New research led by Western Sydney University has explored how to make public spaces more inclusive for LGBTIQ+ individuals, families, and communities. The report 'Queering Cities in Australia' discusses how local government areas in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane could make public spaces more inclusive through urban policy and practice.
Led by Western Sydney University's Professor Andrew Gorman-Murray, School of Social Sciences, in conjunction with University of Technology Sydney, University of NSW, Maridulu Budyari Gumal – Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise and ARUP, the report reviewed the current local government strategies and policies to see how they accommodated the LGBTIQ+ people living and working in those areas.
The report found that very few councils have stakeholder engagement with the LGBTIQ+ community within their local government areas (LGAs) to discuss the way spaces are currently used by not only individuals and families but also community groups and businesses.
It also noted that while many councils have identified the need for more inclusive and accessible spaces, inner city councils are more proactive in affirming and usualising LGBTIQ+ communities, including by adding visual cues such as rainbow flags and creating rainbow crossings.
Professor Gorman-Murray says the research shows that LGAs that have the strongest representations of LGBTIQ+ communities are more adept at these proactive measures.
"LGAs in Sydney's inner west form part of the most engaged areas within greater Sydney with only nine LGAs having targeted LGBTIQ+ stakeholder engagement events. These inner west council areas have well known LGBTIQ+ villages that are common within larger populations," said Professor Gorman-Murray.
"Many members of the LGBTIQ+ community remain invisible, with little to no recognition in many suburban LGAs. This means that their needs are not being considered within council planning and their voices are being ignored."
The 'Queering Cities in Australia' report also suggests that there are several things LGAs can do to boost the way the needs of LGBTIQ+ communities are met within their borders. From updating their language and training to allow for inclusive language and practices, to creating LGBTIQ+ advisory committees, designed to provide advice and support on decisions made by councils in relation to members of the LGBTIQ+ community, finding that councils with LBGITQ + advisory committees are more likely to meet the inclusion criteria set out in the report.
The next step for the research, is to take the recommendations from the report and host a number of workshops to be conducted with LGBTIQ+ communities, policy makers and public space planners to develop a consultative framework.
You can read the full report on the ARUP website.
