132:
Affairs
Council of Victoria, deputy chairperson of the Hume Regional Development Australia Committee, chairperson of Communities for Children in Shepparton, and chairperson of the National Working Party for GLBTI Social Reform in the early 2010s. Allen was also the founding Chief Executive Officer of
131:
Prior to their appointment as
Victoria's gender and sexuality commissioner, Allen held executive positions with numerous organisations, including chairperson of the Victorian Adult, Community and Further Education Board, commissioner of the Victorian Skills Commission, commissioner of the Youth
291:
in 2017. In
October 2017, Allen, Bradshaw and Bradshaw-Allen attended a marriage equality rally in Melbourne to promote the "Yes" campaign for the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, where Bradshaw-Allen, then aged 9, addressed the crowd to support her parents.
240:
at a
Christian youth convention at the age of 20. While they were publicly praised their mentor for being supportive and telling them they didn't need to choose between their faith and their sexuality, Allen has criticised an earlier experience at a friend's
597:
229:. Allen has said that they are comfortable when people address them using male pronouns, as they are "very relaxed" about how people gender them. Allen officially changed their name from Rowena to their preferred more gender neutral Ro in 2018.
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312:. Allen said their motivation to stand as the ALP candidate for Benalla was due to the frustration of seeing basic infrastructure and community services for the electorate being overlooked in favour of more
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following the birth of their daughter. Allen has said such experiences have made them stronger and more determined in their work to ensure others don't have to experience such
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287:. Bradshaw and Allen took part in a public commitment ceremony at a rally calling for equal rights for gay people in Shepparton in 2014, prior to the legalisation of
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260:, including an elderly woman hitting them with a handbag in a women's toilet after mistaking Allen for a man, a man assaulting them in the street, and receiving a
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864:
217:
Allen was appointed to the position of
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner in May 2021, commencing in this role in June of the same year.
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and a commissioner for gender and sexuality within this department. The establishment of these positions are among a number of high-profile initiatives by the
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160:. The position of Gender and Sexuality Commissioner was renamed to the Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities during Allen's tenure.
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119:. In 2015, Allen was the first person appointed to the position of Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities (formerly the Victorian
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communities to promote the inclusion and reduce the discrimination of LGBTIQ people in non-metropolitan areas.
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Upon their appointment as
Victoria's Gender and Sexuality Commissioner, Allen discussed past incidents of
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665:"Saving lives: the program making breast screens more inclusive of trans and gender diverse people"
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people more inclusive by educating medical staff on how to be more respectful during screenings.
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with their partner Kaye
Bradshaw and their daughter Alex Bradshaw-Allen, before they moved to
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was appointed their successor as
Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities in September 2021.
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498:"Ro Allen returning to Warrnambool to hear how equality initiatives have evolved"
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766:"Fighting for equality: meet Victoria's new sexuality and gender commissioner"
430:"Rowena Allen announced as Victoria's first gender and sexuality commissioner"
381:"Ro Allen appointed Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner"
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Victorian Equal
Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (9 September 2015).
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178:. They also hosted the first national retreat for trans and gender diverse
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Victorian Equal
Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (14 May 2021).
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253:
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and incorporated workshops, celebrations and networking opportunities.
521:"Roadshow returns, with LGBTI mental health, violence atop the agenda"
412:"Rowena Allen is Victoria's first Gender and Sexuality Commissioner"
163:
Following Allen's appointment in 2015, they held various events in
686:
Department of Premier and Cabinet (Victoria) (23 September 2021).
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who attracted 73.1% of the vote, with a 5.6% swing in his favour.
148:
Victoria was the first Australian state to establish an Equality
249:. Allen has described such therapy as "unbelievably dangerous".
713:"Rowena Allen, Victorian Commissioner for Gender and Sexuality"
453:"How we're working to achieve equality for LGBTIQ+ Victorians"
410:
Department of Premier and Cabinet (Victoria) (15 July 2015).
355:"Rowena Allen on Mardis Gras, mental health and misgendering"
588:"New retreat for trans and gender diverse Aboriginal people"
174:-sanctioned Pride Game, which occurred in Round 21 of the
213:
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner
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In 2017, Allen was a proponent of the "Yes" vote for the
385:
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
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card containing cut-out letters spelling "devil child"
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government to improve the visibility and inclusion of
688:"New Commissioner For LGBTIQ+ Communities Appointed"
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Allen is credited with helping coordinate the first
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84:
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34:
23:
136:'s Cutting Edge community services agency in the
789:"Call for marriage reform at equal rights rally"
316:. After preferences, Allen was defeated by the
613:"First national retreat for gender diverse mob"
182:, held in November 2016. The event was held in
117:Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner
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475:"Love is the answer to intolerance: Ro Allen"
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473:Charalambous, Stephanie (31 July 2017).
123:Commissioner) in the state of Victoria.
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567:St Kilda Football Club (27 July 2016).
546:"St Kilda lobby AFL for gay pride game"
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836:"Victoria Votes 2010: Benalla results"
824:from the original on 25 November 2018.
451:Victorian Government (22 April 2021).
418:from the original on 26 November 2018.
365:from the original on 26 November 2018.
35:Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities,
870:from the original on 25 February 2021
846:from the original on 26 October 2020.
799:from the original on 19 October 2021.
776:from the original on 14 October 2017.
652:from the original on 19 October 2021.
556:from the original on 3 November 2018.
496:Houlihan, Rachael (3 December 2017).
440:from the original on 21 October 2016.
191:Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey
7:
663:Morgan, Michaela (1 December 2017).
840:Australian Broadcasting Corporation
744:from the original on 11 March 2018.
675:from the original on 19 March 2018.
611:Marlow, Karina (28 November 2016).
911:Australian Labor Party politicians
519:Kearney, Mark (15 February 2018).
14:
901:Australian non-binary politicians
600:from the original on 15 May 2018.
279:in 2016. They have also lived in
256:and occasions they have received
144:Gender and Sexuality Commissioner
37:Department of Premier and Cabinet
916:Australian LGBT rights activists
858:"Victorian Honour Roll of Women"
787:Lewis, John (17 November 2014).
730:Carleton, James (4 March 2018).
569:"Stories of Pride: Rowena Allen"
736:(radio broadcast). God Forbid.
353:Gold, Kyriakos (4 March 2016).
304:candidate in the electorate of
764:Stark, Jill (29 August 2015).
618:National Indigenous Television
334:Victorian Honour Roll of Women
289:same-sex marriage in Australia
1:
640:"Rally for marriage equality"
586:Wade, Matthew (17 May 2016).
544:Stark, Jill (2 August 2015).
906:People from Victoria (state)
814:"Ready to make a difference"
669:Special Broadcasting Service
359:Special Broadcasting Service
318:National Party of Australia
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502:The Standard (Warrnambool)
245:where ministers attempted
172:Australian Football League
18:Australian LGBTIQ advocate
921:Commissioners of Victoria
232:Allen is a member of the
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57: – May 2021
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203:trans and gender diverse
332:Allen was added to the
310:2010 Victorian election
931:Non-binary politicians
479:Latrobe Valley Express
302:Australian Labor Party
733:Fabulous and Faithful
134:UnitingCare Australia
112:and, since 2021, the
926:Non-binary activists
820:. 10 November 2010.
719:on 12 February 2019.
434:ABC News (Australia)
225:Allen identifies as
195:Transgender Victoria
121:Gender and Sexuality
648:. 27 October 2017.
625:on 7 November 2020.
508:on 3 December 2017.
300:Allen stood as the
738:ABC Radio National
533:on 24 August 2018.
526:Bendigo Advertiser
247:conversion therapy
243:Pentecostal Church
165:regional Victorian
158:LGBTIQ+ Victorians
271:Allen resided in
199:breast screenings
180:Aboriginal people
108:is an Australian
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621:. Archived from
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529:. Archived from
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504:. Archived from
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436:. 15 July 2015.
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85:Personal details
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176:2016 AFL season
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110:LGBTIQ advocate
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818:Benalla Ensign
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485:on 2 May 2018.
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314:marginal seats
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234:Uniting Church
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49:July 2015
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872:. Retrieved
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717:the original
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70:Succeeded by
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273:Violet Town
90:Nationality
890:Categories
693:19 October
458:19 October
390:19 October
340:References
322:Bill Sykes
281:Shepparton
94:Australian
336:in 2009.
277:Melbourne
258:hate mail
184:Brunswick
150:portfolio
114:Victorian
45:In office
865:Archived
844:Archived
822:Archived
797:Archived
774:Archived
742:Archived
673:Archived
650:Archived
598:Archived
554:Archived
438:Archived
416:Archived
363:Archived
296:Politics
238:came out
197:to make
106:Ro Allen
25:Ro Allen
770:The Age
645:The Age
550:The Age
328:Honours
308:at the
306:Benalla
266:bigotry
254:assault
236:. They
154:Andrews
61:2021-05
59: (
53:2015-07
51: (
874:13 May
127:Career
868:(PDF)
861:(PDF)
876:2020
695:2021
460:2021
392:2021
283:and
201:for
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.