Experts share insights during WorldPride festival
As the Sydney WorldPride festival 2023 gets underway, Western Sydney University experts have shared key insights on their research into issues effecting the LGBTIQ+ community.
Professor Jane Ussher (she/her) - School of Medicine and Translational Health Research Institute
Jane Ussher is a Professor of Women’s Health Psychology, and her research focuses on sexual and reproductive embodiment, and the gendered experience of cancer and cancer care. Jane is the author of over 350 papers and chapters, 12 books, and is the editor of the Routledge Women and Psychology book series, and the journal Women’s Reproductive Health. She is leading an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage funded research study - on LGBTQI+ experiences of cancer, in collaboration with The Cancer Council NSW, PCFA, National LGBTI Health Alliance, ACON, BCNA, Sydney Children's Hospital Network and Canteen.
“LGBTQI people have higher rates of cancer, higher levels of distress than non-LGBTQI cancer survivors. In our Australian Research Council (ARC) funded Out with Cancer study (opens in a new window) – including over 650 LGBTQI people with cancer and carers – 40 per cent reported high or very higher distress compared with less than 7-10 per cent in general cancer population.”
The Out with Cancer study team has collaborated with Cancer Council NSW, Breast Cancer Network Australia and Canteen to produce world leading LGBTQI patient resources recently released.
Associate Professor Corrinne Sullivan (she/her) - School of Social Sciences and Institute for Culture and Society
Corrinne is an Aboriginal scholar from the Wiradjuri Nation in Central-West of New South Wales. Her research interests are multi-disciplinary and focus broadly on experiences and effects of body and identity in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Her current research projects explore the embodied geographies of sexuality and/or gender diversity.
“It is important Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning young people are supported with the appropriate resources and that services are queer-friendly, culturally appropriate and visibly supportive. By promoting the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations LGBTIQSB+ young people in Australia we can help them feel seen and heard, ensuring more positive outcomes.”
Professor Andrew Gorman-Murray (he/they) - School of Social Sciences
Andrew is a Professor of Geography and Discipline Leader of Geography. Andrew was formerly Leader of the Urban Research Program and Research Theme Champion for Urban Living and Society. Andrew is a social, cultural and political geographer. He was also named as Australia's leading researcher in Gender Studies in The Australian's Top 250 Researchers 2021.
Professor Gorman-Murray, in conjunction with University of Technology Sydney, University of NSW, Maridulu Budyari Gumal – Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise and ARUP, has recently released the Queering Cities in Australia report (opens in a new window). Exploring how to make public spaces more inclusive for LGBTIQ+ individuals, families, and communities in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane local government areas through urban policy and practice.
“LGAs in Sydney’s inner west form part of the most engaged areas within greater Sydney with only nine LGAs having targeted LGBTIQ+ stakeholder engagement events. These inner west council areas have well known LGBTIQ+ villages that are common within larger populations. Many members of the LGBTIQ+ community remain invisible, with little to no recognition in many suburban LGAs. This means that their needs are not being considered within council planning and their voices are being ignored.”
Dr Quah Ee Ling (she/her) - School of Humanities and Communication Arts and Institute for Culture and Society
Ee Ling is a fire dragon feminist and Senior Lecturer and Convenor of Culture and Society. Ee Ling is Singaporean of Chinese-Hokkien and Indonesian-Peranakan heritage. She developed her own strand of feminism - fire dragon feminism, to blow flames at injustices and rebuild communities for a more just and equitable world. She has very little patience for racism, queerphobia, patriarchy and misogyny.
Ee Ling's research centres around community-based research, inequalities and social justice, and she will be a panellist at the upcoming Queer Chinese Voices (opens in a new window) forum presented by the Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture at Western Sydney University.
“It is important to recognise multiple and diverse cultural meanings, systems and practices of gender and sexuality. There is no one, universal way to be queer. ‘Coming out’ and ‘use of pronouns’ are not necessarily applicable in specific cultural contexts.”
“Queering dominant, normative systems of gender, sexuality and sex characteristics is about not letting powerful systems dictate singular meanings and practices of gender, sexuality and sex characteristics, and incentivise these state-endorsed practices and discriminate others.”
Associate Professor Lucy Nicholas (they/them) - Director, Sexualities and Genders Research
Associate Professor Nicholas is a sociologist at Western Sydney University interested in sexuality and gender diversity. They have written two books, one on ‘Queer Post-Gender Ethics’ and one on ‘The Persistence of Global Masculinism.’ They have also published widely on non-binary and genderqueer: approaches to workplace diversity and inclusion that include queer and trans and gender diverse people; lateral violence in the queer community; trans and gender diversity in education; and backlash to queer and trans rights.
“World pride is a chance for the queer community to show that it can make alternative spaces that are welcoming and safe for all members of our community, that are truly inclusive and don’t replicate the hierarchies, exclusions and divides of mainstream societies. Ours is a community of multiple sexual and gender identities, ethnicities, religions, ways of living, and practices, and we all belong.”
Dr Benjamin Hanckel (he/him) - Young and Resilient Research Centre and Institute for Culture and Society
Ben is a sociologist and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University. Ben is also the current acting Co-Director at the Young and Resilient Research Centre. Benjamin’s research examines youth health and wellbeing, social inequalities in health, and social change. His work has a particular focus on the wellbeing and lived experiences of young people, particularly those young people with diverse genders and sexualities.
“I think it is crucial to highlight that queer experiences are not the same across the board. For example, within the LGBTQA+ community, there are trans people, and there are also those whose identities intersect with other marginal identities, in relation to race, ethnicity or Indigeneity. I think the biggest thing is to think about how we can listen to young queer people better and note down what they consider is acceptable support. There is a lot we can learn from young people.”
ENDS
21 February 2023
Photo credit: Monica Pronk
Latest News
ABC RN transcript: Vice-Chancellor Professor George Williams discusses higher education sector, student support, and the impact of AI
The following is a transcript of an interview that aired on ABC Radio National Saturday Extra between presenter, Nick Bryant and Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO.
Western Sydney University are the number one Australian solar car team at the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge
Western Sydney Solar Car team has crossed the finish line placing preliminarily sixth in the world overall, and the number one Australian team in the world’s most prestigious solar car challenge.
Western Sydney University Statement on Cyber Incidents
Western Sydney University has issued an update to its community following confirmation that previously stolen personal information was published online, including on the dark web.