The LGBTIQ+ Women’s Conference is committed to meaningful inclusion, diversity and access. It aims to create safer spaces to strengthen the health and wellbeing of all LGBTIQ+ women, including all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mob, women of colour, women with disabilities, trans women, gender diverse and nonbinary people, intersex women, and everyone who holds a connection to the experiences of our diverse LGBTIQ+ women’s communities.
We acknowledge that striving for best practice and positive health outcomes for all women requires meaningful engagement and fostering a cross-sector response that embeds these principles in all aspects of our work.
Safety and inclusion are central to the conference space. We invite participants to approach the conference and other delegates with openness and thoughtfulness regarding other people’s knowledge, experience and identities.
Please keep in mind that the conference is open to everyone, and often attracts an incredibly diverse audience.
The LGBTIQ+ Women’s Health Conference aims to be a safe and welcoming space for all members of our communities
While we encourage healthy discussions, we will not allow comments that are discriminatory. This includes transphobic, homophobic, biphobic, racist, ableist or misogynist comments, or comments that are discriminatory towards sex work or sex workers, or any other marginalised communities, experiences and identities.
Please keep in mind that many of the people speaking, and many of the people in our audiences, are part of the communities we are discussing.
GENDER
The LGBTIQ+ Women’s Health conference is an inclusive, gender-affirming event that supports all trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse speakers, attendees, staff, volunteers and wider communities.
Misgendering occurs when language does not match how someone identifies. We ask that all delegates respect and replicate the language that someone uses to describe their own genders and experiences.
Consider not just the use of pronouns, but also gendered relationship terms like ‘mother’, ‘girlfriend’, or ‘brother’. If you don’t have confirmation from the person you’re referring to, consider using non-gender specific terms like ‘partner’, ‘sibling’, or ‘parent’.
Be considerate when describing people’s bodies or genders and do not assume that physical characteristics, defined in terms of binary, medically-defined sex, indicate gender.
A note on pronouns
Please use someone’s pronouns if they are clearly stated. If you don’t know someone’s pronouns, please use their name. It is best to confirm a person’s pronoun directly with them rather than assuming. Check with them privately, rather than in a public space or session. If there is no opportunity to do so, use their name rather than pronouns.
If you’re unfamiliar with gender neutral and/or neo (new) pronouns, we recommend familiarising yourself with TransHub’s Guide to Pronouns and their resources for allies.
ACCESSIBILITY
All rooms being used for conference sessions have been selected for their accessibility.
The Abbotsford Convent have accessibility information, visitor information, and resources including videos of each venue space on their website.
You will also find a PDF of the mobility map here and a PDF of the 3D map is here.
(Please note a dedicated map for the conference will be made available closer to the conference dates, and will be available for attendees at the conference).
In the lead up to the conference, accessibility resources and details about the venue, sessions and additional spaces will be shared.
Information will also be distributed via conference showbags and at the registration desk.
The main sessions (including livestreams for virtual attendees) were previously marked as being Auslan interpreted. On advice from Expression Australia, these sessions will no longer be interpreted due to no further registrants requiring Auslan (as of 19 October).
There will be a limited presence of Auslan interpreters available during the ‘Discovering Disability Justice’ workshop session on Day One.
Hearing loops will be available at the conference on both days.
Captions will be available on the livestream webinar for virtual attendees.
When registering for the conference, you will be prompted to indicate what specific needs you may have so that we can assist you with additional support and information. You are also welcome to contact the conference organisers any time if you have any questions.
Support and care workers of attendees do not need to pay for additional registration. If you have a support or care worker, please contact the conference organisers
A dedicated quiet sensory space will be available during the conference to be used at any time.
The Abbotsford Convent also has many pockets of seating, courtyards and gardens to take a break at any time.
The venue is also surrounded by large, tranquil gardens for anyone to use when needing to take a break, reset or relax.
Online streaming of the main room sessions will be available for those attending virtually.
COVID Safety Plan
While there are currently no restrictions around Covid-19 in Victoria, organisers of the event, Thorne Harbour Health and ACON, will be taking measures to ensure the health and safety of conference attendees.
- N95 masks and Rapid Antigen Tests will be available at the conference
- Hand sanitiser will be available in all presentation and workshop rooms
- The venue rooms have high ceilings and windows and doors that can be opened during sessions to provide ventilation
- The venue has numerous outdoor areas to network and socialise
- People who are feeling unwell or experiencing cold/flu symptoms are asked not to attend
- In the event of a lockdown, the conference will move to online
SUPPORT
Many of the sessions and conversations within the conference may provoke strong emotional or personal responses.
There will be counselling staff on hand at the conference for anyone experiencing distress and needing support.
Support is available via QLife, a national counselling and referral service for LGBTIQ people. You can call or contact them online any time between 3.00pm and midnight: 1800 184 527
PERMISSION & PRIVACY
We encourage everyone to share their experiences of the conference and engage in sharing and distributing knowledge. We ask that when you share information regarding another person you are mindful of the way that the speaker has framed their identity or described their experiences, body, gender, relationship or sexuality.
We also invite you to obtain consent when sharing any image or recording of a person and to particularly keep this in mind during workshops. Please do not share any contact information or identifiable information of other people without their explicit consent.
LGBTIQ+ Women's Health Conference 