Diversity and Safety on Campus @ Western

Sexuality and gender diverse (hereafter SGD) people are increasingly visible in Australian society. Despite this fact, systemic, institutional and interpersonal heterosexist and cissexist discrimination prevails and is enacted in overt and covert ways. University campuses are not immune to these external conditions and may be complicit in creating unfriendly or even hostile environments for SGD students and staff learning and working in these institutions. Yet, to date, there is no research that comprehensively examines the campus climate for SGD people at Australian universities. The findings outlined in this report demonstrate that although many students and staff are content studying and working at Western, heterosexist and cissexist exclusion is experienced by both students and staff. The findings suggest that addressing these forms of discrimination across Western’s campuses is required to create a more inclusive, open environment; this would be of benefit to SGD students and staff, and by extension, the University.