This article was originally published by QNews. You can find the original article here.
Melbourne’s newspaper of record, The Age, remains unrepentant for publishing a transphobic political advertisement on its front page today, despite the Newcastle Herald apologising for running the same advert on its front page yesterday.
The advertisement, published by The Age on the cover of its 12 March edition, promotes Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots party, which intends to contest the 2025 federal election.
The bright yellow ad declares in capital letters: “THERE ARE ONLY TWO GENDERS – MALE AND FEMALE.”
Below that, it states: “We must stop confusing our children in schools. Give them a normal and safe environment to grow and develop in and let them decide who they are when they become adults.”
Copying Trump
LGBTQIA+ leaders and organisations were quick to denounce the adverts, which they say are inspired by Donald Trump.
The US president targeted LGBTQIA+ people during his election campaign – a tactic that has continued since his first day in office.
“As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female,” Trump declared in his inauguration speech.
Just.Equal spokesperson Rodney Croome told QNews: “Clive Palmer is copying Donald Trump’s anti-trans campaign ahead of the last US election – a campaign that escalated when it was not confronted.
“These ads are clearly aimed at stirring up fear and loathing towards trans and gender diverse Australians,” he said.
“We call on all other parties to condemn these transphobic ads and commit to reforms that will address the disadvantages transgender people face.”
‘Political punching bag’
Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown told QNews the ads were a ploy for attention and would be laughable if not for the division they caused.
“Clive Palmer is a fringe political actor desperately looking for attention and these cruel ads are designed to do nothing more than stoke division and provoke outrage,” Brown said.
“It’s tempting to laugh off his hollow posturing but for the fact he’s targeting real people who are already marginalised and vulnerable,” she said.
“The trans community is sick and tired of being a political punching bag.”
Trouble at The Age
QNews understands journalists from The Age wrote a formal letter of complaint to management after discovering the advertisement was due to be published on today’s front page.
Sources told Guardian Australia the advert was a “slap in the face” for staff and readers” and did not align with the newspaper’s editorial stance on marriage equality.
Patrick Elligett, the editor of The Age, has so far declined to comment.
The Sydney Morning Herald – which like The Age is published by Nine Entertainment – has not published the transphobic advert at time of writing but has carried other advertisements by the Trumpet of Patriots party.
The Newcastle Herald apologises
Today’s events follow yesterday’s drama at the Newcastle Herald, which published the same advert on the front of its 11 March issue.
After a widespread social media backlash, the paper’s publisher, Australian Community Media (ACM), removed the ad from its digital edition and apologised.
“ACM and the Herald apologise unreservedly to our readers, the transgender community and to the Newcastle community more broadly for any hurt and distress caused by the publication of the advertisement,” the company said.
ACM said it had checks in place for political advertising “but on this occasion the process failed and the advertisement was not reviewed before publication”.
Tony Kendall, ACM’s managing director, said the ad “should not have appeared” in the Newcastle Herald “and will not be published again”.
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