OPINION: Government puts gender in too hard basket

OPINION: The topic is divisive, controversial and part of a radical social change which needs clear guidance from the government.

Department of Transport and Main Roads. Picture: Josh Woning

JUDGING by the reaction over the weekend, the decision to remove a person's gender from Queensland driver's licences is highly controversial and divisive.

Some, like Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher think it's not a big deal, while others think it's another step along a slippery slope to gender neutralisation.

Some think it's a case of a small minority in the LGBTQI lobby having too much influence, while others think it's a positive step towards reducing discrimination.

Some agree with Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and KAP leader in Queensland, Robbie Katter, that it's political correctness gone mad.

But then there are those who are just sick of hearing about this stuff when there are people without work and people dying in the world.

Regardless of where you stand on this and other issues around gender, the simple fact is the topic is divisive, it is controversial, and for better or for worse, it is part of a radical social change which needs clear guidance from the government.

New Queensland driver’s licences don’t feature a person’s gender or height. Picture: Contributed

People want to know whether we'll see a Federer vs Williams final at Wimbledon and what happens during the Commonwealth Games if the announcer can't say whether it's the men's or women's 50m final.

It's because of this that the government needs to step up to the plate and tell people what is happening and why.

Gender was removed from Queensland licences in September last year with every reason to expect it would be a controversial decision.

But there was no announcement and no information to the public about why?

The issues around gender aren't going to go away.

The government needs to "gender non-specific up" instead of hiding behind 'too hard'.

- Christine McKee, Editor