For an international student, moving to Australia to study is an exciting and amazing experience. Learning a language, immersing in a new culture, and making friends from all over the world is all part of this enriching and rewarding experience. The international LGBTQI+ student body makes up 10% of the total cohort of students studying in Australia each year, however, an overwhelming number of studies show that there is a feeling of isolation and difficulty in finding a community of support amongst these students. In this presentation, Louise Kane and Tegan McCarthy introduce the Rainbow Hub, a government-funded support group for LGBTQI+ international students in Brisbane. The Rainbow Hub aims to raise awareness, promote and facilitate a supportive environment for international LGBTQI students in the wider community. They also share ideas for how your institution can support your international LGBTQI+ students and ensure they thrive in Australia.

2. Don’t Mention
Your Partner, Family,
Friends, The Places You Socialise,
The Magazines You Read, The
Shows You Watch, Where You
Shop Or The Movies You Watch

3. ENROLMENTS
2018 International Enrolments
https://internationaleducation.gov.au/research/International-Student-
Data/Documents/MONTHLY%20SUMMARIES/2018/Jun%202018%20MonthlyInfographic.pdf
645,064
International Enrolments
in June 2018

4. “Many students ‘came
out’ once they arrived
in Australia”
”In Australia statistics on the number of
international students who are within the
LGBTQI community are unavailable and
generally difficult to gauge.”
The Pie News: How can Educators Support LGBTQI
International Students
However, if we are to take an
approximate, it is widely believed that
10% of the total population is sexually
fluid.
Victorian AIDS Council peer education coordinator, Budi
Sudarto
10%

5. COMPARED TO
6.8%
of the general population who
experience depression
75%
of LGBTQI youth experience
some form of discrimination.
24.4%
of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
people experience depression
61%
LGBTQI
experience verbal abuse
https://lgbtihealth.org.au/statistics/
16%
Attempt
Suicide
3.2%
General population
35%
Trans

6. What were the earliest
messages you received
about QUEERS and where
did they come from?
Were they positive or
negative?

7. How would you
feel if your child
came out to you
as LGBTQ?
If someone were to
come out to you as
LGBTQI, what would
your first thought be?
Can you think of
three public figures
who are/were lesbian,
gay or transgender?
Have you ever laughed
at or made a joke at
the expense of LGBTQI
people?
Have you ever
stood up for an
LGBTQI person being
harassed?

8. “Some colleagues are puzzled,
even perturbed, by the idea that
lesbian and gay identities could
have any relevance to language
learning. To them, gay-friendly
teaching is at best of marginal
importance, of interest only to a
small minority of learners and
teachers (gay ones), and at worst
invasive, inserting a discourse of
(homo)sex into a field in which that
discourse is neither relevant nor
appropriate.”
- Nelson, 1997
LGBTQI discourse in a language learning classroom is
irrelevant, inappropriate, unnecessary.

9. Argument: I should avoid these topics in class because
I’m not able or qualified to discuss them faultlessly.
Discussion: What are the counter arguments to this?
“Heterosexual teachers may have concerns about whether, in the
course of addressing gay and lesbian issues, they may inadvertently
say something ignorant, insensitive or inappropriate.”-
Vandrick, 2001

10. Inclusive classroom practice

12. Danilo, Colombia
Maybe, you can have like a gay-guide
What things can you do being gay In
Australia, like places, etc.
What else? Make sure that everyone
feels same and supported by the
institution Talk about being gay freely
What Have
You Done?
Well... I've never thought
about that... I'd suggest that teachers
could bring this topic into classes and
reinforce that schools supports
LGBTQI students
Walber, Brazil
Rainbow sign: the rainbow sign
should be seen at the institution
because it is easy for queers to
know the attitude of the institution
towards LGBTIQ society.
Deeann, Taiwain
In 2015 I asked to prepare a presentation for my
speaking test. I was interested to make a
presentation about the LGBT community in Brazil, but I was
afraid to “disrespect” the Saudi Arabian Students. So I asked my
teacher what should I do. I remember that day as today Kate
said to me that the subject was very interesting and I shouldn’t
be afraid of. Not only because Australia is a multicultural and
diverse country where people must to respect every kind of
differences, but also LGBT issued must to be discuss. I was not
disrespecting anybody, because speaking about LOVE is always
necessary”
Claudio, Brazil
I think that when we move to a different
country we are not sure how the LGBTQI+ life
is. We are not sure how to behave, if it is socially
acceptable.
So I think that if the schools had a little flag, or
messages on the board, something just to show
that the queer community is safe in the
environment. That is ok to say they are gay.
Nina, Brazil
As a LGBTQI student, I would like to see the
messages from the allies (for example, on the
boards in English schools or universities and so on).
When I was young and didn't come out, I thought
no one could understand me as a transgender.
From this experience, If I had seen friendly
messages to LGBTQI, I would have felt that I
wasn’t alone.
Tsukiko,Japan

14. A student in class yells
out to another classmate
'You are so gay’ (used as
an insult). How do you
handle this situation?
A trans-student asks
where the toilet is. Which
do you show them?
The subject of being gay
arises in class. Some students
are quite hostile about the
subject and using homophobic
slurs. How do you deal with it?
You overhear a group of
students telling another male
student in your class that he
needs to be ‘less girly’. What
do you do?
A new student joins the class
and you are unsure of their
gender.
Some students are using both
pronouns to address this new
student. What do you do?

15. Organisational level support

16. This Organisation proudly supports
the trans and gender diverse
community.

17. Do you have any
leaflets about
LGBTQI groups?
Is it easy accessible?
Is there support for
learners?
Resources –
integrated?
Do you celebrate
IDAHOBIT?
Do you celebrate Pride?
Do you celebrate National
Coming Out day?
Is there visibility within
the workplace?
Do you have safe space
posters at your
institution?
Do you have access to
LGBTQI issues that
you can bring to the
classroom?

19. “Somebody should do
something about that.
Then I realized I was
somebody”
Lily Tomlin
Acknowledgement

21. JANUARY When did you know
you were transgender?
Being Gay In Australia.
What is Like?
FEBRUARY
Queer Chats
The history of Sydney’s Gay
and Lesbian Mardi Gras
Lord Mayor City
Welcome Festival

22. MARCH
RAINBOW HUB:
Launch Party
Wendy Bird
APRIL
Health
IDAHOBIT Session
Diverse Voices
QueerFlix
MAY
Yoga Classes
QLD Aids Council

23. JUNE
MELT EVENT
Brisbane Queer Art
PWC
JULY
QUEER Chats
BBQUEER

24. SEPTEMBER
DRAMAQUEERS
Nanette + Debate
NAIDOC
LGBTQI #PrideInFriendship
AUGUST
DIVAS:
Womenpower and Dance
FAIRDAY

25. JULY RainbowHub Website #PrideInFriendship

26. AUGUST RainbowHub Website #PrideInFriendship

28. Rainbow Connections
Rainbow Connections is a social welfare program catering specifically to
LGBTQI international students.
It consists of a series of events with guest speakers from various, local
organisations and free food.
Funded by an ISWP grant (+ in-kind contribution from DE).
Semi-volunteer run.
Depends on industry collaboration.
Not a marketing / student poaching tool.

32. Past and future collaborators

33. In 72 countries same-sex relations are illegal and in
8 countries it is punishable by death.
We as educators still have important role to play in
ensuring that all LGBTQI students feel welcomed and
accepted by creating a truly inclusive environment
into this amazing country, Australia.

35. Australian Government, Department of education and training, International Student Data 2018,
https://internationaleducation.gov.au/research/International-Student-Data/Pages/InternationalStudentData2018.aspx#Pivot_Table
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British Council. n.d. Breaking the ice: addressing LGBT issues in the ESOL classroom. bit.ly/2iW1AGb
National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness. n.d. LGBTQ2S Toolkit: Terms and definitions
http://lgbtq2stoolkit.learningcommunity.ca/training/definitions-and-terms/
Seburn, T. 2013. Considerations of the LGBTQ in ELT materials. fourc.ca/considerations-of-the-lgbtq-in-elt-materials/
Seburn, T. 2017. Use of debates about LGBTQ+ in ELT materials. fourc.ca/debate-lgbtq/
Seburn, T. 2018. LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the language classroom: attitudes and considerations. TESL Ontario Contact.
contact.teslontario.org/lgbtq-inclusivity/
Settlement At Work. n.d. Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ). bit.ly/2iTtVNi
Shaw, A. 2013. Framing LGBT issues and learning outcomes: A Canadian perspective, TESL Ontario Contact.
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Thornbury, S. 1999. Window-dressing vs cross-dressing in the EFL sub-culture. Folio 5(2), 15-17.
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