Bigger picture lost

I WRITE in response to the article headed No Sex Motion, We’re Casey (Gazette, 13 April).
If mayor Shar Balmes opposed the motion to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other bullied youth within the City of Casey website framework to promote respect, suggesting it singled out a specific group, then doesn’t her motion to not support one of the highest rates of suicide in a minority group of GLBTI young people suggest that she has in fact overlooked a bigger picture?
Not supporting GLBTI individuals in an acknowledgement for community inclusiveness and recognition via the Casey website in a pledge against intolerance, it itself stands against GLBTI people who are potentially more vulnerable and susceptible to the trauma of rejection, adding to a cycle of personal inhibition.
GLBTI youth are not the only ones at risk of all aspects of community rejection, motivated by homophobia and transphobia, but all age brackets of GLBTI individuals.
It is unforgivable in our suburban and rural communities that this kind of intolerance and rejection of difference still exists to such an ignorant degree and that solid affirming support remain desperately wanting for these individuals.
Whether youth, young adult or a mature age GLBTI person, it would be difficult enough to weave your way through feelings of anxiety and isolation within a community, not to mention the experience of rejection, hatred or discrimination from the small mindedness of adult individuals or narrowness of youth.
Therefore it is without a doubt the job of all councils to be progressive, supportive and responsible in educating their communities in forging a strong sense of belonging within the community for GLBTI people, as well all other minorities.
In this instance of those Casey councillors who do not support the motion of supporting GLBTI individuals through recognition on the Casey website, nor think the issue deserves importance over infrastructure or traffic congestion, perhaps they would do well to consider that their sons, daughters or grandchildren may well one day be seeking this very support.
Like it or not, it won’t be due to a lifestyle choice they have made as Cr Stapledon obviously suggests being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender of intersex is.
To dispel such ignorance, it just so happens GLBTI people are born that way.
If you think one would willingly subject themselves by choice to a lifestyle whereby potentially over a lifetime encounter discrimination, rejection, hatred, bullying, bashing, harassment, confusion of identity, not belonging, isolation, all culminating in anxiety, depression, mental and physical health breakdown, or death by suicide as a result, you are gravely misinformed.
Wake up Casey, be visionary and take the lead as a council on this all important issue.
Jon Rushmer,
Warragul.