Celebrating Pride Round @ Matlock

Wellers came together to celebrate PRIDE round over the last two weeks, rocking the rainbow socks and rainbow beads from the Rainbow Shoelace Project. Teams also showed support for members of the LGBTQIA+ community by wearing lots of colours to training sessions and attending a talk with special guest Kade Matthews from the Victorian Pride Centre and Proud2Play.

Kade discussed some of the confronting challenges of coming out as bisexual and facing homophobia in Melbourne. He highlighted some harrowing statistics about the mental health struggles and homelessness faced by LGBTQIA+ young people. Our speaker suggested the small but active steps allies can take to support the LGBTQIA+ community. Some of these include creating a welcoming environment, active listening, using inclusive language, respecting boundaries and calling out inappropriate behaviour.

Kade acknowledged that being accountable is important and that making mistakes, such as misgendering someone is okay, as long as you apologise, learn from it and move on. One of the key takeaways from the talk was that it is essential to be welcoming and respectful of gender and sexually diverse people every day, not just during the PRIDE round.

CHC recognises the importance of diversity in enriching our community and is committed to creating a space where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued. Thank you to everyone who celebrated PRIDE round and attended the talk; your allyship makes a huge difference to us!