The Spectacle of Respectable Equality: Queer Discrimination in Australian Law Post Marriage Equality

Genovese, E

The Spectacle of Respectable Equality: Queer Discrimination in Australian Law Post Marriage Equality

Genovese, E

Permalink

Publisher:: Law School, University of New South Wales
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: University of New South Wales Law Journal, 2023, 46, (2), pp. 650-727
Issue Date:: 2023

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (1.3 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Genovese, E https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0062-6911
dc.date.accessioned	2023-11-06T20:41:06Z
dc.date.available	2022-07-04
dc.date.available	2023-11-06T20:41:06Z
dc.date.issued	2023
dc.identifier.citation	University of New South Wales Law Journal, 2023, 46, (2), pp. 650-727
dc.identifier.issn	0313-0096
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/173068
dc.description.abstract	This article explores Australian legislation and policy since marriage equality to emphasise the pattern of prejudice that persists against the queer community through the theory of spectacles of ‘respectable equality’. Spectacles of respectable equality describe theatrical legislation or policy that is qualified by heterosexual privilege and produces a faux imitation of equality. In demonstrating that this pattern amounts to discrimination against the queer community, this article explores direct and indirect forms of discrimination. Direct discrimination is scrutinised through an assessment of blood donation policy and birth certificate legislation. Indirect discrimination is considered through an analysis of gender-neutral legislative drafting policies in the Victorian and Commonwealth jurisdictions, and Australian interpretative legislation. Ultimately, this article identifies examples of spectacles of respectable equality to demonstrate how discrimination against the queer community is not a disparate issue, but a connected pattern that must be broken.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Law School, University of New South Wales
dc.relation.ispartof	University of New South Wales Law Journal
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.53637/NAFG1780
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1801 Law
dc.subject.classification	48 Law and legal studies
dc.title	The Spectacle of Respectable Equality: Queer Discrimination in Australian Law Post Marriage Equality
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	46
utslib.location.activity	Australia
utslib.for	1801 Law
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Law
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	true
dc.date.updated	2023-11-06T20:41:05Z
pubs.issue	2
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	46
utslib.citation.issue	2

Abstract:

This article explores Australian legislation and policy since marriage equality to emphasise the pattern of prejudice that persists against the queer community through the theory of spectacles of ‘respectable equality’. Spectacles of respectable equality describe theatrical legislation or policy that is qualified by heterosexual privilege and produces a faux imitation of equality. In demonstrating that this pattern amounts to discrimination against the queer community, this article explores direct and indirect forms of discrimination. Direct discrimination is scrutinised through an assessment of blood donation policy and birth certificate legislation. Indirect discrimination is considered through an analysis of gender-neutral legislative drafting policies in the Victorian and Commonwealth jurisdictions, and Australian interpretative legislation. Ultimately, this article identifies examples of spectacles of respectable equality to demonstrate how discrimination against the queer community is not a disparate issue, but a connected pattern that must be broken.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/173068