3 minute read
On Community, Safe Spaces, and Art: The QUT Guild Queer Lounge
WRITTEN BY EMILY READMAN
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The QUT Guild Queer Lounge was refurbished in 2020, and is now becoming a safe space for more students as COVID-19 restrictions ease. Glass sat down with three of the people involved in this upgrade of the space and the community that has formed around it.
What is the Queer Collective and what does it stand for?
The Queer Collective is a group on campus that brings together LGBT+ students from QUT, giving us a place to spend time with others just like us. It can be hard knowing what to do with yourself when you come to university, particularly for people who’ve moved from a place where they were the only queer person they knew. The Collective provides a place where we can really find our roots in our community and connect with others around us.
How has the reception been for the refurbished Queer Room so far, and what are your hopes for the space in 2021?
The new Queer Lounge has gone down a treat! It’s such a welcoming space, and it’s already proven to be a brilliant atmosphere whether having a study day or hanging out and having fun with other queer people. I’d love to see more people finding a home in the Queer Lounge in 2021, and hopefully as the handling of COVID-19 improves we’ll see the Queer Lounge become a comfortable hub for our community.
Samuel Leighton-Dore: Queer Room Muralist
What does it mean to you to have your art on the walls of a safe space for QUT students?
I didn’t have a lot of queer specific safe spaces growing up, so the fact that they exist represents how far we’ve come in such a short period of time. To be able to lend my work to making the QUT space feel warm and welcoming for all members of the LGBTIQ+ community is a particularly special thing for me.
What considerations went through your mind when making the mural?
I had to be mindful of making a work that people could see themselves in, which meant not being too specific with my characterisations and leaving room for the imagination. That’s part of the reason behind choosing to do line work, rather than full colour, and creating a bit of a fantastical, nonsensical landscape that (hopefully) everyone feels welcome to inhabit.
Amy Sargeant: QUT Guild Queer Officer
What does the existence of dedicated queer safe-spaces on campus represent for LGBTQIA+ students?
Yeah, good question. The common (and worn out) joke is “Well where’s the straight room?”. The reality is that as queer people, we don’t feel safe in all spaces at all times - because of our choice to live as our authentic selves. The reality too is that our openness as a minority means communal safe spaces are necessary, important resources to foster relationships, hold events and embrace our queer identities. Our queer rooms are spaces where students can be unapologetically queer without fear of retribution or judgement.
Beyond the Guild queer spaces, what other avenues are available to LGBTQIA+ QUT students to help them find community at university?
Our QUT Guild Queer Collective is thriving right now - as far as I’m concerned, any queer student who hasn’t gotten involved yet is missing out! We’ve got so much planned for all facets of our community in 2021. You can find us on Facebook at QUT Guild Queer Collective.
Since these interviews took place, the QUT Guild has officially opened a dedicated Queer space at the Garden’s Point campus, with a Women’s soon to follow. The Garden’s Point Queer Space can be found at X-204, and the new Women’s Space will be coming soon right next door.
This article was originally published in Issue 11, Reset
