This article was originally published by the OUTInPerth. You can find the original article here.
Kelly-Jay Keen has announced she’ll be returning to Australia.
The British provocateur, who describes herself as a women’s rights advocate while campaigning against transgender and gender diverse people around the word, drew large protests on her previous tour of Australia.
Keen has shared that she’ll be a keynote speaker at the C-PAC Conference in Brisbane in the beginning of October. The appearance will also bring her into the country for the anticipated third and final week of the defamation case being heard in the Federal Court between Liberal leader John Pesutto and MP Moira Deeming.
“I’ll be making my way to Australia in a couple of weeks.” Keen announced on her YouTube channel. “I’ll be doing C-PAC Australia.”
Suggestion that Keen would be the conservative conference’s mystery guest were first reported by Lucy from Naarn earlier in the week.
In a video post Keen said she was currently “on trial” via the defamation case between Victorian politician Moira Deeming and Liberal leader John Pesutto that is currently underway in the Federal Court.
“I’m on trial, and my reputation was used to discredit a woman called Moira Deeming, an MP, a very brave MP and she’s now launched a defamation suit against the same little upstart that I had an issue with earlier in the year.”
Keen previously launched legal action against Pesutto which was settled out of court with the Liberal leader issuing an apology.
In a fiery video Keen defended her Let Women Speak open mike events which allow people to share their unfiltered views on people who are transgender.
“It’s supposed to be controversial. It’s supposed to be controversial to say ‘We don’t want dicks in our space’ – but I will.
“Every single time, I will be sarcastic, I will provocative, I will do those things.” Keen said. “I will do them again, and again, and again. And why? Because I bloody well want to, and I will not be told to be silent.”
Do you need some support?
If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:
QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au (Webchat 3pm – midnight) QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.
DISCHARGED: [email protected] / discharged.org.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.
Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au
Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / www.beyondblue.org.au