Proud queer Ballardong Noongar Yorga and Curtin graduate Kass Boladeras is passionate about making lasting change for young LGBTIQA+ people like herself.
As a committee member at the Youth Pride Network (YPN), Kass is driven to create positive opportunities and advocate for the queer youth of today and tomorrow, particularly Indigenous and incarcerated LGBTIQA+ people.
Kass also works as the Marketing & Operations Manager at Winyama, an Indigenous-owned and operated geospatial and cloud consultancy striving to close the digital divide for First Nations Australia by empowering organizations with the technology skills to care for Country and Mob.
This Pride Month, Kass shares why Indigenous representation in the LGBTIQA+ community is so important and some of her top tips for becoming a better ally.
Why did you decide to become a Youth Pride Network Committee Member?
I’ve known for a long time that I was pansexual. After leaving the health sector in 2021, I was determined to find another way to contribute to communities through driving social and economic change.
When I came across the work of the YPN, it was a no-brainer – I knew I wanted to be part of it. Luckily, they were recruiting at the time. With a sense of urgency, as I was nearing the age limit requirements, I filled out an extensive application outlining my aspirations for justice reform, education, and healthcare improvements, with the hope of contributing as much as possible in my role as a Committee Member.
My goal is to provide opportunities and advocate for the queer youth of today and tomorrow, ensuring that the disadvantages and heartache experienced by myself and my peers in our younger years become a thing of the past.
What does your work involve at the Youth Pride Network?
As a committee member at YPN, I collaborate with LGBTIQA+ youth to contribute and provide input on the advocacy efforts of the organisation.
We aim to ensure that LGBTIQA+ young people are included, accepted, and celebrated by their communities. The committee’s work supports the creation and development of self-determination and positive outcomes for the holistic wellbeing of queer youth. Our research and reporting are essential for our advocacy efforts, including influential projects like the State of Play II report. This report has become a driving force in education reform for young people and has been successfully presented to and well-received by government ministers.
Based on your personal experiences, why is Indigenous representation in the LGBTIQA+ community so important? What are some of the biggest challenges faced and what difference do you hope to make in this space?
It feels obvious to say that your culture, religion, and values all determine the environment you live in. However, it’s essential to recognise that minorities exist within the LGBTIQA+ community and acknowledge the different experiences they have while also being queer.
The marginalisation of LGBTIQA+SB (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Sistergirl, Brotherboy) Mob exacerbates the hardships already experienced by First Nations Australians, such as cultural alienation, economic disadvantage, and institutional discrimination as evident in the report, Black Rainbow on the impact to queer Mob during Covid.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve felt uncomfortable in a doctor’s office discussing queer health issues, and the second-guesses I’ve received when identifying myself as Aboriginal. It’s unacceptable that identifying who you love, or who you are, can put you at risk of social exclusion and misinformed healthcare; I aim to change this.
I hope to foster a future where Mob is represented in all elements of society, inclusive of the queer community, as they bring more joy, knowledge, and brightness to an already vibrant space.
What are some top tips for becoming a better ally for the LGBTIQA+ community?
To me, being an ally is being a good listener and a supportive friend.
Too often, I see people advocating for queer youth without taking the time to give an empathetic ear to the communities they’re attempting to champion. My advice for becoming a better ally is to listen with an open heart and reflect with an open mind. This means taking time to listen to what they’re saying rather than jumping to what you think is best based on your assumptions.
Just as there is a colonial load for First Nations people, there’s a similar burden for queer youth. It can take a lot of mental and social effort to educate those around us constantly. A little self-directed education goes a long way in showing your commitment.
Don’t be afraid to make a mistake, we understand that sometimes people get things wrong whether it be definitions or pronouns. Taking the time to reflect and sincerely apologize is the only way to move forward.
Finally, advocate for representation. Did you know that some organizations still don’t encourage representation of pronouns? Furthermore, many still refuse to acknowledge preferred pronouns.
This representation is so essential to our youth, as encapsulated by a student in our State of Play II report, “She [a teacher] asked me my pronouns, and accepted my answer unquestioningly. I felt seen. I felt like the person I am was real.”
We can all be better allies by simply championing within our organizations and communities; get the facts, and share the facts, as you would support a friend.
Finally, how did the Curtin Tertiary Enabling Program help prepare you for your current career?
The Indigenous Tertiary Enabling Program through Curtin’s Centre for Aboriginal Studies (CAS) allowed me to develop my academic proficiency to a standard that has allowed me to advocate for myself and others in all the roles I’ve championed. The supportive team at CAS truly exemplified what a supportive network can and should be. It was moments yarning with them in the CAS building that gradually but surely boosted my confidence, which turned out to be the key ingredient in my career.
Kass Boladeras, Marketing & Operations Manager at Winyama and Committee Member at Youth Pride Network.
Graduating from the Curtin Indigenous Tertiary Enabling Program in 2019 and being awarded the Centre for Aboriginal Studies ITEC Dean Award for 2019, Kass is a proud queer Ballardong Noongar Yorga with vast experience in higher education, equity inclusion, marketing, and events. Currently, Kass works at Winyama and has previously held roles at Curtin’s Student Services and Marketing. As a Youth Pride Network committee member, Kass is eager to make lasting change for young LGBTIQA+ people like herself and advocate for Indigenous and Incarcerated LGBTIQA+ people.
