Raising the flag

LaTrobe University is turning rainbow this week as part of its inaugural Pride Week festival.

The university – well know for its support of queer students – will fly a rainbow flag over the Bundoora campus for the first time.

The three-day festival, which started today, included a live broadcast from Melbourne LGBTI radio station JOY 94.9, roving circus performers, a BBQ and stalls by a number of queer and queer-friendly social and sporting organisations.

On Thursday a nature vs. nurture debate will be held at 12.30pm in the Agora Theatre on the Bundoora campus.

LaTrobe queer counsellor Devorah Wynn said the event aims to increase the visibility of queer staff and students.

“We developed the queer program in response to recent research from La Trobe’s Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society and beyondblue around the mental health of young people within the GLBTIQ community,” Wynn said.

“This research has concluded that 75 per cent of same-sex attracted young people have experienced some form of homophobic abuse.”

The university has a queer counselling and queer chat service which are part of the university-wide gay/straight ALLY network.

“Part of what we do is run a weekly group for students who are questioning their sexuality, and/or who are feeling isolated or vulnerable because of their sexuality,” she said.