LGBTIQ Advocate, Sally Goldner has joined 19 other outstanding women who have been inducted onto the 2016 Victorian Honour Roll of Women in a ceremony in Federation Square earlier this week.
The Honour Roll is an important opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the extensive and lasting contributions of women in Victoria at a local, national and international level. This year’s inductees join the ranks of more than 500 other Victorian women, who have been inducted since the Honour Roll first began in 2001.
Sally Goldner has dedicated her career to making Victoria one of the best places to identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI). Sally has worked persistently for more than two decades to advocate for the rights and needs of LGBTI communities in Victoria and around Australia.
It was the late 1990s when Sally co-founded Transgender Victoria. Driven by her goals to achieve justice, equity and quality health and community service provision for trans and gender diverse (TGD) people, for more than 17 years, Sally has successfully represented Transgender Victoria and the TGD issues in public forums, before the Victorian Parliament and the media.
Sally has worked for many years with a number of Victorian and federal government departments and non-government organisations to reform discriminatory public policy and laws, participating in a number of reference groups and steering committees.
Sally has overseen Transgender Victoria’s growth and development over the past two decades and has played an integral part in building its capacity to participate in public debates and influence positive policy reforms in Victoria and at a federal level.
In 2015, Sally was recognised for her outstanding commitment, winning the LGBTI Person of the Year Award as part of the annual Gay and Lesbian Organisation of Business and Enterprise (GLOBE) community awards. Shortly after, she spent two weeks in St. Petersburg, Melbourne’s sister city, as a guest of the Side-By-Side LGBT Film Festival.
As part of her commitment to community advocacy and explaining TGD, bisxual and similar issues to the broader community, Sally has also been active in community media, first at JOY 94.9 and Bent TV, and since 2005 at 3CR where she hosts ‘Out of the Pan’ which draws attention to pansexual issues.
Sally is currently delivering LGBTI training to Victorian aged care and other service providers. A key objective of this training is to increase the numbers of service providers, facilities and stakeholders who are LGBTI aware, and to ensure they are resourced to incorporate LGBTI inclusive practices within person-centred models of care.
Representing the diversity of contributions made by women across all sectors of Victorian society, Minister for Women Fiona Richardson presented the awards to a large gathering of the inductees friends, family and supporters.
The 2016 inductees include a world renowned sculptor, the founder of a sustainable food rescue charity, a netball champion and leading comedian. The list also boasts lifelong advocates for women’s rights, prevention of family violence, Aboriginal health, disadvantaged communities and leaders in education, media and law.
In addition to Sally, the 2016 Honour Roll inductees include: Ms Simone Carson, Ms Lisa Darmanin, Mrs Noeleen Dix, Mrs Doseena Fergie (nee Bin Garape), Ms Sherryl Garbutt, Ms Virginia Geddes, Mrs Be Ha, Ms Joanna Hayter, Professor Catherine Humphreys, Catherine Mary Kelly, Ms Mary Kenneally, Ms Ingeborg King AM, Ms Patti Manolis, Ms Michelle Payne, Dr Georgia Paxton, Ms Colleen Pearce, Mrs Fay Patricia Richards, Ms Patricia Toop OAM and Aunty Joan Agnes Vickery AO.
“Every woman on this list has an amazing success story to tell. I’m incredibly proud that we have such inspirational leaders and mentors paving the way for our next generation of Victorian women,” said Minister Richardson
“The Andrews Labor Government is proud to celebrate the contributions of these remarkable Victorian women who have worked tirelessly to make our community a fairer and more inclusive place. I am pleased that amongst some of the incredible women honoured today, there are several long term advocates against domestic and family violence.”
For more information, visit: www.dpc.vic.gov.au for details.
Image: Sally Goldner – photo courtesy of 3CR