By Jonty Ralphsmith
To celebrate IDAHOBIT Day, Star News has profiled six members of the LGBTQIA+ community across Casey and Dandenong.
IDAHOBIT Day – International Day against homophobia, biphobia, intersexism and transphobia – has been held since 1990 on the same date, 17 May, annually.
The day attempts to educate people, foster inclusion and combat discrimination.
Star News spoke to Jobi Petty, a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, in April who discussed the lack of visibility as a key issue among the queer community in the outer southeast.
To raise awareness across Casey and Dandenong, Star News found out more about the journeys of several LGBTQIA+ members.
In a later edition celebrating Pride Month in June, Star News will also detail the key issues that the queer community believe exist in the southeast region.
The below participant, Jobi Petty, was one of the community members who shared their journey with Star.
Jobi Petty: she/her
For Jobi Petty, there were two options.
Option one was to have a girlfriend.
Option two was to be alone and miserable for her entire life.
She put the proposition to her parents who bluntly responded: “we wouldn’t want you with a woman’ so I said ‘we don’t have a lot to talk about then do we?’”
Hers is an all-too-common story among the LGBTQIA+ community.
Whether born through ignorance, shame or denial, there are still many storylines of parents in society who are unable to accept their children for who they are.
Ms Petty was subsequently estranged from her parents for 10 years.
At that time, her Mum became a vocal supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, which heartened Jobi, and she has since been on multiple holidays with her family and girlfriend, Jacinta.
But that period taught Ms Petty, who emigrated from USA in 1999 the importance of providing a sense of belonging for the queer community
She particularly understood the prejudice the LGBTQIA+ folk faced as she emigrated from USA in 1999, a land which she said was regressive compared to Australia.
Violence and vitriol towards the queer community was common, cementing her realisation of how easily members of the queer community can be marginalised.
She has therefore long been an active voice for inclusivity of all people, calling on society to embrace individuality and in 2019, was a driving factor behind the forming of the Casey Rainbow community.
The group seeks to improve connections between the LGBTQIA+ community and allies and the wider community through events such as picnics.
“I’m passionate about the fact people can see themselves: they shouldn’t have to leave Casey in order to be themselves,” Ms Petty said.
“It is not sustainable for people to go to (Melbourne) because of not being accepted.
“I have a real passion for social justice and people being included.
“It’s been really encouraging because now I feel more connected to the place by being involved
“It made me realise being active as a volunteer in the community makes me feel like I belong and like I can make a difference.”
