Alli Toby (she/her) manages Koorie Pride Victoria, established with Victorian Government funding. Koorie Pride Victoria is building the visibility, strength and connection for ‘Rainbow Mob’ – the Aboriginal LGBTIQA+ people, sistergirls and brotherboys across all of Victoria.
LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal Victorians have seen a lack of diversity in LGBTIQA+ leadership for decades. They describe the disruption of Aboriginal knowledge of sexuality and gender as a result of colonisation. This disruption has – at times – perpetuated the violence, racism, classism and discrimination against LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal people in social settings and places. This means the full cultural spectrum of their identities is excluded.
‘We are rarely included in the planning of queer events. And when we are included, we are relegated to perform the acknowledgement of country, but nothing else.’
Alli Toby
As Alli explains, LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal Victorians feel excluded from decision-making processes in the design of LGBTIQA+ events and spaces. Being viewed as a ‘token’ and undesirable for leadership limits opportunities to be seen as legitimate curators and contributors to LGBTIQA+ life. It also means that LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal Victorians often feel these spaces are designed based on race and culture and not a shared queerness.
‘Sometimes being an Aboriginal queer lesbian in queer leadership is tough. It’s a constant battle between discrimination based on my Aboriginality and misogyny because I am a strong woman.’
Alli Toby
Central to Alli’s idea of a ‘safe space’ is the ability to socialise in settings with non-Aboriginal LGBTIQA+ people and express her Aboriginal identity and culture without racial discrimination. Alli wants to socialise with non-LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal people and communities and express her LGBTIQA+ identity and culture without homophobic discrimination.
Definitions
Brotherboy and sistergirl Aboriginal communities use these terms to describe transgender people and their relationships as a way of validating and strengthening their gender identities and relationships. Non-trans but non-conforming Aboriginal people may also use these terms. For example, both lesbian and heterosexual Aboriginal women may refer to themselves as ‘sistergirls’, ‘sisters’ or ‘tiddas’, which is an Aboriginal English term for the word ‘sisters’. Gay Aboriginal men may also refer to themselves as sisters.
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