IDAHOBIT Social Inclusion Forum

What a phenomenal turnout we had at the IDAHOBIT Social Inclusion Forum! Held at the Hillview Multicultural Centre, with nearly 100 attendees, we explored social inclusion through the lens of the LGBTIQA+ community.

IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia) – celebrated annually on May 17 – commemorates the day the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from its list of International Classification of Diseases in 1990. Today, the day aims to raise awareness of LGBT rights worldwide and highlight LGBT rights violations.

After an opening speech by the City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall followed by a heartwarming welcome to country – the audience had the opportunity to hear from two guest speakers, Bella Broadway from Connection and Wellbeing Australia and equity practitioner at Edith Cowan University and steering group member at Rainbow Futures WA Stevie Lane.

Both Bella and Stevie are thought leaders in the field and fierce advocates for the well-being of members of the LGBTIQA+ community. Together, they covered a range of topics relevant to the LGBTIQA+ community, such as the impacts of discrimination on mental health, the rise of online bullying, and practical actions of allyship. The audience also got to learn more about the global and local realities of trans lives, including the ongoing coordinated attacks on trans rights.

This was the first truly safe and inclusive event I have attended. Thank you for providing this opportunity.

Next on the agenda was a thought-provoking panel discussion with a carefully curated and diverse lineup of pannellists: Lukasz Krzyzowski, Rebecca Attwood, Kedy Kristal, and Stephanie Vaughn.

During this panel discussion, we covered a lot of subjects, and it was great to hear so many different perspectives on what social inclusion means in the context of the LGBTIQA+ community.

IDAHOBIT Social Inclusion Forum highlights

The main objective of this Social Inclusion Forum was to create a safe environment where attendees gained a deeper understanding of the challenges that members of the LGBTIQA+ community face daily. Our goal for this forum was also to provide strategies to create more welcoming and inclusive spaces for LGBTIQA+ individuals. With these objectives in mind, we’re thrilled by the following highlights:

• 100% of attendees reported they felt included and welcomed.
• 91% of participants indicated an increased understanding of the impact of social inclusion for LGBTIQA+ individuals.
• 93% of attendees walked away with new knowledge and practical strategies to support the full inclusion of LGBTIQA+ individuals.

We also received some great feedback from participants at the end of the evening.

“The amount of information covered today and the take-home packs were great.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to network and grow my contacts. The half-hour break was such a good opportunity to do this. Everything was excellently run.”

Thank you to the stall holders, who greatly enhanced the experience of this IDAHOBIT Social Inclusion Forum. We also want to thank the City of Canning for their support in making this event a success.