LGBTIQ+ Allies Network and Events
The LGBTIQ+ Allies Network provides opportunities for engaged, passionate staff to connect as a community to support the culture and visibility of LGBTIQ+ staff and students across the University.
Purpose
The LGBTIQ+ Allies Network aims to:
- Promote inclusion and a culture of safety and mutual respect.
- Provide a safe space for members of the community to come together for meaningful conversations.
- Promote awareness and understanding of issues affecting people of diverse sexes, genders and sexualities.
- Actively participate in community events to celebrate Deakin’s diverse population.
- Promote acceptance of the LGBTIQ+ community to avoid homophobia, transphobia and discrimination.
- Be informed about University policies that are relevant to the LGBTIQ+ community.
- Foster a vibrant and inclusive culture which crosses discipline and organisational boundaries.
Membership
Membership is open to all Deakin employees - those who identify as belonging to the LGBTIQ+ community as well as LGBTIQ+ Allies.
Any staff wishing to join the Network can register here.
Any students looking to join an LGBTIQ+ network are encouraged to check out Deakin Pride and Deakin Geelong Queer Collective.
Events
Days of significance
Deakin acknowledges and celebrates the following LGBTIQ+ days of significance and holds events to increase LGBTIQ+ visibility and engagement:
- International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) - May 17
- Wear it Purple Day - August
Past events and resources
Wear it Purple 2020
In 2020, we celebrated the 10 year anniversary of Wear it Purple, an international movement aimed at fostering supporting, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for LGBTIQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex and Queer/Questioning) young people.
Diversity and Inclusion partnered with the Geelong Cats Football Club to show our united support of LGBTIQ+ young people through a number of online activities aimed at promoting the benefits of exercise and sport in helping improve people’s health and wellbeing and fostering a strong sense of community belonging and pride.
The Deakin Melbourne Boomers show their support of Wear it Purple day in 2020
Wear it Purple storytelling
Oscar Roos interviews Shannon Molloy - an award-winning journalist with more than a decade of experience working for major media outlets spanning print and digital, covering business, entertainment, celebrity and human interest. He is based in Sydney.
This is a story about his fourteenth year of life as a gay kid at an all-boys rugby-mad Catholic school in regional Queensland. It was a year in which he started to discover who he was, and deeply hated what was revealed. It was a year in which he had my first crush and first devastating heartbreak. It was a year of torment, bullying and betrayal – not just at the hands of his peers, but by adults who were meant to protect him.
The above interview contains strong language and deals with themes that some people may find distressing. Lifeline provides confidential crisis support that is accessible 24 hours a day. We encourage any person in Australia who is contemplating suicide, experiencing emotional distress, or caring for someone in crisis to call or text Lifeline 13 11 14.
Skiing since she was three, Belle Brockhoff took up snowboarding at age ten and three weeks after first trying the sport, won her first interschool nationals title.
Belle has a rich history of winter sports in her family. Her uncle, Peter Brockhoff competed in Alpine Skiing at the 1960 and 1964 Winter Olympics, her grandfather Harold Brockhoff was one of the original pioneers of Mt Buller and her great aunt, Joyce Brockhoff has a run named in her honour at Mt Hotham, Victoria in recognition of her work promoting the involvement of women in snow sports.
Linden Raybould from Diversity and Inclusion interviews Belle
Carter is a 25 year old footballer and healthcare worker who is passionate about inclusion for Trans and gender diverse people in sport. Born in Scotland, Carter arrived in Australia with his family at a young age, he discovered Aussie rules football at the age of 11 and hasn't looked back since! Carter's story is an inspiring one which will hopefully create better pathways for trans and gender diverse people in football, as well as educate people on the importance of inclusion.