[ON DEMAND] THE NEXT BIG FIGHT | Political Activism and the LGBTIQA* Community

So much has been achieved in the fight to progress the rights of the Australian LGBTIQA* community. We have celebrated such key milestones as the federal law recognising marriage equality, the banning of conversion therapy in many States and Territories, the increasing recognition of parental rights and fairer birth certificate laws in some States and Territories.

However, we still have a long way to go for full LGBTIQA* equality and there remain many areas where our community continue to face discrimination and underrepresentation.

Join our ANU alumni panel of experts in this webinar, hosted by the ANU LGBTIQA* Alumni Network in honour of Transgender Remembrance Day, as they share their insights on the next big fight to progress equality for the LGBTIQA* community in Australia.

Topics will include transgender and gender diverse rights, as well as LGBTIQA* representation in leadership.

This event is part of ANU Alumni Impact Makers Series of webinars featuring high-impact alumni in discussions on improving the state of our communities and the world.

Join Tobi Evans, (PhD '19) Transgender and Gender Diverse Alumni Liaison - ANU LGBTIQA* Alumni Network Committee, as they moderate a discussion between ANU LGBTIQA* alumni at the forefront of the next big fight for LGBTIQA* equality in Australia.

Speakers

Len Gordon (MSc Comm Outreach '19)

Len Gordon (they/them) is a non-binary science communicator with a background in chemistry. They have presented science shows across Australia with Questacon, and worked for the ABC as the 2021 Darren Osbourne Regional Science Cadet. In their spare time they run a podcast - Queer STEM History, which aims to highlight historic and inspirational queer role models in the world of STEM.

Kat Reed (BSc(Psych) '19)

Kat (they/them) has been a local queer advocate & community builder for the last 8 years. They are currently the CEO of Women With Disabilities ACT - a systemic advocacy and peer support organisation for women, girls and non-binary identified people with disabilities. Kat was recently awarded 2021 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year and one of Out for Australia's 30 Under 30 for 2021.

Their activism and community building work spans many different intersections. Since the age of 17, they have advocated for the rights of people of colour, queer youth, trans and non-binary people and people with disabilities. They've held positions of leadership in both local and national organisations including the ANU Students' Association and led the Australian Queer Students' Network as the National Co-Convenor. Kat was a Council member on the ACT LGBTIQ+ Ministerial Advisory Council and advised on issues affecting queer youth from 2015-2018.

Kat is also a political performance artist and through their arts persona they recently finished work on Australia's very first all trans and gender diverse original musical titled Lost in Transit (debuted at Tuggeranong Arts Centre) with a cast of six local trans and gender diverse artists.

Dr Clara Tuck Meng Soo (GradDipPopInHlth '94)

Dr Soo (she/her) is a GP who has continued to live and work in Canberra since completing her Grad Dip at ANU. She is now the Practice Principal of the Hobart Place General Practice and East Canberra General Practice. Dr Soo has worked with many vulnerable communities in the ACT, in particular, the LGBTIQ+ community and people with drug dependencies, for which she received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2015. Dr Soo joined a select group of trans medical practitioners when she went through a gender affirmation process herself in 2018-2019. She took a stand against the elevation of Mrs Margaret Court to a Companion of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours in 2021 by returning her OAM in protest.

Moderator/host 

Tobi Evans (PhD '19)

Dr Tobi Evans (he/they) is a diversity and inclusion expert with a PhD in Cultural Studies from ANU. While completing his PhD, he received awards for his research on gender and Game of Thrones from the ANU Gender Institute and the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association. He is currently focusing on LGBTIQA* advocacy and gender equality in local government, where he works across policy, consulting, advocacy, training, and organisational development. He is also a passionate educator and has seven years' experience delivering training, learning design, mentoring, and facilitation. His first book, based on his doctoral thesis, is currently being revised for publication with Liverpool University Press.