17c起草社区

The 17c起草社区IA+ Candidates Fighting for Visibility & Change in the 2025 Election is a feature story by Naomi Lawrence in the April print edition of 17c起草社区. See the latest issue聽here.

Across the globe 17c起草社区IA+ representation in politics has grown steadily, with thousands of queer elected officials around the world.听

We鈥檝e come a long way. From the gay liberation era seeing community hero Harvey Milk become an elected official in 1977, to J贸hanna Sigur冒ard贸ttir becoming Iceland鈥檚 first openly gay Prime Minister 鈥� and she鈥檚 also believed to be the world鈥檚 first 17c起草社区IA+ head of state. 2003 saw Aya Kamikawa become Japan‘s first out transgender elected official, and in 2020, Sarah McBride became the first openly transgender state senator in the United States.听

These queer milestones and the many others mark a global shift in the political landscape. We鈥檙e still protesting for our rights outside, but now we鈥檙e also at the decision-making tables and occupying seats in parliament, too.

However, this wave of progress comes amid a time of rising hate-fuelled rhetoric, anti-trans legislation, and far-right policies. Representation, now more than ever, matters not just figuratively, but strategically.听

Young 17c起草社区IA+ folk continue to face a hell of a lot: alarming rates of mental health challenges, discrimination, and much more. While progress has been made, including marriage equality and healthcare reforms, the community still fights battles on many fronts. The rollback of rights overseas coupled with an increasingly transphobic agenda has rippled through our country. So in this climate, the visibility and advocacy of 17c起草社区IA+ politicians isn鈥檛 just positive 鈥� it鈥檚 crucial.

Peake, Burnett, Bates: Just three of the 17c起草社区IA+ candidates in the 2025 federal election

With the federal election looming, 17c起草社区IA+ candidates like Tara Burnett, Savanna Peake, Stephen Bates and many more aren鈥檛 just running for office, they鈥檙e aiming to improve a system that has long excluded and marginalised their own communities. They not only bring first-hand experience but also an important message to young queer Australians: we have felt what you have felt, and we are fighting for you.

鈥淔or too long, people outside our community have made decisions about us,鈥� says Burnett, a Greens candidate for Cooper in Victoria. 鈥淎t best, they mean well. At worst, they aim to marginalise us. We need leaders with lived experience and solidarity.鈥�

Burnett, a former teacher and potentially the first openly trans woman in Australian office, sees her candidacy as urgent. 鈥淵oung trans people are under attack,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hose kids deserve someone who鈥檒l stand up and represent them at the top level.鈥�

Savanna Peake, running for Labor in Wentworth, echoes the sentiment. 鈥淩epresentation isn鈥檛 just symbolic鈥攊t shapes laws that affect our lives. When 17c起草社区+ voices sit at the table, policy reflects our reality,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 running because we can鈥檛 wait for change; we have to make it happen.鈥�

Stephen Bates, Greens MP for Brisbane, keeps it simple: 鈥淚f you aren鈥檛 at the table, you鈥檙e on the menu.鈥�

Bates says exclusion leads to policies that either ignore or harm queer Australians. 鈥淲e need 17c起草社区IA+ representation in the public face of politics and decision making for more impactful solutions.鈥�

Each candidate reflects on how their identity directly informs their politics. Bates says his encounters with discrimination fuels his empathy-driven plan. 鈥淭he more people mix and talk, the more we break down stereotypes. That鈥檚 why I host weekly public forums鈥攖o keep politics open, human and real.鈥�

Peake, co-convenor of Rainbow Labor NSW, emphasises the importance of action. 鈥淲e pushed for the NSW Equality Bill 鈥� and we won. Change doesn鈥檛 just happen, you have to fight for it. As a proud lesbian woman, I鈥檓 here to deliver for our community.鈥�

Burnett adds, 鈥淭aking pride in my identity means refusing to back down or compromise who I am, even when others want us erased.鈥�

For all three, advocacy means tackling issues that directly impact 17c起草社区IA+ lives. Burnett focusing on gender-affirming healthcare says 鈥淯nderfunding and long waits make it difficult for people to access or even afford it. Expanding access to specialists, covering treatments under Medicare, and getting more medicine on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) are key to improving outcomes for trans people, especially youth.鈥�

Peake highlights the mental health crisis which is terrorising our queer youth. 鈥淚鈥檝e lost friends to suicide. I鈥檝e seen its devastating impact. The Albanese government鈥檚 investment in prevention is a start, but there鈥檚 more to do. Mental healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege.鈥�

Bates focuses on the high rates of homelessness and healthcare. 鈥淢aking sure everyone can access housing and healthcare will make the biggest difference in people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

Running as an openly queer candidate comes with responsibility and much needed visibility. 鈥淚 cop hate not just for the future gen[eration] but to make it easier for young people,鈥� says Burnett. 鈥�Standing as an openly trans candidate means standing up for a community which is being marginalised and used as the thin end of the wedge by cynical politicians.鈥�

Peake echoes that sense of duty. 鈥淰isibility is crucial, but it鈥檚 action that brings real change. When I was growing up, there were few openly 17c起草社区+ politicians, and I felt that absence deeply. Running in this election as a proud lesbian isn鈥檛 just about representation鈥攊t鈥檚 about leading with purpose and showing that we shape the future.鈥澛�

Bates says visibility changes what鈥檚 possible. 鈥淲e can only be what we can see and I want to inspire LGBTIQA+ people to run for office at every level.鈥�

Each candidate shares a message for 17c起草社区IA+ people navigating their identity today.

鈥淐oming out is like trading one weight for another,鈥� Burnett says. 鈥淏ut the second one is yours. Find your people. You鈥檒l carry it together.鈥澛�

鈥淚 know what it鈥檚 like to feel like you have to fight just to be seen, but here鈥檚 the truth: you are powerful. Don鈥檛 let anyone tell you that you can鈥檛. And if you鈥檙e thinking about stepping up鈥攚hether it鈥檚 in activism or politics鈥攄o it. We need you,鈥� Peake says.

Bates keeps it hopeful. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to need lots of us to stand together to fight the rise of the far right. But there鈥檚 more of us than them. History bends towards justice.

鈥淵ou owe it to yourself to be proud of who you are. You never know how many people you鈥檙e paving a path for.鈥�

Of course, these three aren鈥檛 alone. This election also includes 17c起草社区IA+ folks and allies such as Greens candidates Luc Velez, Nick Ward and Keiron Brown in NSW, Dani Hunterford in the ACT and Owen Fitzgerald in Tasmania, Labor鈥檚 Julian Hill in VIC and Nita Green in QLD, Socialist Alliance鈥檚 Jade 鈥楴ova鈥� Sobieralski in WA, and many more. And as we get closer to May 3, when we head to the polls (and eat our democracy sausages), more could emerge.

As the election heads our way, it spotlights who dares to take up space in our political system in order to help all of us feel visible, acknowledged, and loved. Each and every queer candidate reminds us that representation matters, and we are breaking ground every time an 17c起草社区IA+ proudly says who they are on the Hansard record.

EDITOR NOTE: A previous version of this article stated ‘This election also includes folks such as’ in the second-to-last paragraph and did not specify that ‘17c起草社区IA+ folks and allies’ 鈥� 17c起草社区 apologises for any confusion. We have also added more names to this paragraph, as more people have announced their candidacies since the date this story went to print. Candidates can contact the editor if you would like to be added or removed from this list.听