Category: Advocacy
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I Can Take a Joke. This Just Isn’t One: A Super Progressive Movie
By Staff Writers / 2 February 2026 Source: IMDB/Image Supplied Offensive or all for laughs? Proud trans woman Michelle Sheppard watched Pauline Hanson’s A Super Progressive Movie so you don’t have to. Written by Michelle Sheppard I can take a joke. I’ve always been able to. I grew up on comedies where nothing was sacred, and…
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Welcome to The Changing Room
There’s something symbolic about a changing room. It’s a space where we pause. Where we catch a glimpse of ourselves—sometimes in fluorescent lighting, sometimes through the fog of our own self-criticism. It’s a space where we shed layers, both physical and emotional. And often, it’s where we learn to sit…
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100 Women in Operations: Michelle Sheppard, Inclusion and Diversity Senior Advisor, The Department of Transport and Planning
Today, Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), an annual event held that celebrates the lives, contributions, and resilience of transgender and gender-diverse people around the world, is the perfect day to spotlight Michelle Sheppard — affectionately known as “Mama Mish” — as one of NAWO’s 100 Women in Operations! 🎤 Michelle…
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LGBTQIA+ Women come together at the VPC ahead of International Womens Day
By Dean Arcuri / 8 March 2025 Source: Facebook Earlier this week the Victorian Pride Centre hosted an International Women’s Day event uniting and connecting LGBTQIA+ women. International Women’s Day on the 8th of March is a day to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness about the issues they continue to face. Ahead…
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Understanding the Evolution of IDAHOBIT Day (May 17)
We often mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination, and Transphobia (#IDAHOBIT) by adding it to our calendar of events, enjoying cupcakes, and raising flags. But how well do we understand the significance of this day and its evolution? The roots of IDAHOBIT can be traced back to…
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How Michelle Sheppard is Championing DEI Activism and Advocating Gender Equality
by Shalini Maganathan Apr 4th 20247 mins In a world that has yet to reach gender equality and an equitable society, there are those who rise above the barriers and champion the cause with unwavering dedication. One such remarkable individual is trans activist Michelle Sheppard. Michelle Sheppard, best known as “Mama…
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Victorian Honour Roll of Women 2023
This program celebrates the outstanding contributions made by Victorian women and acknowledges the many ways they’ve made lasting contributions to Victoria. Filter inductees by name, category or field of expertise. Twenty-two new Victorian Honour Roll of Women inductees were announced and celebrated at a ceremony at the Arts Centre Melbourne…
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What is ‘rainbow-washing’? And how can you avoid it?
By Kate Neilson (19 September, 2023) In order to create a truly inclusive culture for LGBTQIA+ employees, organisations need to ensure their efforts don’t stray into rainbow-washing. Two DEI experts explain some common pitfalls that HR should avoid. Think back to the Pride Month events that took place in Sydney earlier…
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Trans Model And Partner Announce Pregnancy
International News Star Observer JournalistsJune 1, 2020 Image: Photo from Instagram (@dannasultana) There is nothing more beautiful than bringing a child into the world, even more so for a couple who have experienced hurdles getting there. This has been more challenging for Danna Saltana and husband Esteban Landrau, whom both happen to be trans. Mr Landrau is eight months pregnant with…
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Side-swipe: the challenges of online dating while trans
“Honestly, it would be quicker to list the months I where I haven’t been banned”. Source: Supplied In March, Portland woman Ariel Hawkins received an email from dating app Tinder, which read, “Your Tinder profile has violated our terms of service. Your account has been deleted.” Hawkins couldn’t recall breaking any…
