Monash launches LGBTIQA+ Action Plan at Active Pride event
Published on 30 March 2023
On Saturday 25 March 2023, Monash Council formally launched its inaugural LGBTIQA+ Action Plan (the Plan), strengthening Council’s commitment to LGBTIQA+ inclusion and support.
Endorsed in November 2022, the Plan sets out clear actions and priorities that will guide Council’s response to the experiences and needs of LGBTIQA+ communities in Monash.
The Plan was launched at the annual community Pride event run by Active Monash, aimed at promoting accessible physical activity for the LGBTIQA+ community and their allies.
This year’s Active Monash Pride event, named Active Pride, saw Oakleigh Recreation Centre open its doors from 3pm to 6pm on Saturday 25 March, with a program of activities that included group fitness classes, training tutorials, craft workshops and a boosting bike confidence session. Community members were invited to celebrate the diverse LGBTIQA+ communities in the City of Monash and to experience Active Monash’s facilities in a friendly and inclusive environment.
Monash Mayor, Cr Tina Samardzija, was delighted to launch the LGBTIQA+ Action Plan with Councillor Stuart James, Chair of Monash’s LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee, and fellow committee member, Deputy Mayor Nicky Luo.
“Active Pride and the LGBTIQA+ Action Plan both represent Council’s significant commitment to strengthening inclusion and belonging in the City of Monash.
“Today’s event embodies the Plan’s vision, and I look forward to seeing the Plan’s actions unfold in the future.
“Everyone in our community deserves to have full and equal participation in community life. It’s central to the health and wellbeing of our community, and it’s central to our Action Plan.
“At the core of Active Pride and our Action Plan is a desire to create welcoming facilities so that LGBTIQA+ people can proudly call Monash home. I was delighted to be part of this alongside our community and my fellow Councillors Deputy Mayor Nicky Luo and Cr Stuart James.
“LGBTIQA+ communities deserve to have full and equal participation in community life, and opportunities such as Active Pride ensure that everyone feels invited to participate in Council programs at their own pace and in their own way,” said Cr Samardzija.
You can read more about the LGBTIQA+ Action Plan and its community consultation process on the Monash Council website.
Not sure what LGBTIQA+ stands for? At Monash we use LGBTIQA+ for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning and asexual. The plus sign acknowledges that language may evolve in how we describe the diverse ways in which people can experience gender, sexuality, and sex characteristics.
Media contact: Sean Ross, Manager Communications and Media: 0408 828 876 or sean.ross@monash.vic.gov.au