year-old from Camberwell, was not injured.”
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report .
I’m pansexual, and I do want SSM to be legal in Australia for so many people here. But there shouldn’t be a need to vote! People deserve their rights and freedom! It’s wrong that we have to vote, really wrong, to so many people. I hope and pray that SSM becomes legal. And the Bible? Translated, nothing against gays. Hell, Jesus could be gay, and he wanted us to love one-another “no matter what.”
I bet this never happened. The ‘huge vote no badge’ gave it away.
We must all stand up to Hate !! Family & Friend & Co Workers who know Lgbt. Stand Up to Bully !!! Human Rights for All .Respect All Difference ! Speak Out !!! Walk in groups and learn how to protect yourself .Jacqueline Vasquez Advocacy Network is Advocating for Equality !!!! Hate Crimes are Needed everywhere.