Section 5 - LGBTIQ+ and Gender Diversity
LGBTIQ+ and Gender Inclusion and Diversity
*special thanks to Loey Matthews, our Diversity guru, and experienced leader, for writing most of this section
EYCZ started as a women only adventure group, but we quickly came to understand that trans gender and non-binary people are historically left out, and not made to feel safe in most adventure groups. So if we are a non judgemental, supportive group already, why can’t we use that to support those who feel like they don’t have a place to belong. We are a caring bunch, it takes nothing to extend that care out to those that need it!
Its really important that we consider gender identity when we are thinking about how to make Escaping your Comfort Zone an inclusive place. Trans women and non-binary individuals often experience poor body image, over and above the experiences of cisgender women. Mental health is often impacted by stigma, so if we work not just to avoid causing it, but work against it, we will be opening our group to people who really need it.
The clear majority of our members are white, middle class, cisgender, heterosexual women. Does that need to change? Why?
When leading a hike, its very common to assume that everyone is a cisgender, heterosexual woman. However, you might be surprised to find out who is LGBTIQ+!
Just because you haven’t experienced a feeling or sensation, doesn’t mean that feeling or sensation is invalid. I’ll never know what its like to climb Mt Everest, for example, but I can listen to the experiences of the people who have been there!
Language matters
Small changes in the way you express yourself can have huge impacts on the way people perceive you. A lot of the time the way we express ourselves is automatic – we operate within the world that is set up for the majority, and may not see how those words can impact others.
One of the best ways to ensure that EYCZ is an inclusive environment is to think about what we say, and the way we say it. Avoiding assumptions that everyone is straight, or that everyone is cisgender, is a very good way to start.
A great start is to start using non-gender specific greetings. Instead of using "Hi ladies/girls/chicks/guys", us "hi Crew/Folks/Team/Participants/Escapees" or even just "Hi/Hey/Hellooooo!"
Use appropriate language
Avoid commentary that is discriminatory or upsetting to queer people, even if you don’t think there are any queer people present. This goes for discussion by other people on hikes – if someone says something that is inappropriate, use your leadership to let them know that kind of language is unacceptable for us.•
It is important to remember that you should only refer to people's sexual orientation or gender identity with the appropriate terms. While you might hear women referring to themselves as “dykes”, that doesn’t mean its OK for you to do so.
Using the word 'gay' to refer to negative situations is offensive and unacceptable.
Avoid heteronormativity/heterosexism
• Avoid using language which assumes all relationships are heterosexual, as this denies the experiences of same sex couples. Don’t assume the gender of someone’s partner – use gender neutral pronouns and terminology when it hasn’t been made clear. LGBTIA people often scrutinise this kind of language to assess how safe it is to be open about their sexual orientation.
• Something heterosexual women tend to joke about when talking about relationships is something along the lines of “If this one doesn’t work out, I’m becoming a lesbian”. While its generally made in good humour the problem with language like this is that it assumes that relationships with women cannot be dysfunctional, and that a relationship with a woman or non-binary person is also considered to be “less than” a relationship with a man.
• Avoid the use of the term “girlfriends” when talking about friends, rather than romantic partners
Avoid mis gendering
• Mis gendering is using language to refer to a person that is not aligned with how that person identifies their own gender or body. Most but not all intersex and trans people who identify as female prefer to be referred to as 'she'. Some people prefer to be described with their first name only or a non-binary pronoun such as 'they' rather than a gendered pronoun.
• If you are unsure, you can ask someone directly what their preferred pronoun is in a respectful manner. Where possible, check privately to reduce discomfort. If you do make a mistake, apologise promptly and move on, it will likely make the person feel more uncomfortable if you dwell on the mistake. Try to avoid making the same mistake again.
Avoid offensive questions
• Most people would find it inappropriate to be asked questions about their genitals or breasts. It is therefore not appropriate to ask questions about whether a trans person has had surgery, hormone treatment or any other kind of personal medical information.
• Avoid asking questions about the nature of their personal relationships. Asking “who is the man” in the relationship is actually pretty offensive, as the whole point of being in a homosexual relationship is that no one is the man!
• In women-centred spaces, there has historically been exclusion of trans women and non-binary people. This means that we need to be explicit in our welcome, and when we do, we make this space a great place for everyone, not just for cisgender women.
The good news is, that when we actively work to make EYCZ a welcoming place for all, we are actually ensuring that people who need us the most know how to find us!
We also recognise for many of our leaders, these are new concepts. We don’t expect you to know it all, and be perfect from the start. However we do ask that you get familiar with Inclusion and Diversity, and start practicing it where you can. None of us are perfect, but we can all be better, more empathetic people.
Some Definitions
Sexual orientation, sex and gender identity are all separate concepts
• Sexual orientation is used to describe a person's romantic and/or sexual attraction
• Sex refers to a person's biological characteristics. A person's sex is usually described as either male or female. The designation of a person as either male or female based on their biological characteristics takes into account their chromosomes, genitals, hormones and neurobiology. Some people have both male and female characteristics, or neither male nor female characteristics
• Gender identity refers to the way in which a person understands, identifies or expresses their masculine or feminine characteristics within a particular sociocultural context
• When wanting to make EYCZ an inclusive place for people regardless of sexual orientation, sex or gender identity, we need to be careful with our assumptions and our language, as these often communicate more than we want them to!
Further Info on Gender Identity:
Gender identity refers to the way in which a person understands, identifies or expresses their masculine or feminine characteristics within a particular social and cultural context. This can include people who present in ways outside their own gender, have a different gender than the one assigned at birth, or do not consider themselves to have a gender at all.
Definitions
Trans or Transgender - This refers to a person whose gender identity, gender expression or behaviour does not align with their sex assigned at birth. A person classified as male at birth who identifies as a woman may use the label trans, transwoman or woman.
Cis or Cisgender – This refers to a person whose gender identity, gender expression or behaviour does align with their sex assigned at birth
Gender diverse and non-binary - This refers to people who do not identify as a woman or a man. In the same way that sexual orientation and gender expression are not binaries, gender identity is not a binary either. Gender diverse and non-binary individuals are welcome at Escaping your Comfort Zone.
Some people may identify as agender (having no gender), bigender (both a woman and a man) or non-binary (neither woman nor man). There is a diverse range of non-binary gender identities such as genderqueer, gender neutral, genderfluid and third gendered.
For some more info check out these links
Escaping your comfort zone blog:
Victorian Government Inclusive Language guide as a resource - https://www.vic.gov.au/inclusive-language-guide
Information and statistics on the experiences of LGBTI Australians - https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/face-facts-lesbian-gay-bisexual-trans-and-intersex-people
This is an incredibly detailed resource list, if you have any areas of curiosity, this is a good place to start -https://www.twenty10.org.au/resource-library/