The most powerful way to change hearts and minds in our culturally and linguistically diverse communities are stories from within our communities. Research has shown mainstream media and campaigns is not the main reason for people changing their minds about LGBTQ+ people; it is getting to know LGBTQ+ people in their own communities.
This is especially true for our diaspora communities, where LGBTQ+ progress is often rejected as mainstream society diluting cultural identity and values. So many queer people in our diaspora communities still don't have the safety to be their authentic selves with their families and communities. For us who have found families embrace, telling our stories together with our families, stories of belonging, family bond and cultural connection, has a special power to change hearts and minds in our cultural communities that no mainstream campaign can.
Coming out to our families and embracing a queer family member is a never a simple journey. Sharing those journeys in all their complexities really helps other families navigate theirs. We especially encourage individuals with diverse gender identities to participate in the project.
After we get to know a little about you, we will open up a dialogue with you and your family to answer any questions and address any concerns you all might have. We want to capture your family's story as a natural conversation in the languages most comfortable and natural for your family. In some cases we will also match someone from a LGBTQ+ support organisation who share your cultural background (or as close as possible) and can speak the languages that your family will converse in; they will act as the moderator for the conversation we will capture between you and your family.
However, if your family would be more comfortable capturing the conversation without a moderator present, we can have a discussion around how to do so. There is also scope for capturing the story in a way other than a conversation if that is more appropriate. Please get in touch, as long as your family affirms and embraces you and you think your story will help other families in your community.
When everyone is happy to go ahead, we will organise a date and time which everyone is available on, to capture the conversation between you and your family. The conversation is primarily shared in an audio-only podcast. And if your family is comfortable, we will also take some photos and/or video footage so that it can be used on social media and this website (note, this is not necessary; see next section on privacy concerns).
We understand not all families live in the same city and we can explore accommodating family members who might have to join the conversation remotely.
We completely understand it can feel daunting to share such personal stories publicly and different families might want to maintain different degrees of privacy for a whole range of reasons. Whilst a story would have stronger impact if real names and identifiable photos and footage can be captured, your family has the option of using alias, nicknames or relational names (mum, dad etc) and not showing your faces identifiably in the photos and footage. There may also be scope for using animation and illustrations instead of photos and videos to accompany the audio recording of your conversation (E.g. example, example ).
Before any public release, your family will be presented with the edited content for your review. And only when all the privacy concerns are addressed will you be asked to sign the permission for public release. And only then we will make the content publicly accessible.
At any point in the future, if your family's privacy concerns changes for any reason, we can remove part or all of the content from public access. We would only restore access once those concerns have passed or are addressed.
The main content will be the recorded audio of the conversation which will be made available on this website and audio streaming platforms. Along with this audio, images and short videos will be produced to be shared on social media and video streaming platforms.
In the future the content might be presented and made available in other ways e.g. exhibitions or in physical community spaces. However, your family will be notified if we intend on sharing your story in any new ways and there will be an opportunity for your family to decline sharing your story in these new contexts.