Jonny Warren

This prick has been a huge supporter of #NewsCorpse for years so any decent witch was already doing an #MFWBoycott on @Blackmores. If you’re not, fucking-well start now. #VoteYES afr.com/politics/federal/why…

So here’s a witchy take on something Peter Dutton said on TV this morning. It’s an explanation of some of what he and his party continue to get so, so wrong. I have a hairdresser I visit every so often in an Aussie country town. She’s lived here for years and is married to a tradie, two small kids. Really lovely person, as hairdressers often are. Just before the last federal election we started talking politics, for some reason. I’d no idea what her politics were before that. And I can’t remember how, but I do remember what happened next. Which is she told me (out of the blue) that she’d never vote for Morrison. Of course, I asked her what the issue or issues were that caused her to feel so strongly opposed to the LNP. And she said it was because of her kids. Specifically, that she believed (and so did her husband) their kids’ happiness was paramount and they were both determined that if either or both of their kids were trans, or gay, or bisexual or had any other “difference” of sexuality or gender that they wanted them to always feel fully supported and happy. She felt really strongly about this - so much so that I was honestly surprised. She also volunteered the info that she’d voted LNP in the past but this one issue had been enough to permanently swing her vote. I could tell how much this meant to her as she got quite emotional. She said she couldn’t bear to have her kids grow up and feel unwelcome or or suicidal or not equal to others because of their sexuality or being transgender. And she was determined she’d do as much as she could to ensure they always felt accepted. She was talking about Katherine Deves but it was more than that - it was the whole bigoted LNP philosophy she objected to. Not just LGBTIQA+ issues (although that’s where it got her in the feels because of her kids) but because of their general racism, sexism and bigotry as well. What’s more, she told me this was something regularly discussed in the schoolyard with other parents. All of them felt the same. They wanted their kids to be happy and were prepared to accept them no matter what their sexual preferences or identities they had as they grew into adults. This meant enough to all of them that it hugely influenced how they’d vote. This isn’t new info. A study which came out just yesterday said something like 20 percent of all Gen Zers now identify as LGBTIQA+ in one way or another. These aren’t young people who’d vote for a party which openly displays the bigotry of the LNP and PHON. And every day, more of them qualify to vote. This morning, Dutton insulted people in every outer suburb and country area of Australia, by strongly implying most people in those areas are anti-trans. He made a distinction between issues which would be of importance to “inner city areas” (presumably the greeny latte-sipping set he despises), and those which would matter to people in Aston. He intended to insult the inner-city voters, but in fact he insulted the Aston voters (and every voter living further away from big city centres) far more. Because he implied such people care nothing for inclusivity and equality and (even worse) that they have no empathy or compassion for human differences. The bloke is not only clueless, he’s mean. And not only mean, but stupid. Because all over Australia people are listening to those kinds of comments and deciding he’s a prick. Because all over Australia, parents are deciding their kids’ happiness and safety are more important than other concerns. And because all over Australia, people are deciding that a man who’s such a cruel, nasty shithead towards transgender people must also be a cruel and nasty shithead on many other issues and policies. It’s not hard to draw that conclusion. Which the good people of Aston did in fucking spades. That’s not the only reason the LNP lost Aston, of course, but it can’t be discounted as playing a significant part. He’s not a smart man. Ends.