About QAGLS

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The Queensland Action Group for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex and Queer Students – QAGLS – was founded by Dr Janet Berry in 2013. Since then, it has become an active voice in issues affecting LGBTIQ+ students and their families in Queensland, meeting with politicians, policy makers, and academics, and making written and oral submissions to parliamentary inquiries at state and national level.
If you’re not sure what words to use, whether for yourself or others, you can have a look at the Queensland Human Rights Commission’s “LGBTIQ Terminology” website.

Why QAGLS?

In the past, researchers have found that Queensland schools are more homophobic than schools in other states. So, while we might all prefer to be out having fun, sometimes we need to work against the (minority of) strongly homophobic voices that are trying to create hate and distrust of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people, who are not only ‘among us’, but who are us. Some people might feel that it would be better to just keep quiet about sexual and gender identity. But having policies to support LGBTIQ+ students, and publicising those policies, makes a big difference to how students behave, and it makes a big difference to the mental health of LGBTIQ students. QAGLS bases this claim on the findings of academic research, which in turn reflect the voices and experiences of young people. Writing Themselves In 3, the third national study of the sexual health and wellbeing of same-sex attracted and gender questioning young people in Australia, concludes that 75% of students who were aware of school policies to protect them felt safe, as compared to 46% who said their school had no such policies (pp 82-83). (An example of such a policy, from South Australia, is here.)

QAGLS was formed to argue for:

1. The development and implementation of policies that transparently and effectively support LGBTIQ+ students in all Queensland schools;
3. The development and implementation of mandatory training on LGBTIQ+ issues for all senior Departmental staff, and staff at school and regional level, particularly those who deal with bullying;
2. The development and ongoing support of services and systems to support LGBTIQ+ youth in Queensland, available within and external to educational institutions.
4.The conduct of effective and disinterested research into LGBTIQ+ experiences of students, educational personnel and allies, and the promotion and implementation of the findings of that research.
Do you need more information?

Have you a story to tell?

Would you like to help create change?

contact our Convenor, Dr Leigh Dale via email: QAGLS@protonmail.com

or head to our Contact Us page.