Tasmanian Memorial For Transgender Woman Marjorie Harwood Vandalised Again
Image: Image: Composite Supplied: Rosemary Harwood/Equality Tasmania
A memorial dedicated to Transgender woman Marjorie Hardwood in Tasmania has been vandalised for the second time.
The memorial, which displays the transgender flag, was defaced with a Nazi symbol this week.
Now a report has been made to the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner and a complaint to Tasmania Police.
Trigger Warning: This story discusses sexual assault and anti-trans hate, which might be distressing to some readers.
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Transgender memorial vandalised again
In 2021 a community memorial was created by Martine Delaney and Rosemary Harwood to honour transgender woman Marjorie Hardwood, Rosemary’s daughter.
The mosaic image of the trans flag was placed outside Risdon prison where Marjorie was housed at the time of her death.
In 2017 Marjorie Hardwood was jailed for theft offences, however despite identifying as a transgender woman Harwood was lodged in the men’s section of the prison.
Later Marjorie was hospitalised after she was beaten and raped by five men, which resulted in her requiring treatment for a kidney ailment, and fearing a return to custody, she refused medical treatment and died in the hospital from a congenital kidney condition a month later.
According to her family, she never reported the rape to authorities.
Two years after establishing the memorial it was vandalised with the anti trans slogan “YWNBAW.”
Now the same memorial has been vandalised with a green Nazi Swastika graffitied across the memorial.
In response the local LGBTIQA+ community in Tasman have taken action reporting the incident, which is now illegal in Tasmania, to the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner and a complaint to Tasmania Police.
Steps are also being taken to see if it is possible to improve security around the memorial and stop future attacks from happening.
Tasmanian transgender advocate, Martine Delaney, who helped clean and restore the memorial, said,
“As well as desecrating the memory of Marjorie and effectively attacking all trans folk, the use of illegal Nazi symbols should be of concern to all Tasmanians who want to live in an inclusive and hate-free society.”
“We will not rest until this memorial is safe from hate, which is the reason we have reported this to the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner and the police, and why we are looking at further security measures.”
“We will never be the quiet and passive victims haters want us to be.”
Also speaking out about the incident was Equality Tasmania President, Dr Ash Russell, said,
“The attack on Marjorie’s memorial shows why it is important for Parliament to pass the State Government’s proposed hate-crime legislation.”
“The proposed law will send the message that hate has no place in Tasmanian society, including hate against LGBTIQA+ people.
