Troye Sivan Leads Push for "Safe Schools" Replacement, Yet an LGTBQI Activist Says It's "Offensive"

A star-studded campaign to replace Safe Schools with an anti-bullying program sounds good, but does it do enough?

Troye Sivan, Missy Higgins, Joel Creasey and more are calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Education Minister Simon Birmingham to introduce a replacement for Safe Schools.

In a Change.org petition, the celebs urge the government to implement "a national anti-bullying, anti-violence program in schools across Australia that targets bullying in all its forms."

The signees are seeking to avoid the "controversy" of Safe Schools, which aimed at making LGBTQI students feel safe in school environments and was ultimately "gutted" (in the words of MP George Christensen) following a backlash.

Instead, their new campaign is settling on a more general goal: "an end to bullying and domestic violence in Australia."

They hope a new program will include the teaching of "tolerance and mutual respect of LGBTI people".

"In conclusion, Australia needs an anti-bullying, anti-violence program with a focus on LGBTI bullying that isn’t just another anti-bullying program. What Australia doesn't need is a program that is tied up in politics and controversy," the letter ends. It's co-signed by Guy Pearce, James Mathison and Sivan's mother, Laurelle Mellet, who previously ran a campaign to "Save Safe Schools".

The petition is fronted by a video (now removed) featuring Troye, in which he says that Safe Schools "was made controversial by newspapers and politicians who still refuse to accept that people like me should be tolerated, and not only tolerated, but respected, especially in schools."

 

Despite the petition's insistence that it's signees "do not seek a program that seeks approval of the way certain members of our society live," it has nonetheless garnered criticism from LGBTQI activist and GetUp! Marriage Equality Campaigns Director Sally Rugg, who called the lobby "some Kendall Jenner bulls***" on Twitter (where she notes: "words mine not GetUp's").  

She also accused their call to action of being "offensive, completely tone-deaf and detrimental to the campaign".

Yo @missyhiggins @troyesivan @joelcreasey your open letter is horrifying-what consultation with LGBTI activists/community did you undertake?

— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg) May 1, 2017

GetUp! declined a request by Student Edge to comment on Rugg's Tweets or the new petition.

Others noted the absence of "gender theory" in the petition, and suggested it was "transphobic".

@bengrubb @jillastark I've already read that, Ben. You don't know what went into the program & it clearly shows. I do, as I've been on it's national board.

— Kate Doak (@katedoak) May 2, 2017

@bengrubb @jillastark Trans erasure from the proposed program is clearly evident, as "Gender theory" was key argument used to pressure NSW & TAS.

— Kate Doak (@katedoak) May 2, 2017

One of the petition's organisers, Ben Grubb, responded to the criticism in a post, admitting it was not the group's intention to "shun" gender theory.

"[The post] did not shun these but it did omit those terms (not on purpose, mind you)," he wrote.

"While I do not speak on behalf of the other co-signers, I do not believe that any of them would shun these either."

Laurelle Mellet later added an update to the petition saying "feedback and comments" are being taken onboard.

Funding for Safe Schools comes to an end mid-year. However, Victoria's government has pledged to keep funding the program when its federal funding expires, and WA's recently elected Labor party also intends to fund it. Queensland Labor has said there are no plans to discontinue Safe Schools' funding within the state.

As of this writing, the Stop Bullying Australia petition has more than 3,000 signatures. Its signees no doubt hope that number will rise ahead of the budget announcement on Tuesday, May 9, and that Prime Minister Turnbull will set aside federal funds for a new, national program.

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Photo: YouTube (Stop Bullying)