Community Calendar is your fortnightly look into what’s coming up for the LGBTIQA+ communities in Greater Sydney and NSW! This is our post for 11 March 2022.

Events

• EOIs closing 13 March: Two of our QHive groups, Beyond and Behold, are open for expressions of interest until 13 March. These groups will take place in April and May.
• 16 March: Out West is officially back! This group will be for folks aged 12 to 18, while the next group on 23 March will be for folks aged 18 to 25. We’ll continue to alternate age groups every week like this.
• Closes 9 April: Check out the Deadly, Solid, Staunch exhibition at Boomalli Gallery, celebrating LGBTIQA+ First Nations artists. The official opening event is on 18 March.
• 20 March: Attention LGBTIQA+ folks aged 12 to 19! Join Minus18 for their This Is Trans Joy virtual chillout session. It’s free!
• Starting 23 March: Do you want to be a better partner? The Proud Partners group at ACON is for any LGBTQ+ person who may be concerned about their behaviours in a relationship.
• 23 March: Join Intersex Human Rights Australia for a webinar on community building with Mani Mitchell!
• 23 March to 30 April: Youth Week at Inner West Council has some amazing events, including Queer Prom on 8 April!
• Starting 26 April: Switchboard’s LGBTIQA+ suicide bereavement support groups are now open to LGBTIQA+ people in NSW and Victoria who are 21 or older.

Articles and other cool stuff

• ABC: Why Instagram is where I want to share queer stories
• Rainbow Health Australia: Our Rainbow Lives – an introduction to LGBTIQA+ identity, experiences, sexuality, gender and bodies for people with intellectual disability and their supporters
• ABC: Sparkles, unity and messages of equality as COVID-weary Sydney welcomes Mardi Gras

Opportunities

• ACON’s Pride Training has a new Trans Vitality: Trans-Affirming Practice e-Learning for medical professionals. Some free licenses are still available!
• The Aunty Vanessa Smith Scholarship has been established by AusPATH for a Sistergirl, Brotherboy or other trans mob to attend the AusPATH conference. For more information, see the graphic on this page or email info@nullauspath.org.
• Two expressions of interest for paid work for LGBTIQ+ Health Australia are currently open: one for LGBTIQ+ storytellers and another for teachers and LGBTIQ+ parents.
• The folks at ACYP are looking for people aged 12 to 24 to join the NSW Youth Advisory Council. Applications close 13 March.
• eSafety is establishing an Online Safety Youth Advisory Council for young people aged 13 to 24 years. Applications close 14 March.
• Lesbians Inc. has a grant round open for projects that address needs in the lesbian community! Applications close 18 March.
• The folks at the Outstanding Stories creative writing competition are holding their annual Miniature competition for very short LGBTIQ+ stories (50 words or less)! This year’s theme is “Sparks”. Applications close 19 March.

Surveys, studies and consultations

• Inner West Libraries wants to hear from young people in the Inner West aged 12 to 24 about what they want to see at their local library! You could win one of four $150 cash cards. Survey closes 14 March.
• Transcend wants to hear from young trans people aged 13-17 about sexuality and relationships education.
• A researcher at University of Sydney wants to hear from LGBTIQ+ stroke survivors and/or their partners. They especially need more responses from female participants.
• SWASH is the longest-running survey of lesbian, bisexual and queer women’s health in the world!
• In the lead up to the 2022 Federal election, Equality Australia wants to hear about the issues that matter to you.
• Walkern Katatdjin – Rainbow Knowledge wants to hear from LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 14 to 25.
• The Australian Human Rights Commission wants to hear from young people aged 9 to 17 and their parents, carers and grandparents about their experiences with COVID-19. Surveys close on 20 March.
• Western Sydney University researchers and batyr Australia are conducting a study looking at how young people (16 to 25 years) in the Western Sydney region support friends during tough times. We want to hear more about your experiences giving support – the positives and the challenges. If you would like to be part of a focus group, please fill out this short form here: Informal Help-Providing Screening Survey. Everyone who joins a focus group will receive a $50 gift voucher for their participation.
• Alternatives to Suicide are looking for people who have attended their groups to participate in research.
• Sydney WorldPride 2023 are planning a Human Rights Conference for next year, and they’d like to hear your thoughts on what you’d like to see there!