The Daily Recap - Thursday 28th July 2022

Your daily dose of news stories in the world of intersectional feminism.

Thursday 28th July 2022

MP With Disability Calls Out NSW Government For Replacing Ramp With Stairs

Paralympian and Labor MP Liesl Tesch has gone viral on TikTok for calling out the NSW government and their inaccessible 'accessibility upgrade' in Point Clare.

The town's train station is currently undergoing construction to improve mobility access, however, in the process the station has become inaccessible for people with disabilities.

Although residents were promised more ramps and lifts, the once accessible underpass no longer has a ramp and now has 11 stairs.

MP Liesl Tesch filmed herself struggling to go down the stairs in her wheelchair, which has caused backlash against the NSW Government.

"This is not about access and inclusion, this is about keeping people with disabilities out of our community," she said, "not okay!"

Point Clare station is expected to remain under construction until October.

---

Australian Medical Firm Wants Nurses And Midwives To Be Able To Prescribe Abortion Pills

MS Health, a not-for-profit subsidiary of MSI Australia, wants to grant nurses and midwives the power to prescribe patients with the medical abortion pill.

Australia's leading abortion provider is set to discuss these changes with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

The Albanese government has said in the past all proposals related to abortion accessibility will be welcomed in parliament.

The abortion pill is also known as the RU486 or Mifepristone pill. Source: Ohio Capital Journal

Currently only 10 per cent of doctors can prescribe the needed two courses of the medication.

---

Fatima Payman Makes History As The First Person To Deliver The First Speech In Parliament While Wearing A Hijab

Labor Senator Fatima Payman just made history in parliament this week.

The 27 year old delivered the first speech in parliament, making her the first person to do so while wearing a hijab.

Senator Payman said parliament was finally starting to reflect the "true diversity" of Australia.

"A hundred years ago, let alone ten years ago, would this parliament accept a woman choosing a hijab to be elected?" she said.

The Labor senator also used her platform to talk about the significance of her wearing a hijab in parliament.

"For those who choose to judge me on what I should wear or judge my competency based on my external [appearance], know that the hijab is my choice,” she said, "I want young girls who decide to wear the hijab to do it with pride and to do it with the knowledge that they have the right to wear it."

Back in May Senator Fatima Payman made history as the first the first Afghan-Australian and hijab-wearing Muslim woman to be elected into Parliament.

At 27 years old she is currently the youngest member of this Parliament.

---

The Daily Recap - Tuesday 26th July 2022

Your daily dose of news stories in the world of intersectional feminism.

Tuesday 26th July 2022

Australia's Favourite Family Are Set To Join The Judging Panel Of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under

The most beloved humans of Australia, Robert and Bindi Irwin, are set to be guest judges on the upcoming season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under.

“How could we not be involved in a show as fun and iconic as RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under?!” Bindi and Robert Irwin wrote on social media, "we’re big fans and were chuffed to help kick off the new season, especially after Art Simone‘s hilarious Snatch Game impersonation last year!"

Season 2 of Drag Race Down Under will premiere on Stan this Saturday on July 30th.

---

Thousands More People Can Now Donate Blood in Australia

People that lived in the UK during the ‘mad cow disease’ outbreak can now donate blood in Australia.

Since December 2000, people that lived in the UK between 1980 and 1996 couldn’t donate blood in Australia.

It’s expected more than 750,000 Australians can now potentially donate blood.

However it’s important to note - bisexual men, gay men, and trans women are still affected by the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s discriminatory policies.

They cannot give blood in Australia if they have had sex with men in the past three months.

---

In The Coming Months Almost Half A Million People In Australia Will Be Suffering Symptoms Of Long Covid

According to reports, Australia is facing a surge in long COVID cases.

Researchers say around five per cent of those infected with COVID-19 will develop long COVID.

The disease is said to affect mostly women and people in the healthcare and education sectors (where the employees are comprised mostly of women).

Executive director and cardiologist at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Professor Jason Kovacic, says in the coming months almost half a million people will be suffering from long term symptoms.

He says long COVID will have serious impacts on hospitals, airlines, public transport and the entire community.

---

The Daily Recap: Monday 25th July 2022

Your daily dose of news stories in the world of intersectional feminism.

Monday 25th July 2022

Days After Making A Desperate Appeal For His Girlfriend To Come Home, NSW Man Is Charged With Murder

**Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence**

Last week Shereen Kumar went missing in Duval, NSW.

While police were searching for the 43 year old, Shereen's partner Vincent Carlino was talking to the media.

He spoke about how Shereen's disappearance was out of character and claimed he was "extremely worried" for her safety.

However, days later Shereen's body was found in bushland and Vincent was arrested and charged with domestic violence murder.

Months earlier Vincent faced an apprehended violence order application that was eventually withdrawn.

He will remain in custody for Shereen's murder where he is expected to face court in September.

Shereen had recently become the director of the Chatswood Mad Dogs and Englishmen franchise. Source: Daily Mail

Shereen was an animal lover, an entrepreneur, a model and a mother of two.

She is the third woman in Australia to be killed in the past week.

A total of 28 women have been killed in Australia this year so far.

**If this story was triggering please contact 1800 RESPECT or 1800 737 732.**

---

Comedian Calls Monkeypox A "Gay Disease"

Last week, Dave Chappelle's stand-up show at First Avenue in Minneapolis was cancelled after the venue received immense pushback.

Around 50 LGBT activists and allies protested outside the venue, calling out First Avenue for supporting Dave Chappelle and his transphobic views.

Over 120 people even signed an online petition asking First Avenue to not platform Dave Chappelle as his "actions uphold a violent heteronormative culture and directly violate First Avenue's code of conduct."

Due to backlash, the show was eventually cancelled and moved to the Varsity Theater which angered the controversial comedian.

During his set he declared monkeypox was a "gay disease," and branded his critics as "transgender lunatics" and the "transgender hit squad."

According to reports, he told the audience he hoped First Avenue "would be more courageous in the future,” and not give in to backlash.

Before anyone says the cancellation of Dave Chapelle has gone too far, on Saturday Dave Chappelle was the surprise opening act for Chris Rock and Kevin Hart at Madison Square Garden.

During his opening set, the controversial comedian talked extensively about cancel culture and the support he's received from fans.

This isn't the first time Dave Chappelle made a surprise appearance at a comedy show.

Back in May he was the surprise opening act for John Mulaney’s show in Ohio.

The collaboration drew immense backlash from fans, criticising Mulaney for supporting the controversial comedian.

---

Greece Bans Genital Mutilation Surgeries On Intersex Children

Babies born intersex will no longer be forced to undergo 'sex-normalising' surgeries in Greece.

According to The Medically Assisted Reproduction Reforms Act, doctors can no longer perform intersex medical interventions on people under the age of 15.

Case-by-case exceptions will be made in instances where a child/parent/guardian has sought out a court order because the child is experiencing urgent health issues.

Doctors who illegally perform the surgeries will be fined and even imprisoned.

Only two months ago Greece banned conversion therapy for minors. Source: The Greek Reporter

For decades intersex babies and children have been subjected to these nonconsensual medical interventions so they can fall within the typical male and female gender binary.

This type of surgery can lead to a number health issues including sterilisation, loss of sexual sensation and a lifetime of pain and trauma.

Malta, Portugal, Germany, Iceland, Chile and Germany are the only other countries in the world to ban non-consensual medical interventions on intersex children.

Last month the ACT government introduced a draft bill seeking to protect the rights of intersex people.

If passed, deferrable medical interventions on intersex children will be banned.

---