Queer Nature Connection: Creating inclusive spaces for belonging
Details:
3:10 – 4:00 pm
5th of December
Room: Sports pavilion
Mel Turnbull
Trans and Gender diverse young people are 10 x more likely to report depression and anxiety disorders, attempt suicide at higher rate than the rest of the population, and live with unacceptable rates of violence, harassment, exclusion and discrimination. Affirming experiences, supportive adults, and connection with peers can all be protective, and we know that for many, nature connection can be a pathway to building resilience, wellbeing and belonging to the more than human world. We also know that many Trans and Gender Diverse young people face barriers to positive experiences in the great outdoors, these may be: financial, systemic- ie the gendered nature of camps and activity providers, and cultural: social stigma and perceived sense of safety and belonging. This workshop will be an embodied example of the spaces that we can create that can help develop more safety for trans and gender diverse young people.
In this experiential nature and community connection workshop, active participants (all genders very welcome) will experience ways of facilitating and creating connective group experiences that welcome and celebrate LGBTQIASB+ identities, where people can show up with their full selves. We will discover that nature is often all sorts of queer, and meet examples of diversity in the plant, fungi and animal worlds, well beyond what you probably learnt in biology! We will also reflect on our own connection to nature and mirroring of the natural world.
About the Presenter
Mel (they/them) is a queer, non-binary, neurodivergent human. They love weaving nature-based community connection and founded Nature Connection NFP Firekeepers and its LGBTQIA+ branch – Queer Nature Connection. Mel has worked with young people for 25 years, as a nurse, social justice mentor, outdoor educator, gardening instructor, queer leader, as well as step parent and passionate auntie/untle.
Mel is a co-creator of the Head Outside project – offering nature connection programs for trans, non-binary & gender-diverse young people (12-16), as well as their parents & service providers working with TGD young people. They are part of the Outdoor Health Australia Rainbow group, also presenting at this conference.
