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A focus on resilience for IDAHOBIT

Career | Published on 20 May 2021
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This week, we joined workplaces, schools and organisations around the world to celebrate IDAHOBIT.

No matter who you are and how you identify, at nbn, our aim is for everyone to feel safe and comfortable to bring their true and authentic selves to work.

This week, nbn proudly joined workplaces, schools and organisations around the world to celebrate International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).

About IDAHOBIT

A globally recognised and supported day of significance, IDAHOBIT aims to draw attention to the discrimination experienced by LGBTQIA+ people.

Celebrated every year on 17 May, the date marks the moment in time when, in 1990, the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems.

IDAHOBIT offers a valuable opportunity each year to reflect on how far the world has come since then – and the work that still needs to be done.
IDAHOBIT offers a valuable opportunity each year to reflect on how far the world has come since then – and the work that still needs to be done.
Brad Whitcomb, Chief Customer Officer and Executive Sponsor of the Pride Committee at nbn

A focus on resilience

While our IDAHOBIT celebrations last year focused on coming together remotely in the face of COVID-19, this year’s IDAHOBIT theme at nbn is: resilience.

The LGBTQIA+ community is all too familiar with the need for resiliency, yet it’s a skill important for every one of us to master.

So, to help our employees celebrate IDAHOBIT, and develop their skills around resiliency, nbn is this week hosting a range of inspiring activities in-person and online.

These include:

  • A conversation with Dr Clara Tuck Meng Soo and Josh Feeney

During the highly anticipated webinar, nbn employees heard from Dr Clara Tuck Meng Soo and Josh Feeney.

With a long history of providing accessible healthcare to some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised populations in Canberra, Dr Soo was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2016 for her services to the community as a medical practitioner. She would later give this back in protest of Margaret Court’s statements toward the LGBTQIA+ community.

Founder of community group, My People My Tribe, Josh’s important work centres on elevating queer voices and increasing the visibility of LGBTQIA+ people. This includes speaking at Queer Thinking, producing the Beyond the Mirror Ball documentary, and his latest venture, Tribe Wellness, which focuses on LGBTQIA+ mental health.

nbn drag queen Geordie Sparkles – also known as John Estell, the lead for nbn’s Ally Network
  • Virtual bingo hosted by nbn drag queen Geordie Sparkles – also known as John Estell, the lead for nbn’s Ally Network – and Chakra D’Lacqua from Accenture’s Pride committee.
  • A ‘Show Your Pride’ photo competition – we’ve asked employees to wear rainbow and submit their photos to the dedicated Pride@nbn Workplace page to show their IDAHOBIT support.
Plus, we are sharing a series of valuable resources with our employees including how to be an LGBTQIA+ ally, and the best way to be supportive when a friend or child comes out to you.

LGBTQIA+ Pride at nbn

At nbn, we’re tremendously proud of the work being done by our active and growing network, Pride@nbn, including the work carried out to update our Gender Affirmation Leave policy, which offers 20 days paid leave above and beyond annual and personal leave.


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