I so wish this was true because I used to think so. I tried to be a mental health advocate – I don’t call it being an activist as that would suggest someone was activated. The problem arises the moment you use your personal story as an example but that is going way too far even though my story only goes as far as suicidal ideation. I tried to suggest on an online forum frequented by a lot of advocates that we should use and promote the Government’s Mindframe guidelines for media talking about suicide and mental health – in the interests of prevention. I followed SANE Australia’s StigmaWatch program as my guide. I tried twice but both times got calls for my suicide from a handful of people and no one, not one person ever support this idea, not even partially in private. Three of these activists represented me at government via ministerial advisor committees or similar.

The reality of activism is that if the wrong person says an idea it must not happen, especially if there are already activists who have staked out the turf of a particular topic. It is true that advocates “who step up in the LGBTI community are expected to lead change on their own”, ie are Teflon to dissent from the people they represent, but change most times takes a team or at least extensive agreement of stakeholders.

What about the need for adoption equality in NT, VIC, SA and QLD?

These 4 places in Australia in 2015, still discriminate against gay couples in the adoption of children!

VIC and SA are just “reviewing” the laws and still not passing adoption equality laws!

And also 2 places in Australia, SA and WA, still discriminate against gay couples in surrogacy arrangements!