Quokkas, as this dreadful survey and campaign continues, and the equality campaign misteps (that text!), we have compiled a list of other things you can be doing other than voting, if you were even able to, and social mediaing, about which Steph has complicated feelings.
Okay so to start, if you are eligible to vote and have yet to receive your survey, the time has come to chase it up! Please enquire with the ABS right now and they will send you a new one. If you are overseas you request your secure access code here, and then go here for overseas voting. No Award’s Japanese correspondent reports that it was easy.
You can donate to the Yes! ad that airs during the Bachelor. (I mean, apparently people still watch free to air, there you go.) (Also are you KIDDING me, the IRONY.) Anyway the campaign is aiming for $100,000 and as of me writing this on Monday evening only has $72,837 which is fucking atrocious.
If you can, donate your time or dollars to the Equality Campaign. They need your support! Turns out those homophobic No dickheads have money.
Look at these cuties! Camp Out reached their funding goals, yay! But I want you to know about them anyway. The camp where LGBT+ teens can be themselves.
You can donate to Minus 18, who does amazing support work for queer minors.
If you can donate your time to doorknocking, here is a bit on how it works from friend Cindy:
I think I received my email invitation to door-knock for the Yes campaign via Get Up.The campaign is an explicitly positive one. The assigned task is not to change the hearts and minds of No voters, it is to encourage undecided voters by sharing your story/values, and to turn all Yes opinions into votes in the mail. When meeting No voters, we’re advised to simply thank them for their time and move on.We were requested to turn up at Trades Hall Lygon St at 10am. Volunteers are given a half-hour induction, a T-shirt, water bottle and snacks, and all the other equipment needed to door knock (clipboard with assigned addresses, pens, stickers, notes for unanswered doors, etc). No prior experience is needed or expected, so if you bring friends you can work together.Neighbourhoods are assigned according to whether you have car access. My (lovely, never-met-before) team-mate and I covered the 2 blocks of Brunswick homes we were assigned in about 2 hours. By the time we returned our gear it was almost 2:30, and the organisers were hosting a free barbecue at Trades Hall. They seemed to have some other tasks available for volunteers who aren’t physically able to tramp the streets, but I don’t know what these are.I’m very unsure of the effectiveness of this work. About three-quarters of homes were unoccupied and we left a note. Around 10 of the people we chatted to were enthusiastic Yes voters – most had already posted, although one gave their vote to us to post. Up to another 10 were politely not interested in engaging at all. NO ONE that I encountered was rude or difficult to interact with in any way. Other teams may have had more upsetting or more enlightening interactions.Door knocking and phone calling volunteers can sign up at http://www.yes.org.au/
Some end of post feelings
On the photos of voting yes: if you are a queer pal and it brings you comfort, please know I am not talking to you. But every time I see a straight pal instagram their vote, something inside me feels very bitter. I can’t explain it. So I did very much enjoy this: ABS Warns Yes Votes Don’t Count Unless They’re Instagramed With Caption And Emojis.
I don’t know how I feel about straight pals checking in on me. Talk of the survey is banned in my house. I haven’t asked my straight pals how they’re voting. I am full of many feelings, and a lot of exhaustion, and I don’t want to talk about this any more. I am grateful to everyone who can keep doing the good work, because it’s the right thing to do. I am especially grateful to my queer pals who are out doorknocking every weekend even though it must be exhausting. If you are a straight pal who wants to know how I’m doing, instead please do some of the activism I have noted above. Okay cool thanks bye.
