Saturday Magazine

7 Apr 2024

Saturday, 6th April 2024: Michelle MacNamara, Treasurer and Chair of the Advocacy Committee at Transgender Victoria

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Saturday, 6th April 2024: Michelle MacNamara, Treasurer and Chair of the Advocacy Committee at Transgender Victoria

Macca and Paul talk to Michelle MacNamara

Michelle is an out and proud transgender woman and is also proud to call herself an elder. She has been a member of the City of Banyule LGBTIQA+ population committee since 2016 and represents Transgender Victoria on that committee. The City of Banyule has been a leader in LGBTIQA+ inclusion and won an award for their work in inclusion when they were the top council in the Victorian Pride Lobby inclusion index in 2021.

The City of Banyule has eight advisory committees and is constantly examining the ways that these might intersect and one of the intiatives is Golden Rainbow which is about the intersection of the LGBTIQA+ committee and the Age-friendly committee.

Golden Rainbow

The group and series of events I wish to promote is called Golden Rainbow. It has been set up by community members who are part of the City of Banyule LGBTIQA+ population committee. They have the support of council and council officers for Golden Rainbow and have set up a pilot program running from February to June. At the end of June we will review it and decide what shape it will take in the future.

The intent of the group is to help LGBTIQA+ elders with social isolation. It is open to anyone who is an LGBTIQA+ elder and who lives in Melbourne. Social isolation is a big problem for many elders in the broader community and it is a much worse problem if you are an LGBTIQA+ elder.

LGBTIQA+ elders have suffered from so much discrimination and stigma all their lives and they are unwilling to engage with the mainstream services for exactly that reason.

Banyule have recognised that there is an enormous need to help LGBTIQA+ seniors with accessing the social support they need to break down isolation and are keen to support this program.

Golden Rainbow kicked off with an event on the 29th of February with an afternoon with comedian Monica Dullard at the For Change cafe Bellfield. We have coffee morning get togethers planned at this cafe fortnightly until June. The dates will be posted on the Joy website (They are next Thursday 11th April at 10:30am and 2,16 and 30th May and 13 and 27th June flyer attached). We are also planning a gala event possibly a film afternoon in May/June.

Like all such groups it is hard getting started and we have not had huge turnouts for the coffee mornings after a good turnout for Monica Dullard.

https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/banyule-tops-equality-index-in-victoria-melbourne-fares-poorly/199928