North Shore MP votes for transgender rights
Liberal North Shore MP Felicity Wilson has crossed the floor to vote with the NSW Government on the Equality Bill, which will allow transgender people to change their gender on birth certificates without requiring sex-change surgery.
Ms Wilson, who has in the past supported LGBTIQA+ rights, including the ‘Yes’ vote for marriage equality, said the decision to vote against Liberal party lines was a ‘very hard one.’
“As a Liberal I believe in the fundamental principle of equality for all people, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation,” Ms Wilson told NL. “While (Liberals) unfortunately weren’t granted a conscience vote, as a Liberal I am afforded the right to vote with my conscience regardless.
“The great thing about the Liberal Party is I can take a different position to the party room and still be part of the team – unlike if I were a member of any other party.”
The Bill, which narrowly passed the upper house by 15 votes to 12 on 17 October, was a private member’s bill first put forward Sydney MP Alex Greenwich in June, 2023. It seeks to change several NSW laws, including those pertaining to surrogacy. Once the bill becomes law, transgender people will be allowed to change their gender through an administrative form, and hatred or prejudice against transgender, gender diverse or intersex people will become an aggravating factor in court sentencing. In addition, if a child is born through international commercial surrogacy, a court can make a parenting order if it is in the best interests of the child.
Ms Wilson told parliament in her speech in support of the legislation that as a member of the committee conducting the inquiry on the bill, she had heard ‘loud and clear’ that it would ‘seek to rectify great harms.’ “The bill will not harm any person in NSW. In fact, it will affect very few people across NSW.
“There are those who will argue that there is a moral hazard and that we should protect the majority from the outcomes of the bill. But those claims do not ring true. Allowing an individual to change their sex on their birth certificate is deeply personal and impactful to that person but to no one else.
“Those who claim it will create risk for women are fearmongering. I have never been asked to show my birth certificate to enter a bathroom.”
Ms Wilson told NL she was ‘known for speaking out against hateful comments about transgender people in the past.’ “And I guess I’ll now be known for this stance too.”
