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Somewhere over the rainbow

2/6/2017

15 Comments

 
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After 47 years with her partner, Phyllis Papps would like her relationship to be given the same respect as that of any heterosexual couple. ​

By Phyllis Papps
 
AUSTRALIA. 1970. John Gorton was Prime Minister. There was no Minister for Women. The nation was largely conservative although the counter-culture movement had arrived. Germaine Greer published The Female Eunuch. Alternative voices were speaking and people were listening. Change was afoot. The flow-on effects from the Stonewall Riots in New York were trickling Down Under, and there were the first stirrings of women’s liberation and calls for the end of sexism within the union movement.
 
In Melbourne, the rumblings of equality were growing. Here, Francesca and I met during this time of social change in a country which had been founded and forged on discrimination and the repression of minority groups. Gay men were entrapped by undercover cops in bars and arrested. Lesbians might as well have been invisible, such was the lack of understanding about their very existence. Many lived their lives under the cover of unhappy marriages, unsure of what they could do with their feelings or to whom they could turn. One place they could turn to was our home in the St Kilda clubrooms of the Australasian Lesbian Movement (ALM), formerly called The Daughters of Bilitis. Researchers have since proved that this was the first political homosexual group in Australia.
 
In June 1970, on behalf of ALM, Francesca appeared on Channel 10’s The Bailey File, openly and proudly declaring herself homosexual – the first to do so in such a public way. It was when I saw this television program that I became aware there were women out there just like me. Both of our relationships were in a state of flux, and when I met Francesca at an ALM social event there was an instant attraction.
 
Sometimes events propel you out of a rut when you just can’t seem to crawl out. So began our relationship which has lasted nearly 47 years. Of course nothing is simple when one does not have the same basic rights as one’s heterosexual counterparts. We led these private lives … we were discriminated against and we weren’t equal with everybody else. And we had to hide this. Though we never hid our relationship, society was not quite ready to see same-sex relationships as equal. Perhaps it still isn’t, but that has never stopped either of us.
 
By late 1970, Francesca was president and I was secretary of ALM and had taken over the organisation’s Acland Street rental apartment. In October, we appeared on television together as a couple, this time on Channel 2s This Day Tonight, which brought with it a flurry of complaints from shocked viewers. Those who weren’t complaining were the women who contacted ALM after the program.
 
We soon found ourselves a point of contact at all hours for women who were questioning, looking to socialise or even wanting to be set up with a girlfriend. After 18 exhilarating and stressful months, we resigned from our positions and began new lives. ALM disbanded soon after. It had fulfilled its purpose and Gay Liberation was well and truly underway in Australia.
 
Fast forward to late 2001. We left our beloved North Balwyn home of many decades and moved to Phillip Island. Now retired, we have remained active in our pursuits and heavily involved in the community we live in. We have devoted many years of our lives to voluntary work. For eight years I was involved with Bass Coast Community Health Service as board member, treasurer and president, I was secretary of the Rhyll Community Association for three years and secretary of Rhyll RAID. Francesca has been tutor of the U3A Creative Writing group for 10 years, as well as committee member. Both of us have been judges of the Waterline Writing Competition for six years.
 
In 2008 we visited the Australian Lesbian Gay Archives (ALGA) and donated all our material – a scrapbook of newspaper clippings starting from 1969, the audio tapes of our television interviews, postcards, letters, photographs, books, magazines and other memorabilia related to our gay activist days. As pioneers of gay liberation, we have been interviewed on many occasions by researchers and writers and have had chapters written about our lives for journals and books.
 
We have never wanted children of our own and the words same-sex marriage or marriage equality were not in our vernacular in the heady days of the early 1970s. We just wanted to make sure gay women were no longer invisible or discriminated against.
 
Some see the current push for marriage equality as clouding the many other basic rights yet to be given equal status. Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria is slowly changing how it allows families to be recognised. Superannuation benefits, wills and testaments, powers-of-attorney, and other legal links can be made to a same-sex partner. Workplace discrimination and dismissal on the basis of gender or sexual orientation is illegal, though in practice this remains far more complex.
 
In Ghost Wife, Michelle Dicinoski’s memoir of her journey from Australia to Canada to marry her wife Heather, Dicinoski talks about the importance of a legal paper trail for same sex- relationships. Something that proves these relationships existed. In our case we have made sure that all legal loopholes have been filled. We have joint ownership of our home at Rhyll, we have joint wills, we have joint powers-of attorney, and we have a pre-purchased a double plot at the Phillip Island Cemetery. The only thing we don’t have is a piece of paper that states that we are married, even though we exchanged gold wedding rings back in 1970.
 
Francesca and I are now in the elderly bracket and coping with health issues, yet both of us are still keenly pursuing active lives through our various literary activities. Animal and bird companions have been a constant. Our lives have been about freedom, diversity, equal rights and a better future for everyone, devoid of bigotry, hate and discrimination.
 
We no longer wish to be seen as non-conformists “on the fringe” of society. I truly believe that we have earned our place in society and the right to be accepted as equals.
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Phyllis Papps, left, and her partner of 47 years, Francesca Curtis, photographed in 2015 at the launch of the Creative Couples project. 
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A poster published by the Australian Lesbian Gay Archives depicts Francesca (left) and Phyllis in the 1970s..
15 Comments
Pamela Rothfield
3/6/2017 11:57:02 am

Phyllis, what a wonderful article. It is full of courage and you should be so proud of your trailblazing.
You have more than earned a place in society, to which you continue to contribute.

Reply
Phyllis Papps
5/6/2017 09:37:13 am

Thank you so much Pam. I truly believe that all Councillors who supported the motion for Marriage Equality at the last Council meeting are the true heroes. My response was due to the negative and highly inflammatory prejudiced comments made by several members of the community in the previous edition of Bass Coast Post.

Reply
Geoff Ellis
5/6/2017 08:23:42 pm

Thanks Phyllis and BCP.

One of the many great things about the Post is the freedom to express ourselves sans editorial interference.

Michael Whelan
3/6/2017 01:18:47 pm

I agree with Pam a great snapshot of a movement - and you have shown great courage in your life.

Reply
Clare Le Serve
3/6/2017 01:19:29 pm

Thank you for tell us your story Phyllis and thank god we have people as you both that have given life long support and activism to equality for all. Hopefully one day we will get there.

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Geoff Ellis
3/6/2017 06:18:42 pm

Phyllis and Francesca : Thank you for sharing your courage with us and enabling people to emerge from the shadows.

One day that bit of paper, that says so much, will be available to all.

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Marie Broussard
5/6/2017 03:36:18 pm

Thank you Phylis for such a beautiful rendition of yours & Francesca's journey. You have both demonstrated great courage & truth.
With all my heart I hope your dream will come true. In the mean time -
Thank you.

Reply
Phyllis Papps
6/6/2017 12:03:14 pm

My sincere thanks to everyone for their very positive comments on Bass Coast Post and for the Emails and phone calls we have received. Let's hope true equality is well on the way for everybody - irrespective of race, gender, age, color, education, political beliefs etc. The the list is endless.

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Lorrie Read
6/6/2017 06:00:08 pm

It is always inspiring to read the story of true trail blazers, thanks for sharing your story Phyllis and Francesca you really are an inspiration to all who seek equality. I wish my lesbian daughter was able to share the rights taken for granted by her heterosexual sisters. Until all members of society are free to express their love for each other in the same way, we are not truly equal. Well done to Bass Coast Shire for their support. Over to you Malcolm !

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Ruth Partridge
9/6/2017 04:28:30 pm

Absolutely agree with you Lorrie up to "are not truly equal". I just do not think that the Bass Coast Shire Council has a role here. Nor do they have a mandate.

Lets ask the Bass Coast Shire to make a Proclamation that we : Openly and proudly proclaim the fundamental right that within the Shire of Bass Coast all human souls are equal regardless of their race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation and will be treated with equal respect, kindness and civility as one would expect for one's self.

Then over to Malcolm and Bill to see what the population of Australia want regarding same sex marriage. This is a democracy! We all get a say in what happens. And that is a wonderful and treasurable thing, the envy of many.

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Phil
8/10/2017 05:24:11 pm

I tend to agree with you Ruth but also understand that in the eyes of the law we are all equal. My preferred position to take any future political heat from this issue is for the government to repeal the marriage act and allow for a civil union for those that wish to commit. The churches should hand in their authority to wed people opting instead to bless the civil union of their parishioners that are believers of the church. I believe this works well in France. As to the government involving itself in what an individual business offers to who it is none of their business. If I do not want provide services to a person for whatever reason that is my prerogative and one I have exercised on occasions for various reasons. This is not a council issue nor should it be.

Geoff Ellis
11/8/2017 08:05:53 am

Phyllis, your beautiful piece ends with "I truly believe that we have earned our place in society and the right to be accepted as equals."

I unequivocally agree and amidst all the chaos surrounding the basic human right of marriage equality (created by this postal opinion poll) I wonder if we'll ever reach the point where everyone is accepted as equal on the strength of simply being.

Reply
Geoff Ellis
8/10/2017 08:05:29 pm

Phil,

Just making sure that I haven't misunderstood your position : " As to the government involving itself in what an individual business offers to who it is none of their business. If I do not want (to) provide services to a person for whatever reason that is my prerogative and one I have exercised on occasions for various reasons."

re assertion of selective service according to "whatever reason" - just wondering if that should apply to all businesses, no matter how big, small or market sector in which they operate in?

I'd also be interested in some of the reasoning behind any specific examples of your prerogative being exercised.

I must say that I admire the boldness of your vision for the marriage act though I doubt the capacity of any level of government and the NATIONAL media to have an informed debate along those lines.

Reply
Phil
9/10/2017 08:12:19 pm

Hi Geoff, in my business life I have come across many reasons for not making my skills available to some who would seek my services. Payment or lack of it features highly and I would select my clients on the basis of their standing in the business community . Health and safety played another important role , personality of the client played a big part, if cooperation was absent so was I. The joys of being ones own boss is my decision is final and it has nought to do with any other person, court, body or government. I choose who I work for as others choose whether or not to engage me.

Geoff Ellis
10/10/2017 08:18:25 am

Thanks Phil,

Free market economics at it's best. As a former OH&S officer in the building industry I admire and encourage everyone who prioritises health and safety. In my travels I see too many people taking short cuts.

Cheers

Reply



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