Essay

Romeo and Juliet
adapted and directed by Kim Hanna
Romeo - Guy Lewis
Juliet - Chris Molyneux
15 May 1996

Julie was asked to address the audience of the play at interval on the benefit night. The sonnet started Julie's speech (to notes) on homophobia, internalised homophobia, Sid Spindler's Sexuality Discrimination Bill, activism vs Politics: history "small groups of people have and will make a difference"

Sonnet - on fighting homophobia

with Romeo and Juliet

Julie Peters

Shall I/ compare/ thee to/ the het/ero play;
Thou are/ more con/fronting and /more gay
Rough jibes/ some do/ endure/ some more tem/perate
When girl/ with girl/ and boy/ with boy/ do date

Sometime/ too hot/ abu/sive pass/ion shines;
And insu/fficient/ is dis/criminat/ion dimmed.
But with/ maturity/ and love/ such hate/ declines
(ASIDE - referring to staging of the play)
In my day/ mine eyes/ did never / spy foreskin/ untrimmed

But thy/ etern/al love/ will nev/er fade;
Nor lose/ the true/ respect/ it's ow'st;
Nor shall/ thou live/ in dank/ dark shade,
When in/ diverse/ comun/ity/ thou grow'st

So long/ as one/ can breathe/ or eyes/ can see,
So long/ lives love/, queer love/ gives life/ to thee

Notes for the Speech

The SONNET

CV - 1 of 9, catholic working class - scholarship, BE, theatre, TV - BSc, genetics / environment /electronics - queer politics: choir, switchboard (ONLY G&L member) - Democrats

The Play, THIS production - gender - sexualilty - CONFORMITY - reward /punishment - discrimination, vilefication

GLAD REPORT

ROBERT Perkin's REPORT
Who has disciminated against you, transgendered?
GAYS 40.5% FAMILY 40% MEN in general 36% POLICE 34% FRIENDS 32% Lawyers/ public servants 30% Employers 25% LESBIANS 13%

Homophobia of tg's tranyphobia of gays - beauty myth lesbians; tg's - not women Biggest gay problem - internalised homophobia

VIC STATE ACT

SID'S ACT - discrimination - recognition of de facto? - superannuation

ME: NO GENDER!

p/olitiics led me to P/olitics / which is most effective?

discrimination - pink poverty - the environment - Telstra ALL ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE affect T/L/G

EXAMINE POLICY AND ACTION >>>> DEMOCRATS

tested Dems by my tg'ism

MY READING OF HISTORY small groups of ppl have made a difference - Chaos theory - Maybe a gay and lesbian transgendered is chaotic enough?

OR MAYBE I'M JUST NAIVE ENOUGH TO TRY

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