Conference focuses on gender and sexuality in rural and regional Australia

Gender and Sexuality in Rural and Regional Australia is the theme for the CoastOut Conference to be held at Southern Cross University's Coffs Harbour campus on Friday, October 28, as part of the CoastOut Festival.

The Festival began in 2010 with the Conference being held for the first time this year.

Speakers on a range of topics will be followed by an afternoon question and answer session with a group of 10 panelists taking questions from the floor. Academics from disciplines of health, psychology, cultural studies and law will discuss gender, sexuality and transgender issues related to isolation, best health practices and law reform.

Associate Professor Baden Offord, from the School of Arts and Social Sciences and co-director of the Centre for Peace and Social Justice at Southern Cross University, said it was important to have discussions in rural Australia about gender and sexuality.

“There are many specific challenges for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LBGT) people in rural and regional areas where it can be very difficult to find safe social spaces for example,” Professor Offord said.

“Cities offer greater access to communities of diverse sexualities and genders, whereas in rural areas it can be really hard to be yourself and isolation can become a big problem. The CoastOut Conference provides a valuable forum in which challenges and opportunities can be highlighted for LGBT people in rural areas as well as for the wider community.”

Professor Offord, who is widely published through research related to questions of identity, justice, sexuality and human rights, will be speaking at the conference about the changes that have occurred for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people over the last 40 years both from a national and international perspective.

“In Australia we are seeing a complete cultural and social shift in support for LGBT people, and recognition that they should not be second class citizens. It’s now up to the political systems in Australia to catch up," Professor Offord said.

The other speakers on the day will be:

Rodney Croome, a spokesperson for the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group; Daniel Witthaus, who developed the Pride and Prejudice educational package and trains young people, teachers and health professionals; Heather Mckinnon, a Law Society NSW Accredited Specialist in Family Law and the Practice Group Leader, Family Law, Slater & Gordon, Coffs Harbour; Jenny Heslop, who has been involved and worked in the field of HIV, sexual health, HCV and harm reduction for the past 22 years; and Associate Professor Rick van der Zwan, a psychology lecturer at Southern Cross University.

The CoastOut Conference is being held at Southern Cross University’s Coffs Harbour campus on Friday, October 28, in the D Block lecture theatre, from 9am to 5pm.

Photo: Associate Professor Baden Offord will be one of the guest speakers at the CoastOut Conference on Friday.