Recipients for round one of 2021
Soul Sisters is a project that has successfully created a safe space for the lesbian community in Melbourne to connect and create new friendships. By providing a supportive network, especially for those who are newly out. Through establishing a space to meet outside of the clubbing scene where women can sharing experiences and stories that allow and empower participants to connect at a deeper level. Soul Sisters will use the Lesbians Inc grant to continue growing their MeetUp network for culturally diverse lesbians of all age groups in the Melbourne community.
Lesbians Afloat received a grant from Lesbians Inc to support their recreation events for lesbians in theNorthern Rivers area of NSW.As a part of Queer Family Northern Rivers, this project aims to improve access to the community and support for regional lesbians through engaging them in water-based activities. Lesbians Afloat will provide an avenue for lesbians to meet, socialise, network, and receive support from other lesbians. The activities will also be healthy (physically and mentally), family-friendly, wholesome fun. This project will provide a space for lesbians to feel more connected to their community, have support, feel less alone, where they can be visible and validated.
The Lesbian Caucus Presents “Women on the Green”
Women On The Green is presented by The Lesbian Caucus, with support from Tropical Fruits. The grant they received from Lesbians Incorporated will help support their Women on the Green event. The picnic will be hosted on the Tropical Fruits Club Green. It is an all-women event that is kid and dog friendly with live performances. There will be games, prizes and they aim to be a Zero waste event.
Shuttle Swingers Womens Badminton Tournament
Shuttle Swingers is a Women’s Badminton Club for LGBTIQ & Allies. The club grew out of the need to provide the women and specifically lesbian community with access to a friendly sporting and social space amid mostly male-dominated sporting clubs. They are all about increasing female participation and skills in badminton. Providing a space for beginner, intermediate or advanced players, Shuttle Swingers welcome and support all levels.
Shuttle Swingers received a Lesbians Inc grant to host a special women-only badminton tournament using the Compass format. The Shuttle Swingers tournament provides an opportunity for the lesbian community to connect, access, and participate in the sport of badminton. Participating in group sports builds self-confidence, promotes physical activity, develops a social network, and benefits mental health.
In keeping the competition colourful and lively, Shuttle Swingers will have rainbow flags on the nets, half-time entertainment, lucky door prizes, trophy and medal presentation, lunch boxes, potential badminton shirts, and more.
Annaliese Constable is a comedian who has worked within the LGBTQ community. As a queer, Aboriginal cis woman with a disability, her comedy style is based on storytelling and is very informative. The work she has done has given her further insight into the common experiences that LGBTQ people share.
Annaliese’s work explores themes of mental health, addiction, queer sexualities, relationships, racism, sexism, disability, and homophobia by sharing my personal experiences. By using her sense of humour and vulnerability to connect around topics traditionally shrouded in stigma.
The money received from LInc will help Annaliese continue to perform and provide tickets for her performances to improve access for anyone who cannot afford a ticket. Annaliese routinely has offered free entry to LGBTQ+ people with chronic illness, disability, and/or Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander community members who might not feel included in these spaces. She believes everyone should have the opportunity to attend arts events.
The Kiama Illawarra Pride Choir is a community choir with a professional attitude and a caring ethos. The choir is open to all LGBTQ+ community members and their allies. Kiama Illawarra Pride Choir will be using the grant from Lesbians Incorporated to invite and include all age ranges and cultures to come along and enjoy singing with them.
One of the core values of the choir is acceptance, diversity, and inclusion. Through their community and local media, they will specifically invite young people and people from CALD and ATSI communities to engage and join the choir.
The Kiama Illawarra Pride Choir aims to provide a welcoming and safe space. An environment where respecting all individuals regardless of physical ability, sexual preference, or cultural background will be the norm.
The choir works at building individual musical skills of all its members while providing unique experiences that bring the joy of music to its members and community. The rehearsal and performance spaces are accessible to facilitate members of all abilities.
OutStanding LGBTIQ Short Story Competition
A Lesbians Incorporated grant has been awarded to OutStanding LGBTIQ Short Story Competition. This organisation is a non-profit community group supporting writers in the LGBTIQ community across Australia. A small committee has been running the competition now for about 10 years, they have a wide following, enthusiastic participation, and run 2 competitions each year.
The grant money will go towards managing the yearly competition for Queer writers. Each year a theme is set for a 750-word story, judged by our committee members, prizes given, and stories published on their website. OutStanding is an ongoing project and our website is also an archive. All winning stories, as well as the judge’s reports back going back to 2012 can be read on the website, as well as current instructions for this year. This year the annual LGBTIQA+ Short Story Competition will be running June- Sept 2021.
Social Lesbians in Melbourne welcome all LGBTIQ women and their women allies to their events. By providing safe, accessible spaces for everyone attending to discuss topics important to their communities to build trust and engagement. Any advertising to include a wide range of images and making information clear and easy to understand for everyone. Social Lesbians value diversity and engages everyone in decision-making where applicable.
Ensuring that all women are welcomed into the community group, they aim to connect women by conversation starters through fun games. Vary fun activities that may take place within the group to ensure all participate. Members are asked where they would like to meet and make suggestions for future activities for the group. Including cultural and religious dietary requirements and preferences when making group choices for social dinners.
The LInc grant will help support these social outings that promote teamwork, participation, and confidence-building. It connects women that otherwise would not meet while learning new skills to overcome social shyness with a sense of achievement. Kindness, respect, and dignity are highly valued and demonstrated in Social Lesbians of Melbourne MeetUps.
“La La Land”: Wellbeing Workshop Series for Mandarin-speaking LBT Women – 澳紐彩盟 ANTRA
“La-La” refers to “拉拉”, a colloquial term in Mandarin that refers to the same-sex attracted women that is widely used in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore.
The LInc grant was awarded to support their project that consists of two in-person workshops to be conducted in Mandarin to promote mental and sexual wellbeing in Mandarin-speaking LBT Women in the community. With the goal to foster community awareness and growth amongst Mandarin-speaking LGBTQIA+ self-identifying people.
The workshops will be conducted in Mandarin, which makes the educational material and resources much more accessible to Mandarin-speaking LBT women who are not completely confident in English. With the LInc grant, the LBT members can access the workshops free of charge, which makes the events accessible and inclusive to financially disadvantaged members. The workshops will also be broadcasted online so that members in remote locations who are unable to attend can still access the event virtually.
OUTdance, is based in WA, and holds weekly dance classes and stages various social events for LGBTIQ+ community. Following a successful trial of a Sunday afternoon T- Dance in February, they are looking to host 2 further T-dances in June and November 2021. With the support from the Lesbians Incorporated grant, The T-Dance will be a free event for the community, run from 3-6pm with afternoon tea provided.
OUTdance is aware that there are limited opportunities for LGBTIQ+ elders to meet and socialise. The T- Dance afternoon provides an opportunity for elder community members to come along, catch up with friends, make new friends, listen to music and have some fun.
Pink Light Disco is an LGBTIQ+ dance that will celebrate diversity and inclusion on the far south coast of Australia. The event will be produced by Bega Pride. Held on October 2nd, 2021, and will run from 7.30 pm – 12 am at Bega Country Club.
The grant they received from LInc with support production and advertising costs. Bega Pride has booked Sydney DJ Ruby Red to pump out her famous mix of disco classics, gay anthems, and contemporary dance favourites. They are encouraging participants to dress up in ‘uniform’. We are exploring queer local talent for a drag show.
The event will be promoted with community consultation through multiple mediums to ensure a broad level of community awareness (Bega Pride FaceBook page and other social media, flyer distribution, media release in local paper and local radio stations).
The Sydney Women’s Baseball League (SWBL) is back in 2021, with the grant from Lesbian Inc., they will get new equipment for a COVID-safe baseball season for lesbian women and allies in Sydney. Established in 1995, SWBL is a social and inclusive baseball competition. We encourage all skill levels; welcome trans, gender diverse, and intersex players; and host a range of community social events throughout the year.
SWBL’s mission is to provide an inclusive, affordable and safe space for our members to be part of a women’s community baseball competition. Importantly SWBL also facilitates the opportunity for our diverse community to improve their health and well-being and to be part of a wonderful, supportive network.