What can I do to help?
Build relationships and connections
- Establish an environment that is welcoming and builds trust. This communicates and encourages students to approach you.
- Create opportunities for students to get to know you,one another, share com,onalities and celebtae differnees. .
- Highlight the ALLY network in your initial introduction and your stance on inclusion, homophobia, hetrosexism and micro-aggressions.
Use pronouns and normalise the use of them
You can model this yourself inviting others to use their own. Initially you may also like to explain what a pronoun is. Students and research tell us that ALLY programmes and the more visible aspects of these such as may be found on email footers and the posters on faculty and professional staff doors, were welcomed by students.
Students from the UNSA Queer collective have stated ‘even seeing them in an educators email signature makes them feel more comfortable and more likely to approach if required’. ‘Talking about and introducing the Ally Network at the beginning of semester was really awesome’
Expand your knowledge and provide support
- It is vital to consider how intersections with other identities and experiences may impact on an individual’s wellbeing.
- Consider who you are talking to, it is imperative that students can see themselves represented and acknowledged. When developing a course and learning design consider what examples, case studies, research you are using. Are they diverse or only talking to your own experiences or convenience.
- Remember the personal is always political.
- It’s not the responsibility of the LGBTIQA+ community to educate you. Do your research, don’t expect people to teach you everything, do some learning yourself.
- Just because being LGBTIQA+ increases your risk of experiencing poor mental health, being LGBTIQA+ doesn’t make you mentally ill! These experiences are due to current society, heteronormativity, homophobia and discrimination.
- Think about how you can support your students, without allowing their sexuality, gender and/or sex characteristics to define them.
- Students have highlighted the "importance of queer visibility and a queer presence on campus". Participants discussed how lecturers and tutors who were open about their own sexual orientation and gender identity provided students with a sense of solidarity and assisted in developing an understanding of their own identities.
If you have any questions on how to support students or want to refer students for support, you can contact the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for advice.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.