Writer, trainer, and advocate – Jac Tomlins has been a leading force in the LGBTIQ community & rainbow families, often sharing her own story back when there was little to none in the mainstream media.

We spoke to Jac Tomlins about raising children in a rainbow family, the lack of representation of rainbow families, the support guides she’s written for Rainbow Families & her new book, The Curse of Grandma Maple – a story about kids who just happen to have two mums.

The Curse of Grandma Maple is a story about a bunch of kids who leave the adults behind and head off to test themselves against the Canadian wilderness.

It’s about challenge and fear and how sometimes you have no choice but to face that fear. It’s about wanting to do the right thing, but sometimes stuffing up. It’s about siblings and cousins and having each other’s back.

And, coincidentally, there are two mums hovering at the edges of the story just doing what mums do – you know, worrying, interfering, being annoying – but occasionally coming good by saying Yes when it really matters.

The book launches of Sunday, 24 November. After the launch, copies will be available via Jac’s website.

This Family Matters podcast episode was produced by Bec Dahl, Partner at Nicholes Family Lawyers

The post The ‘write’ stuff – Jac Tomlins appeared first on Family Matters.

We sat down for an intimate chat with father, husband, advocate & out and proud Essendon supporter Jason Tuazon-Mcheyne to discuss life as a ‘gay dad.’

Follow more of Jason’s great work as Executive Director of The Equality Project Australia 

This Family Matters podcast episode was produced by Bec Dahl, Partner at Nicholes Family Lawyers

The post Heart-to-heart with Jason Tuazon-McCheyne appeared first on Family Matters.

About a Girl – Rebekah Robertson, founder of Transcend and proud mother of trans advocate Georgie Stone and her twin brother Harry, has written a book which chronicles the journey of raising Georgie and Harry through the medical, legal, educational and interpersonal hurdles they encountered along the way.

Part memoir and part inspirational message of hope for those navigating a similar path, About a Girl is a thought-provoking and profoundly moving true story – on sale 3 September 2019

We had the pleasure of chatting with Rebekah and Georgie to discuss this honest and emotional ‘must have’ book.

The post About a Girl – Rebekah Robertson & Georgie Stone appeared first on Family Matters.

All the latest information re crying, sleeping, breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, tantrums (theirs & yours) birthday parties, green poo & much more for taking care of our little humans.

The post Babies & Toddlers – latest parenting guide by Kaz Cooke appeared first on Family Matters.

Whether you are ‘gay, straight, black, or white’—or beyond reductive binaries—this edited collection guides the reader through the highs and lows of the marriage equality postal vote. Combining serious scholarship, humour, manifestos, and simple tales of childhood, readers are flung into the emotional melting pot that constitutes a definitive turning point in Australian queer histories. These feelings are sticky and sometimes traumatic, but there is also catharsis in this compilation. This is also a counter-archive, one that consciously amplifies some of the voices that were drowned out by dominant campaigns, including those that questioned the value of marriage as a patriarchal institution or resisted the ‘we are just like you’ discourses that obscured complex families and queer ways of loving.

Family Matters were joined by editor, Son Vivienne, to discuss the upcoming release of Going Postal.

Son Vivienne is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at Creative Agency@RMIT and the Digital Ethnography Research Centre. Son is also involved in community development and arts as an activist, workshop facilitator and media-maker. Son is author of Digital Identity and Everyday Activism: Sharing Private Stories with Networked Publics and co-author/co-editor of Negotiating Digital Citizenship: Control, Contest, Culture.

Upcoming events in Melbourne:
‘Going Postal: Reflections on the Marriage Equality Vote’
including readings and discussion
at The Wheeler Centre Wednesday 14th November, 6.15-7.15pm
Free, but bookings essential

’Letting kids be kids’
A special Going Postal family-focused launch event
with readings, live music and food at Hares & Hyenas bookstore
Friday 30th November, 5:30pm (6pm start), 8pm finish
Free, all ages welcome

The post GOING POSTAL: MORE THAN ‘YES’ OR ‘NO’ appeared first on Family Matters.

Hear from Amanda and husband Brent who were a surrogate not once but twice for a gay couple.

They discuss their decision to assist their best friends Michael & Terry, the conversations with their own school aged children, their hospital birth experience and navigating the expectations and attitudes of others.

More information:

Under the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008, to be eligible to receive treatment as a surrogate from a registered ART clinic, a surrogate must:

• be at least 25 years old
• have previously been pregnant and given birth to a live child
• not use her own eggs in the surrogacy arrangement
• not be paid other than being reimbursed for expenses

All parties, including you as the surrogate and your partner (if any), must also undertake counselling and obtain independent legal advice.

For more information head to VARTA

Catch up with our interview with Michael & Terry who discuss their domestic surrogacy journey and the conversations with their children about where they came from.

The post Thinking of being a surrogate? appeared first on Family Matters.

The picture book is about same sex couples with adopted children through social services while educating its readers about different types of families.

Chris joins us with husband Sean to discuss the book and their parenting journey.

About Chris: While born and raised in Melbourne Australia, Chris met his partner Sean in England on a backpacking adventure, where they fell in love before moving back to Melbourne.

After ten long years an starting to feel detached from Australia they decided to move back to England. In that time they discussed starting a family and felt adoption was a great way forward for them. It wasn’t long until they were placed with a sibling group of three children who transformed and enriched their existence in many ways.

Five years later, the now married couple decided they would like to raise their children in Melbourne Australia. This book is about same sex couples with adopted children through social services while educating its readers about different types of families.

Same but different Too: The Colourful Life  Kobi is back with another great story to tell. However this time it’s not about his family, it’s about his friend’s family.  Lee is Kobi’s friend and he is multi-heritage just like Kobi. Lee is adopted and he has two dads.  This book explores different types of families and provides the reader with some examples of how families can be different, while also having some things in common.  Lee and his classmates learn to accept that families can be the same, but different, and every family deserves respect.

The post Rainbow Families – Adoption appeared first on Family Matters.

The leaks also suggested that schools would have to publicly outline their policy on the matter and that these measures would only affect students, as schools set up for religious purposes already have the right to take such matters into account when hiring staff or contractors.

Currently Commonwealth, state and territory legislation presents a variety of provisions regarding discrimination based on sexual orientation and exemptions for religious schools. This news was a shock to many in the community.

To understand the potential impact of these changes, the current law and the impact of this leak, we speak with;

• Anna Brown, Director – Legal Advocacy, Human Rights Law Centre and Co-Chair of the Equality Campaign
• Felicity Marlowe, Rainbow Families Victoria, Executive Director
• Jo Hirst, author and advocate for transgender and gender diverse children Board member PGDC.

Without the release of the full report, many of us are understandably worried about the impact another public debate about our children and our families. Sensationalist media headlines and sound bites are adding to that anxiety.

In order to end the unnecessary speculation about the report and to mitigate the distress being experienced by members of our rainbow family communities, Rainbow Families Victoria have written & urged the PM to release the Ruddock Religious Freedom Review Report. You can read their letter in full here: http://www.rainbowfamilies.org.au/advocacy/federal/

NEED TO TALK?  We encourage you to call SWITCHBOARD on 1800 184 527.

If people feel they have been unlawfully discriminated against they can bring a complaint to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission 1300 292 153 or the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Or contact Victorian Legal Aid1300 792 387, Monday to Friday from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm, for free information over the phone about the law and how they can help you.

The post The leaks & the facts – Ruddock Religious Freedom Review appeared first on Family Matters.

The post Interview: Chloe Allworthy & her quest to find her donor dad appeared first on Family Matters.

The Time to tell (6th Oct 2018) seminar provides tips on how, when and what to say to children, friends and family so that parents feel more confident about their story, and children can understand the unique way in which they came into this world.

Speakers include counsellors, parents from different families, donors and donor-conceived young people. You will gain insight and advice on all aspects of talking to children about becoming a family with the help of donated eggs, sperm embryos or a surrogate. Potential parents, parents, friends, family, donors and professionals are all welcome.

The Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA) is a statutory authority funded by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services. VARTA provides independent information and support for individuals, couples and health professionals on fertility and issues related to assisted reproductive treatment. This includes IVF, surrogacy and donor-conception.

The post Donor conceived – how, when & why to tell the kids appeared first on Family Matters.

On the eve of Wear it Purple we chat with Switchboard Victoria’s CEO Joe Ball

Wear it Purple was founded in 2010 in response to global stories of real teenagers, real heartache and their very real responses. In 2010, several rainbow young people took their own lives following bullying and harassment resulting from the lack of acceptance of their sexuality or gender identity.

Switchboard Victoria is a community-based not for profit organisation that provides a peer based, volunteer run support service for LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) people and their friends, families and allies.

You can talk to Switchboard at any time  Call 1800 184 527 | Chat: qlife.org.au  3 pm – Midnight, everyday

The post Interview: Joe Ball CEO Switchboard Victoria appeared first on Family Matters.

Dr Damien Riggs speaks about the new research into Domestic violence and companion animals in the context of LGBT people’s relationships

Felicity Marlowe also joins us to discuss the Braiding Knowledge forum for the family violence and intersecting sectors, specialist LGBTIQ services and community groups which aims to build on existing knowledge for identification and response to LGBTIQ family and intimate partner violence.

The post LGBTQI experience of family & intimate partner violence appeared first on Family Matters.

Jason & Adrian’s were one of a few couples who brought a legal case to have their overseas marriage recognised, prompting Australia to change the law to exclude them in 2004.

Jason is also the Executive Director The Equality Project. The Equality Project is a new, national organisation bringing together Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ+) people with our allies across the social justice movement, to advocate for a better, more just, and fairer society for all Australians.

The Equality Project’s Leadership Training Academy (#LTA2018) is a specialised leadership and media engagement training program for LGBTIQ+ change-makers and emerging community leaders who want to build the core skills and techniques to effect positive social change.

The post Interview: Jason Tuazon-McCheyne appeared first on Family Matters.

Shae joins the team to bust some sleep myths and give us researched tips on settling your little one.

With a core focus on emotional wellbeing and nurturing the parent-child connection, Shae understands that there is no singular approach when targeting sleep routines. A skilled listener, Shae holds the utmost consideration for your family’s unique needs and circumstances. She will work with you to personalise a plan specific to your lifestyle, family environment, parenting style and goals; equipping you with the essential foundations for sustainable and healthy long-term sleep patterns.

We also speak with Fiona from Chicks Talking Footy who updates us on her recent Sleep School (aka the Big Brother house) experience.

Get in touch with Shae here http://sleepplaylove.co

The post Proven sleeping tips with the baby whisperer Shae Cox appeared first on Family Matters.

An in depth interview as they discuss the recently published Australian Standards of Treatment and Care for Trans Children and Adolescents.

They also discuss the role and support services offered at the The Royal Children’s Hospital Gender Service.

As Director of the RCH Gender Service, Michelle has been instrumental in its development and expansion since 2012. She is a strong advocate for legal change and improved access to medical and mental health care for transgender and gender diverse children and adolescents in Australia.

Michelle has helped redefine standards of care, lobbied for legal change, and worked tirelessly to improve the access to medical and mental health care for transgender and gender diverse children and their families.

In 2017 Michelle Telfer also won the ‘Straight Ally of the Year’ Award at the GLOBE Community Awards for her work in supporting the LGBTI community.

The Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines (ASOCTG) aim to maximise quality care provision to trans and gender diverse children and adolescents across Australia, whilst recognising the unique circumstances of providing such care to this population.

Need more info?

The Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines (ASOCTG)

The Lancet Journal

The Royal Children’s Hospital Gender Service

Parent support groups:

Australia PGDC 

USA PFLAG

UK Mermaids

Jo Hirst is a former Primary School teacher who wrote Australia’s first picture book for transgender children, The Gender Fairy & A House For Everyone

The post Michelle Telfer – Australian Standards of Treatment & Care for Trans Children & Adolescents appeared first on Family Matters.

Felicity spoke about ‘Rainbow Families are Everywhere,’ the session she facilitated at #LGBTIQWHC18

We heard about the latest advocacy work by Rainbow Families Victoria, including their submission to The Australian Law Reform Commission’s review of the Family Law System – including the need for specialisation when dealing with family violence matters and diverse family forms.

Rainbow Families Victoria advocates for rainbow families ~ parents, co-parents, partners, carers & prospective parents who identify as LGBTIQ & their children.

The post Rainbow Families Victoria Update appeared first on Family Matters.

You can order the book online NOW!

The post Interview: Frank Lowe – Raised by Unicorns appeared first on Family Matters.

Gina & primary school educator Clayton geek out on their favourite kids books.

A fun episode as we celebrate books for kids & young adults which include; stories from queer authors, kids books about rainbow families and adoption, stories that help support kids experiencing grief & understand their many fabulous emotions and much much more.

The post Family Matters – Books that matter appeared first on Family Matters.

Family Matters were joined by Bess Hepworth, the Founder, Executive Director & Chief Disruptor of Planet Ally and key organiser of the Asia-Pacific Rainbow Families Forum.  

She has recently founded Planet Ally, an LGBTIQ and ally travel website and visual story telling platform, with a particular focus on allyship and solidarity.

We explore the 2nd annual Asia-Pacific Rainbow Families Forum which was held in May this year.

We also discuss the recent decision by the Hong Kong government responsible for managing public libraries, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which succumbed to pressure from anti-rainbow groups and decided that kids should not have free access to all children’s literature, particularly LGBTIQ themed books!

Why this is important to you:
The censoring of LGBTIQ themed books denies rainbow children the chance to see themselves and their families represented in books. This act of censorship also denies all children the chance to see life from a different perspective and to better understand the world.

What you can do about it:
To draw attention to this issue we have joined forces with IFED (International Family Equality Day) – Creative Network off a global campaign called #FreeMyLibrary. This was the hashtag used when Singapore experienced a temporary library book ban.
We would be honoured if you could stand with us against ideological censorship by sending us a quote – as simple as a sentence or two – and we’ll send it back to you with an awesome image from our local Hong Kong artist 阿離 (Pluck The Days) that you can share on social media.

CLICK HERE for a Google Form you can fill out and leave a quote!

bit.ly/freemylibraryquote

CLICK HERE for our webpage: https://www.planetally.org

The quote can be about why books should be freely accessed, why books about LGBTIQ families are so important, or how censorship is wrong.

Help us come together to tell Hong Kong, and the world, that censoring books belongs in the Dark Ages. Please tag @PlanetAllyApp on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using the official hashtag #FreeMyLibrary.

The post Interview: Bess Hepworth #FreeMyLibrary #APRFF2018 appeared first on Family Matters.

“Jackson is a boy who wears a dress. Ivy is a girl who likes her hair cut very short. Alex does not feel like just a boy or just a girl.
They are all the same. They are all different. They are all friends . ”

A House for Everyone is a simple, engaging story that challenges gender stereotypes and shows children it’s ok to be yourself. It’s a space for all children to explore and understand the full spectrum of gender diversity, and will show children the many ways they can express their gender in a truly positive light.

The post A House for Everyone – Jo Hirst appeared first on Family Matters.

Jeffrey is the world’s foremost commentator on non-binary activism in America, and reports on LGBTQ issues for Dutch National News channel RTL-TV, NewsmaxTV and the BBC.

http://www.jeffreymarsh.com/

The post Interview: Jeffrey Marsh appeared first on Family Matters.

Miracle Babies Foundation is Australia’s leading organisation supporting premature and sick newborns, their families and the hospitals that care for them.

Every year in Australia around 48,000 newborn babies require the help of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Special Care Nursery (SCN). 27,000 of these babies are born premature and up to 1,000 babies lose their fight for life.

Find out more about Miracle Babies Foundation

The post Miracle Babies Foundation supporting premature newborns & their families appeared first on Family Matters.

“I’ve been told of social media, don’t read the comments.” Damien

New dads Damien & Cris Stevens-Todd along with 3-month-old baby Fletcher joined Family Matters to share their story!

They also discussed the impact of a recent hateful social media post and how kindness can defeat the haters.

https://www.sheppnews.com.au/2018/03/24/137197/kindness-can-defeat-the-haters

The post The real gay dads of Shepparton appeared first on Family Matters.

Topics include: helping kids to be more aware of their personal safety, bullying (including cyber bullying), risks with online game platforms, family violence, educating kids on consent, building proactive and positive relationships with police.

Follow up links to share with the little humans in your care

Consent for Kids video suited for primary aged children

Tea and Consent video suited for teenagers

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 – pop this number on your fridge and talk to your kids about it.

The Kids Helpline is a free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 in Australia

The post Safety risks facing young kids & the role of police appeared first on Family Matters.

Hear Mill’s story which made our Steph cry.

Mill O’Sullivan Queer & Non-Binary activist – The Head of Workshops @minus18youth

The post Interview: Mill O’Sullivan – Queer & Non-Binary activist appeared first on Family Matters.

In addition, she develops training programs, clinical practice guidelines and resources for medical, nursing, midwifery and paramedic healthcare professionals in Victoria in her role as a statewide perinatal educator with the neonatal emergency retrieval team.

On this podcast we discuss:

• Why sleeping on your side during the last trimester is important to reduce the risk of stillbirth.
• Why baby temperature matters
• The importance of safe sleeping for baby – keeping baby’s head and face uncovered when sleeping
• What to do if your baby has a febrile convulsion
• What to do if you suspect your child swallowed a button battery – Call 000 immediately. Even if the battery is flat
• Key points of CPR on a baby
• Importance of attending a baby safety class

For more information about Baby Safety classes head to: https://www.preciouscare.com.au

More information about safe sleeping https://rednose.com.au/section/safe-sleeping

The post Baby Safety with Dr Rosemarie Boland appeared first on Family Matters.

Urzila Carlson joins Dee & Dave on Family Matters to give her cheeky perspective on being a lesbian parent.

South African born Urzila Carlson is a multi award winning Stand Up comedian who appears regularly on television shows in Australia – Have You Been Paying Attention – and New Zealand – 7 Days, Super City, Road Madness. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her wife and two kids.

The post Interview: Urzila Carlson appeared first on Family Matters.

We last spoke to Trystan when he was 37 weeks pregnant in the peak of summer in Portland. We were thrilled to catch up with Trystan again and hear about the birth of baby Leo and how the family is travelling.

As gay adoptive parents, Trystan & Biff exploded into the public eye after being featured on the parenting podcast The Longest Shortest Time. Their trans pregnancy story has since been covered by People Magazine, on Buzzfeed, on CNN, and in hundreds of other outlets across the globe.

Follow their story here: https://www.biffandi.com

Our first interview can be found here: https://joy.org.au/familymatters/2017/07/07/interview-trystan-reese-trans-man-pregnant/

The post Interview: Trystan Reese part 2 appeared first on Family Matters.

We also spoke with special youth volunteer Thea.  Thea was one of the kids representing Rainbow Families in the Honour Awards float.

The post Vanessa & Thea from Rainbow Families – Mardi Gras breakfast special appeared first on Family Matters.

Running on the evenings of the 17th and 18th of March, Love is Love honours, investigates, and reflects on what love means to us as individuals. The recent postal survey regarding same sex marriage was a difficult and confronting process for many in the LGBTQIA+ and wider community, and Australia voted YES. Now it’s time to celebrate the outcome and take some time to share our stories of love.

Catering to ages 0 – 12, Imaginarium invites our littlest arts lovers to come and play in a supportive, safe space and experience the joy of Melbourne Playback by sharing their stories and having a team of professional actors and musicians bring them to life. Running on the 18th of March for two shows only, children are encouraged to remember the time they went to the beach, made a new friend, or even climbed a super high tree. The sky’s the limit with this wonderful event geared at involving children in delightful, freeing theatrical play.

“Melbourne Playback is really looking  forward to starting our year with these two events.”, adds Artistic Director,Rachael Dubois. “We’re creating a wonderfully supportive space for people from the LGBTQIA+ and wider community with Love is Love. It’s a moment to share the difficulties and good experiences they had during the postal survey, a “community debrief”, if you will. To check in with people around us and take some time to reflect on how that public process affected us, for better or worse.  Imaginarium is a chance for kids to share stories from their lives and see the beauty and joy of those stories being turned into their very own tailor made show. It’s also a unique opportunity for big people and parents to hear children’s stories in a different way and see their kids shine.”

Melbourne Playback Theatre Company events are made up of real life accounts. Stories and experiences from audiences (inspired by the show theme) are invited to be shared and are then turned into one-off unique theatre works. Audience are invited to sit back, watch and enjoy, or share an experience and become a part of the show.

LOVE IS LOVE
Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 March, 7:30pm
Tickets: $25 Full, $20 Concession and Full Time Students
Bookings: (03) 9481 9500 and online at www.melbourneplayback.com.au/whats-on
Venue: Northcote Town Hall – 189 High St, Northcote

www.melbourneplayback.com.au

IMAGINARIUM
Sunday 18 March, 10:30am and 2pm
Tickets: $50 Family of 4, $15 Full, Babies under 2 free
Bookings: (03) 9481 9500 and online at www.melbourneplayback.com.au/whats-on
Venue: Northcote Town Hall – 189 High St, Northcote
www.melbourneplayback.com.au

The post Love is Love & Imaginarium – Interview with Melbourne Playback Theatre Company appeared first on Family Matters.

To tackle these questions we are joined by Paul A Norris-Ongso, Principal Lawyer from IPT Law.

Paul helps explain the consequences of recent Australian common law decisions that have affected the rights of parents and children in relation to surrogacy.  In September 2017, the Full Family Court declared that the law has gaps in it in relation to children born through surrogacy arrangements. We discuss the consequences of this and how it impacts declaration of parentage.

Paul is one of the speakers at the second Global Surrogacy Conference in Taipei in December. The Conference is being held in Taipei in late December, and will bring together a range of legal and medical experts to discuss global surrogacy options for prospective intending parents.

The post Global & domestic Surrogacy – be in the know! appeared first on Family Matters.

They were joined by special guests;

• The Commish’ Ro Allen & partner Kaye Bradshaw.
• Fiona, from the award winning Chicks Talkin’ Footy, and Dee who is well known for giving unsolicited parenting advice with her hilarious segment  ‘Parenting advice from a single childless lesbian,’ from Thursday’s drive show Driving you Homo
• Jo Hirst, author of ‘The Gender Fairy’ a picture book for transgender children, advocate for transgender and gender diverse children

The post Unsolicited Parenting Advice with Family Matters – full episode appeared first on Family Matters.

Jo Hirst, author of ‘The Gender Fairy’ a picture book for transgender children, advocate for transgender and gender diverse children, joins Family Matters on a historic day following a ruling by the Family Court.

The court today decided it would no longer intervene in cases where children have the permission of their parents and their treating doctors for stage 2 treatment.

After a hateful no marriage equality campaign that targeted our trans & gender diverse community – this was an outcome worth truly celebrating.

The team and Mama Jo shares Unsolicited Parenting Advice about:

• dealing with ethnic grandparents and boundaries
• ethnic superstitions protecting your child from the evil eye
• health tips; taping raw garlic taped to a belly button for colds
• making a whiteboard chores list for enthusiastic guests
• the true saints, your maternal health nurse
• does one breast really provide sweet milk and the other savory?

The post Unsolicited Parenting Advice from fabulous Italian Mama Jo Hirst appeared first on Family Matters.

On this podcast we are joined by new mum Fiona, from the award winning Chicks Talkin’ Footy, and Dee who is well known for giving unsolicited parenting advice with her hilarious segment  ‘Parenting advice from a single childless lesbian,’ from Thursday’s drive show Driving you Homo

Dee & Fiona give advice on:

• When you hear the phrase “It’s an old soul” and what that’s really code for.
• How to deal with a ‘ginger’ baby?
• Oozo, brandy, whisky or gin?
• Tips on how to pick a name for the baby.
• Learn why Dee shouldn’t nap but your kids should
• More tips for changing nappies
• #babyspam How many instagram posts of baby/kids per week?
• Raising your baby in Gods love and what you can (but won’t) learn from Christian mummy blogs

The post Unsolicited Parenting Advice with lesbian (JOY) heavyweights Fiona & Dee appeared first on Family Matters.

photo credit: the age

Behind every good commish is a good Kaye!

On our unsolicited parenting advice episode we invited the parenting big guns… ‘The Commish’ Ro Allen & partner Kaye Bradshaw.

They give expecting parent Gina advice on:

• packing the delivery bag and why size 3 kids shirts are probably not the best idea
• the night mummy and how to barricade the door to get a decent night sleep
• how to be a good support person. Just apologise for everything

Learn here from the master parents

The post Unsolicited Parenting Advice with ‘The Commish’ Ro & Kaye appeared first on Family Matters.

My Midwives Melbourne have been a great support to LGBTQI+ families and host LGBTIQ+ Birth classes.

Their classes are tailored for the LGBTIQ+ community covering everything from building a birth team, preparing for a positive birth experience to understanding the needs of a newborn baby. Head to their website to see if there is a class for you.

The post Meet the Mums – Homebirth story xo appeared first on Family Matters.

Delete Snapchat off your kids devices NOW!

On this episode we are joined by Clayton to help us discuss how to protect, educate and support our kids. It starts by understanding the laws yourself.

We also welcome back Mama Michelle who has been back home to the USA to see her own Mama.

Sexting, Young people & Victorian laws 

In Victoria, a sext of someone under 18, or who looks under 18, may be classified as child pornography if the young person is shown in a sexual activity or in an indecent sexual way.

However, there are some exceptions to child pornography laws in Victoria for people under 18. These laws were introduced in Victoria in 2014 to reflect the common nature of young people sending sexts and to stop young people being inappropriately charged or put on the Register of Sex Offenders.

If you are under 18 and in Victoria you can take, keep and send a sexy pic of yourself. And you can take or keep a sexy pic of someone else who is under 18 as long as:

• no-one in the pic is more than two years younger than you, and
• the pic does not show any crimes (such as rape) being committed.

This means two years exactly. If someone is 16 years and 6 months old, they will break child pornography laws if they have a sexy pic of someone who is 14 years and 2 months old.

And these exceptions do not apply to people over 18, even if they have just turned 18.

Remember, if anyone else in the pic is under 18, you cannot send the pic on, post it online or share it with anyone else. That would break the law of distributing an intimate image.

Sexting is not a legal term, but a term used by the media to refer to the sending, receiving or distributing of material that is sexual in nature, usually via mobile phones but also through posts on social networking sites or blogs. A sext can include images or text. Young people have their own terms to describe sexting, for example, selfies and nudies.

Support materials:

There are many organisations that have professionals who can give young people confidential advice and support:

Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA)
You can contact CASA 24 hours a day, seven days a week for crisis counselling, support, information and advocacy. Your call will be directed to the CASA in your region.

Tel: 1800 806 292

Kids Helpline
Free, private and confidential telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between five and 25.

Tel: 1800 551 800

Victoria Legal Aid
Free legal help over the phone, Monday to Friday, 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.

Tel: 1300 792 387

Non-legal resources

Centre Against Sexual Assault
The Centre Against Sexual Assault has resources on sexual assault

Safe Schools Coalition Australia
Provides free resources for schools on sexual and gender diversity

Bullying. No Way! – Take a stand together

A resource from the Safe and Supportive School Communities with useful information and interactive activities for students, teachers and parents

The post Sexting, young people & the law appeared first on Family Matters.

As we wait for the marriage equality outcome we are joined by proud gay dad – Tom from Gogglebox Australia.

Enjoy the banter as Family Matters  (does Breakfast) on Announcement Day.

Hear the funniest traffic report by our Bec as she learns where ‘inbound’ is. We promise to never let her do this again.

The post Tom Gogglebox – YES Announcement Day appeared first on Family Matters.

Including:

1978 – Police in Sydney arrest 53 people at the first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade

1997 – Tasmania formally decriminalised homosexuality

1994 – Tasty nightclub police raid during which 463 patrons of the Tasty nightclub event in Melbourne were strip searched

The Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives was established in 1978 at the Fourth National Homosexual Conference. We are based in Melbourne and operate with the assistance of members and supporters interstate. The Archives is the only community group in Australia that actively collects and preserves LGBTIQ material from across the country, and makes it readily accessible.

The collections include material of national or international scope, but the heart of the Archives’ work is the collection and preservation of the historical life of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities of Australia. From the time of the Gold Rush to the battles against AIDS, the collections save our rich and diverse histories for us and future generations.

The post Looking back – LGBTQI Australian History appeared first on Family Matters.

“We have the chance to take our perspective from the outside of this experience and make different & more realistic promises to each other. I will try to love you – I will try every day to love you.” Rose Troche

Multi-platform director, producer and screenwriter Rose Troche  (Go Fish, The L Word, Concussion) was in Melbourne for the Screen Forever conference & joined Family Matters (Does Breakfast) for Announcement Day. 

As we wait for the outcome – Rose give us her a USA perspective on the prospect of living with marriage equality. 

Troche’s directorial feature debut, Go Fish, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1994 and became a cult classic, she also produced last year’s festival favourite Concussion . Across over a decade in television, Troche’s career highlights include working as co-executive producer, writer and director of the ground breaking Showtime series The L Word and directing episodes of Six Feet Under, Ugly Betty and Law & Order. In her eclectic film projects, she has also directed The Safety of Objects and Bedrooms and Hallways.

Most recently, Troche has turned her passion for unsettling the status quo to the narrative storytelling opportunities of VR. Her new pioneering VR works include Perspective Chapter 2: The Misdemeanor and If Not Love, which featured as part of the Sundance New Frontier program and exemplifies the new kind of storytelling that is only possible in VR.

The post Rose Troche – YES Announcement Day appeared first on Family Matters.

On this episode of Family Matters we discuss the difficult topic of infertility and miscarriage.  

We learn about the science, the medical definitions and statistics – to dealing with grief and self-care & supporting our partner.

To assist us discuss this topic, we invited in:

Julia Cernaz – Mental Health Social Worker and Family Therapist with over 20 years’ experience in counselling and therapy with individuals, couples and families. Alongside her private practice, Julia currently works with individuals and couples confronting fertility issues. She is experienced with working with people confronting the impact of depression, anxiety, life adjustments and grief and loss issues. 

Dr Melissa Cameron – trained in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Mercy Hospital for Women, obtaining her Fellowship in 2006. With a focus on fertility issues affecting women with endometriosis, fibroids and uterine abnormalities, Melissa helps couples with some of the most challenging fertility problems. Melissa also has a special interest in helping same sex couples and single women create a family through the Melbourne IVF donor program.

Dr Chandrika Parmar – Chandrika uses her broad expertise to help couples in a wide variety of situations. Although her experience covers all aspects of infertility, she has particular interests in male factor infertility, reproductive endocrinology, advanced maternal age, surrogacy and social egg freezing.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Queerspace 03 9663 6733

Switchboard on 1800 184 527

The post Family Matters – infertility & miscarriage appeared first on Family Matters.

I’m a new mum or dad, so I should be feeling this tired, overwhelmed and sad – right?

Perinatal anxiety and depression can happen to any expecting or new parent. It is a serious illness that does not discriminate. 1 in 5 expecting or new mums and 1 in 10 expecting or new dads will experience perinatal anxiety or depression.

Julie Mounter is a general psychologist and joins Family Matters team to discuss symptoms, risk factors and how to get support. And yes you can get help.

Julie’s main area of interest is working with men and women with perinatal depression and anxiety. She’s passionate about spreading the message that Dads matter too! Her Master’s research project investigated the prevalence, current services and the treatments based on evidence that have been shown to help men with perinatal depression and anxiety in Australia.

With around 100,000 Australian families affected by perinatal anxiety and depression every year, this is a common illness as well as a serious one. But you can get treatment and support.

In this podcast we cover:

• What is “post-natal” depression and anxiety?
• What are some of the treatments available for perinatal depression and anxiety?
• What can we do to help prevent perinatal anxiety and depression?
• Are there some people more at risk of developing postnatal depression and anxiety than others?
• What are some of the risk factors for developing perinatal depression and anxiety?
• If I am concerned about myself or my partner, what can I do?

Need support?

LIFELINE – 13 11 14

PANDA – 1300 726 306  Supports women, men and families across Australia to recover from post and antenatal depression and anxiety.

PANDA – How is Dad Going?

Queerspace Drummond Street Services

BEYOND BLUE – Support and advice for anxiety and depression 1300 22 4636

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) This 10 item self-report measure is designed to screen women for symptoms of emotional distress during pregnancy and the postnatal period. The EPDS is not a diagnostic tool and must always be used in conjunction with clinical assessment.

Julie Mounter practices from:

Berwick Psychology and Hypnosis –

Berwick Marketplace Office 3, 6-8 Lyall Rd Berwick  E: berwickpsychology@gmail.com

and

The Osteopaths of Heidelberg

224 Bell Street Heidelberg Heights T: (03) 9455 3011 F: (03) 9455 3022 info@theosteopaths.com.au

The post Perinatal anxiety & depression – symptoms, risk factors & how to get support appeared first on Family Matters.

The post Q-space Melbourne – Safe space for LGBTQI+ people & rainbow families appeared first on Family Matters.

‘The Be You Collection’ aims to celebrate a plethora of diverse identities in today’s kids, showcasing the ones that normally wouldn’t be adequately represented in other picture books. The team behind it want to publish stories about little boys, girls (and anything in between) as they find strength in their special talents.

These stories will champion the underdogs, the ones who feel ashamed to express themselves freely, and the ones who feel like they’d have to change in order to fit in.

This collection will teach children that love and acceptance comes in many shapes, colours, sizes and dreams. The Be You Collection aims to be a tool that can be used to teach understanding, as well as the importance of embracing one’s true self.

Support the kickstarter campaign here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1638447768/the-be-you-collection?ref=4e4chp

The post The Be You Collection with author Louis Hansen appeared first on Family Matters.

25 years ago, Nan McGregor’s son came out to her. She didn’t hesitate when it came for showing love and acceptance for her son. Nan was one of the founders for PFLAG Victoria and has a colourful and vocal history of fighting for LGBT youth. She was a fabulous mum to her son and to many in our community. We love you Nan.

PFLAG Victoria, Melbourne chapter is no longer running due to increased acceptance by parents and families of their child or relative coming out. There are still chapters in Shepparton and Geelong.  People after support can contact Switchboard 1800 184 527

The post Interview: Nan McGregor appeared first on Family Matters.

17 kids from Rainbow Families – ages ranging from 6 to 21 – talk about growing up in a rainbow family.
Hear how THEY feel about the marriage equality vote & if they were PM what they would change.
Spoiler: the kids are better than just alright – they are pretty darn fabulous

The post Are the kids alright? appeared first on Family Matters.

We spoke about Grace’s masters thesis: Coming out of the closet: stressors and coping mechanisms associated with coming out as transgender in adulthood.

Grace Lee specialises in supporting trans, gender diverse, non-binary and sexually diverse individuals and couples. Grace provides a safe, compassionate and non-judgemental environment to work through identity issues, anxiety and depression.

Needing to talk to someone?

Queerspace provides a safe and supportive space to obtain information and support services aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing by specialist queer and queer affirmative mental health practitioners. 03 9663 6733

Switchboard/QLife needing to talk to someone?  Switchboard/QLife by calling 1800 184 527 or chat online at qlife.org.au.

EQUINOX Gender Diverse Health Centre Phone: (03) 9416 2889

Headspace mental health service for ages 12-25 1800 650 890

Lifeline on 13 11 14.

The post Coming out as transgender in adulthood – Interview with Grace Lee appeared first on Family Matters.

These guidelines are compiled by the leading Australian experts, based on the best and most current evidence from around the world. They are now the official guidelines for all health professionals working with transgender children in Australia.

The post Australian Standards of Care & Treatment Guidelines for Trans and Gender Diverse Children & Adolescents appeared first on Family Matters.

We get an update from Rainbow Families Victoria about upcoming events for families to get get together over the next few weeks.  Follow their Facebook page to catch their upcoming events for the kids & grownups.

Rainbow Families Victoria advocates for rainbow families: parents, co-parents, partners, carers & prospective parents who identify as LGBTIQ & our children.

They have also recently launched three new information sheets for Rainbow families, early childhood centres and schools as well as our allies and supporters. These information sheets provide tips and ideas for supporting rainbow families and LGBTIQ young people during the eight week postal vote thingy campaign period. Jump on their website to download this and other great resources, http://www.rainbowfamilies.org.au/

The post We’ve Posted our Yes – what can Rainbow Families do next? appeared first on Family Matters.

We chat with Equality Campaign Ambassador, Angie Greene to ask, what can we do next next?

Angie Greene is a long-time supporter of marriage equality and the founder of Stand Up Events, which tackles homophobia in sport and life.

http://www.equalitycampaign.org.au

The post We’ve posted our YES vote. What can we do next? appeared first on Family Matters.