The Gender Fairy

The book, promoted by the Safe Schools Coalition,^[6][7] was launched at St Kilda Primary School at an event attended by Victorian Minister for Equality Martin Foley who stated that "This book is about affirming trans children’s rights to be who they are, and if that means they’re happy, healthy, and engaged, and that their families are reconciled in support of that, that can only be a good thing."^[8]

The book has received widespread support from LGBTQ+ activists and some politicians. In November 2015, Senator Janet Rice, who was married to a transgender woman, praised the book in the Australian Senate.^[9]

The book has been the subject of criticism from conservative political figures and organisations. The author estimated in 2018 that since its publication, The Gender Fairy had been mentioned in three different Australian political elections, as well as the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.^[2] Lyle Shelton of the Australian Christian Lobby described the book's contents as "contested gender theory" in a 2016 criticism of the Safe Schools program.^[10] The author has stated that the book is unrelated to the Safe Schools campaign, although it featured on the Safe Schools website.^[11]

During the 2016 Australian federal election flyers criticising the education policies of the Australian Labor Party were distributed to voters attacking the book as "gender bending political correctness", which they linked to "Labor's plan for education".^[11]

In September 2017 the book featured in a television ad, released in conjunction with the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey for the "No" campaign. The ad incorporates the words, "Only you know whether you are a boy or a girl".^[12][13] Cory Bernardi, the leader of the Australian Conservatives party, subsequently mentioned The Gender Fairy in a robocall during the postal survey.^[14]

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