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 2021
Friday 27th August 2021 was Wear it Purple day, an international movement aimed at fostering safe and inclusive environments for LGBTIQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Queer/Questioning) young people.
Wear it Purple Day is about showing young people that they have the right to be proud of who they are. It is about creating safe spaces in schools, universities, workplaces, and public spaces to show LGBTIQ+ young people that they are seen and supported.
As a university community, we work towards creating an environment of inclusion where we value our diversity, embrace difference, and nurture a connected, safe, and respectful community.
In 2021, we celebrate the theme: “Start the Conversation…Keep it Going” reminding people that the issues we reflect on Wear it Purple should not only be considered on that particular day…but every day.
Due to lockdowns in Victoria, we were unable to hold our on campus activities for Wear it Purple this year. However, when circumstance permit we will look to hold some fun campus activations for staff an students celebrating the diversity our Deakin Community and show our support for LGBTIQ+ young people at Deakin!
You can help empower rainbow young people to be proud of who they are, and who they might become, by encouraging and supporting them each day in the classroom or workplace. The importance of pronouns and gender affirmation, as well as the use of inclusive language, is a great place to start.
Start a conversation with your workgroup, with your mates, with your family…and keep it going! Communication plays an important role in creating an environment which is free of discrimination based on sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
IDAHOBIT 2021
Monday 17th May 2021 was International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).
IDAHOBIT marks the anniversary of the World Health Organisation’s removal of the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1990 and celebrates LGBTIQ people globally whilst raising awareness for the work still needed.
In 2021, to mark IDAHOBIT and to show our united support of LGBTIQ+ people, Deakin Diversity and Inclusion promoted health and wellbeing supports and resources available for people in the LGBTIQ+ community. View the resources and video below:
Diversity and Inclusion spoke with Andrew Strachan about his experience as a gay man who grew up in the 80's and also his involvement in the development of Gender Affirmation supports at Deakin for staff and students.
Diversity and Inclusion spoke to Deakin Counselling and Psychological Support (CAPS) staff member Kate Towart about the services and support CAPS provides for Deakin students.
Diversity and Inclusion spoke to Dr Amie O'Shea - Deakin lecturer and researcher who studies the experiences of LGBTIQA+ People with a Disability, and
Greg Axtens - well known community advocate for LGBTIQA+ people with a disability and Pride Ambassador for the Victorian Pride Centre.
Deakin support services
For free confidential psychological support to Deakin students visit:
Deakin Counselling and Psychological Support (CAPS)
For accessible and confidential medical services for all current students and staff visit:
Information and services for students with a disability, health or mental health condition that affects their study or participation in university life, visit:
Sexual harm or sexual assault referral and contact information for staff and students:
If you, or someone you know you know needs support, Safer Community is here to help. The health and wellbeing of students and staff is their highest priority.
During business hours and after hours you can also contact these specialist response services
- Phone: 03 9244 3734
- Email: safercommunity@deakin.edu.au
- Via the online form
After Hours on-campus:
- Phone Deakin Security on 1800 062 579
After Hours we also advise contacting:
- Victorian Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL): 1800 806 292
- National Hotline for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Victoria Police - 000
LGBTIQ+ support services
Geelong Adolescent Sexuality Project (GASP)
The GASP project is Geelong’s safe and inclusive space for young people aged between 12-25.
GASP provides a range of services and support to ensure that the strength and diversity of LGBTIQA+ young people are valued, celebrated and affirmed in the Geelong region.
Queerspace is an LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing support service that has a focus on relationships, families, parenting and young people and offers co-located services across the north-west metropolitan region of Victoria.
Queerspace services include:
- counselling (including individual, relationship and family counselling), case management, advocacy and support services to help you with a range of issues
- peer support including groups and seminars
- professional development, training, consulting and support for organisations who work with LGBTIQ+ people and their families
Thorne Harbour Health (THH) provides a range of services which include prevention education, treatment and care of PLHIV and counselling services. THH also serve the health needs of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) communities to ensure all gender, sex, and sexually diverse individuals are treated with dignity and can participate fully in society.
The Gender Clinic is a state-wide public health service that provides individualised, consumer centred care for the trans, gender diverse and non-binary people, their families and partners.
Transcend has connected hundreds of families to medical, legal and educational support services as well as parent/carer communities around Australia. Transcend works alongside other community organisations to promote and support programs which help trans and gender diverse kids reach their full potential. Among these organisations are the Royal Children’s Hospital Gender Service, Justice Connect, Safe Schools Coalition and the Victorian Government LGBTIQ Reference Group.
TGV is Victoria’s leading body for trans and gender diverse advocacy. TGV works to achieve justice, equity and inclusive service provision for trans and gender diverse people, their partners, families and friends.
ACON’s digital information and resource platform for all trans and gender diverse (TGD) people, allies and health providers.
A charity for LGBTIQ+ youth - changing lives through events, education and campaigns.
Support for families and friends to have accurate, unbiased information regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer issues.
QLife provides anonymous and free LGBTI peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.
Rainbow Door is a free specialist LGBTIQA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Gender Diverse, Intersex, Queer, Asexual, BrotherBoys, SisterGirls) helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQA+ Victorians, their friends and family during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
Support and social group for the Victorian transgender community.
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.