Employment Minister ‘concerned’ after Iran summons Australian Ambassador over pro-LGBTQ+ social post
Australia’s Employment Minister has responded after Iran summons Australian Ambassador over a pro-LGBTQ+ Instagram post. (Getty)
Australia’s Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt is “concerned” after Iran reportedly summons the Australian Ambassador to the country after sharing a pro-LGBTQ+ post on Instagram.
The embassy shared the post to mark Wear It Purple Day on 30 August, a date that “strives to foster supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for rainbow young people” in Australia.
Reuters reported that Iran summoned the Australian Ambassador, Ian McConville, to the ministry in the capital Tehran in response to the social post, which was dubbed as “norm-breaking” and “promoted homosexuality”.
Watt has since responded to the news, saying that the reaction from the Iranian government is “concerning”.
He told ABC News Breakfast on 4 September: “Certainly, the Albanese government’s views and our values are that we support all Australians, regardless of their sexual orientation, their gender, their race.”
The Minister added: “I am concerned to see this reaction from the Iranian government to the activities of the Australian Embassy.
“We’re very proud about the fact that our embassies promote Australian values internationally, and I’m very concerned to see an overseas government seemingly take action against an Australian Embassy that is upholding Australian values.”
Watt was asked whether there would be any “counter-reaction” in Australia, to which Watt responded: “It’s probably a little bit early for me to be predicting that.
“But I’m sure these are things that Penny Wong [Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and leader of the Government in the Senate] and others will be taking into account,” he concluded.
The original social media post in question read: “Celebrating ‘Wear it Purple Day’ with a splash of purple in every corner, and some delicious cupcakes made with love.
“Today, and every day, we’re dedicated to creating a supportive environment, where everyone, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, can feel proud to be themselves. Let’s keep championing diversity and inclusion for a brighter, more inclusive future,” the post went on to proclaim.
The Iranian Labour News Agency quoted McConville as saying the post was not meant to be an insult to the Iranian people or their values and the Islamic Republic was not mentioned in the post, which remains live on the embassy’s Instagram account.
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran and same-sex acts between men are punishable by death, while women face the possibility of 100 lashes. There are no protections for LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, and conversion therapy is believed to be widely performed.
Last year, Nicolette Mason, the founder of the Iranian Diaspora Collective, a non-partisan, queer-led, multi-faith group, told PinkNews that the country’s younger citizens wanted “to be able to live freely like the rest of the world”.
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