Lyle Shelton’s bizarre transphobic rant against unisex bathrooms
Image: Lyle Shelton. (Picture: David Alexander; Star Observer)
Australian Conservative and anti-LGBTI campaigner Lyle Shelton has attacked the AFL for offering unisex and inclusive bathrooms at its Pride Game, claiming that it puts women in danger.
The event at Etihad Stadium on the weekend offered several unisex bathroom blocks, and displayed signs welcoming trans and gender diverse people to use the bathroom of their choice.
In a video post on Facebook, Shelton said that the dangerous “LGBTIQ gender agenda marching through society” he sees is one of the consequences of marriage equality that he warned about.
“‘Go to the toilet that best suits your gender identity or expression’—what the heck does that mean?” asked a baffled, frowning Shelton.
“This means that if a bloke decides that he wants to be a woman, and identify as a woman, he can make that decision without a sex change operation… and then walk into the women’s toilets at Etihad Stadium and use those facilities.
“You don’t even have to wear a dress.”
Shelton called the policy “ridiculous” and said it would endanger women’s safe spaces.
“Our public facilities are no longer safe for women and girls,” he said.
He claimed that he was not suggesting that any risk was posed by “people who are struggling with their gender identity” or “gender dysphoria”, but that other “predators” posing as women could “commit acts of indecency and voyeurism”.
Shelton went on to suggest he was “standing with” trans people, and to accuse the LGBTI community of oppressing him.
With a long history of comments against the LGBTI community and especially gender diversity, Shelton was nominated for multiple ‘honours’ at this year’s Gay and Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous, and Ignorant Awards (GLORIAs).
His Coalition for Marriage took out the the Religion award for its claims that, after marriage equality, Pride events would become mandatory and kids would be forced to learn how to have gay sex, as well as claiming that there would be a 4000% increase in children coming out as trans.
I seriously doubt any man, dressed as a man, would just walk into a woman’s toilet and use the excuse he identified as a woman. If a man was there to attack a woman or girl, they would just do it, follow someone in and attack. The way this twit has it is they will wait till someone confronts the man, who an then say he identifies, and then freely attack someone. Get real, I would rather be in a loo with 10 trans people of either gender, than someone the likes if this man, or Fred Niles.
I trust he will also be condemning unisex toilets on aeroplanes. Idiot.
So very true Ken. No gendered toilets within the everyday family household as well all gender-neutral! Honestly it is a non-issue because many public places have had them since the 1970s! Oh the horror of the 1970s has come back to really scare the conservatives again hey! It is only an issue within both Australia and the USA because of the SSM scare campaigns by both the ACL and Massresistance.
Freaks abound on the Christian Right: Nile, Abetz, Abbott, Andrews and Shelton to name a few.
Unisex bathrooms are pretty normal. Every house I’ve ever lived in has had them. Lyle Shelton is a freak.