The diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community was brought into colourful focus last week by Community Legal Centres Queensland (CLCQ).
Teaming up with youth charity Minus 18, CLCQ kicked off its LGBTIQIA+ Inclusion Training last Tuesday.
In the first of two training sessions, Minus 18 Education Presenter Nix Bowman introduced the concepts of LGBTQIA+ identity, explained LGBTQIA+ discrimination, and shared information on how to be an effective LGBTQIA+ ally.
Nix drew on their personal experience of being non-binary to help explain the acronym, and the foundational differences between sex, gender and identity.
They explained that the word ‘queer’ was once a slur but had now been claimed by the LGBTQIA+ community as a power term.
“However, we always suggest you use this word reflectively if you are an ally, if you’re someone who doesn’t use the term, or someone who is not a member of the community,” they said.
“Words can hold a lot of history and memories for people, so by only using this term reflectively when someone uses it to talk about their experience, we are making sure that we are honouring the power that language has held throughout time.”
Nix explained that “sex equals body, gender equals brain”, and that non-binary people include those who are gender fluid, gender queer and transgender diverse.
They pointed out that 95-96 per cent of the population identified as cisgender.
”It’s a really important and powerful term to be used in particular spaces because when we have words for 96 per cent of the community – the cisgender community – as well as the four per cent – the trans and gender diverse community – we are moving away from any idea that there is a normal; there’s just different words for different experiences,” they said.
“There are a number of barriers that can come in the way of gender expression, be they cultural, financial, sometimes even safety concerns, but whether someone chooses to show this shift through their gender expression or not, it doesn’t change who they are, it doesn’t change their gender identity.
“Gender identity and gender expression for some people may align, for some people they may not, and both of those experiences are equally as right, they are equally as valid.”
The second session of the CLCQ LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Training will be held from 10am to 11.30am on 13 March. It will cover lived experiences of trans and gender diverse people; research on barriers and discrimination; medical and social gender transitioning; and inclusive language and culture. Register here.
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