Indigenous EMCR Funded Award Recipient - Spotlight

Associate Professor Corrinne Sullivan

Exploring the sexual health and wellbeing needs of Indigenous women who are lesbian, queer and/or trans.

“Indigenous gender/sexuality diverse women are rarely included in scholarly literature. Resulting in their sexual health and wellbeing needs, wants and aspirations being completely overlooked. Receiving this award has provided me an opportunity to begin this important project. I will use the findings propagated from this study to inform and educate service providers.”

This project will explore the sexual health/wellbeing needs of Indigenous sexuality/gender diverse women. Indigenous gender and/or sexuality diverse women are at high risk of being discriminated against or unaccounted for in sexual health and wellbeing provision. Predominantly sexual health and wellbeing and health education have been framed by non-Indigenous understandings of gender/sexuality diversity that are based on eurocentric binary, cisnormative and heteronormative values. This project will explore Indigenous sexuality/gender diverse women's needs and aspirations in relation to sexual health and wellbeing  and advocate for their recognition, respect and support within healthcare provision.  The project aims to understand the lived experiences of sexuality/gender diverse Indigenous women to inform important educative tools for service providers to assist them to deliver culturally appropriate services and/or supports. The education of service providers will ensure better sexual health outcomes for Indigenous gender/sexuality diverse women.

Corrinne is an Aboriginal scholar from the Wiradjuri Nation in Central-West New South Wales. Corrinne is a Professor of human geography with a specialisation in Indigenous studies. Her research seeks to understand the ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples negotiate their social, cultural, and political identities in relation to place-based and spatial dynamics. Her current projects focus on: Indigenous LGBTIQ+ people’s social and emotional wellbeing; Indigenous peoples and urban spaces; Indigenous communities and organisations; Indigenous education; and gender and sexuality studies. The key objective of her research agenda is meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities and organisations to develop appropriate and impactful resourcing that can contribute toward building safe, inclusive and sustainable communities.