Outraged transwoman Rosie Piper was used to promote ‘Lesbian Day of Visibility’

A decision by an influential Sydney organisation has been criticised and further ignited the trans rights issues raised during the election campaign.

Exclusive: A decision to use a transwoman and comedian who describes herself as a “blokey lesbian” to promote a same sex awareness day has sparked outrage among some gay women, who say their rights are being eroded by trans lobbyists.

It comes in the wake of controversial Liberal candidate Katherine Deves calling for women’s sport to be protected and is a sign of how complicated the space surrounding gender identity has become.

In a further clash, a mum in Victoria, is trying to clarify with authorities whether the rights of biological women have now been superseded by gender identity rights when it comes to single sex toilets and changing rooms.

In the latest incident to cause upset, the influential AIDS Council of NSW (ACON) last month appointed a trans woman, who identifies as a lesbian, to promote Lesbian Day of Visibility.

Rosie Piper, a comedian, has previously described herself as a “blokey lesbian” and a “straight man” who has been living in the wrong body.

However, references to Ms Piper’s role for ACON have now disappeared from its social media.

Comedian Rosie Piper. Picture: Instagram

University of Sydney emeritus Professor Bronwyn Winter questioned how a transgender woman could be chosen to raise awareness of lesbian issues and said it was part of a wider push by some in the trans community to replace “same sex attraction” with “same gender identity attraction”.

She said ACON’s campaign ” was “insulting to lesbians”.

“There are a lot of lesbians who will never accept male-bodied people can be lesbians,” she said.

Prof Winter is a lesbian and one of the founders of the campaign group called Respect My Sex, which is calling on Australian voters to ask their candidates at the upcoming election questions about sex based rights.

“Lesbians who want to socialise with lesbians are now being driven underground,” she said.

“It is no longer legal for us to organise a social event without males in the room.”

Comedian Rosie Piper in 2017. Picture: Instagram

She cited a tribunal case in Tasmania where LGB Alliance member Jessica Hoyle sought an exemption to be able to hold lesbian events without “people with penises”.

The exemption was rejected by the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination commissioner Sarah Bolt.

Ms Hoyle said the decision was homophobic and was appealing in what could be a test case in Australia.

Prof Winter said she would never suggest that trans people should not have rights, but that the rights of others should not be “trampled on” and that people should be allowed to debate the issues sensibly without being called a bigot.

Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves has called for women’s sport to be protected. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Sydney emeritus Professor Bronwyn Winter. Picture: Supplied

Meanwhile, teacher and mum-of-four Moira Deeming has spent the past 18 months trying to clarify through various channels whether gender identity rights overrode those of sex-based rights.

She said the rights of biological women to use single sex facilities like toilets and changing rooms free of anyone born as males, has been taken away.

She said trans who identified as women did not need to prove they had changed their gender, had surgery, had hormone treatment or even be assessed by a doctor.

Ms Deeming said she would like to see toilets for biological males, biological females and trans people.

High schoolteacher Moira Deeming wants trans people to use different toilets to biological women. Picture: Sarah Matray

“I understand the fear of violence some transgender people might feel going into a male toilets, because that’s what women feel if a man comes into the women’s facilities,” Ms Deeming, who is a local councillor in Melbourne, said.

A Victorian government spokesman confirmed preventing a person born a male, but who now identified as a female, from using a women’s toilets or facilities, was unlawful discrimination.

The spokesman said LGBTIQ+ people “deserve to live a life free of discrimination and fear to be who they are”.

“Debating the identity of trans women has real consequences on the wellbeing of trans and gender diverse communities, including vulnerable young people who are already 15 times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.”

The spokesman added that individuals and organisations could apply for an exemption, which would be assessed by a tribunal.

Both Ms Piper and ACON declined to comment.