We want you to feel welcome here at Murdoch. Our university is a hugely diverse and inclusive community, where all students and staff can bring their full selves to study and work.
Murdoch University is committed to supporting the LGBTIQA+ community.
What is LGBTIQA+?
The acronym LGBTIQA+ aims to represent the diverse sexes, genders, and sexualities of the queer community; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual, and agender. The plus ‘+’ symbol recognises the many other terms people identify with.
Connecting with Community
The governance of LGBTIQA+ community matters at Murdoch University is managed through our LGBTIQA+ Advisory Group. Each year, a group of approximately 30 staff and students meet quarterly to discuss initiatives, review progress against the EDI Sub-Strategy (2023-2030) and the LGBTIQA+ Action Plan (annual), and provide advice to other areas of the university on request.
How to get involved
Our Advisory groups are comprised of self-nominated staff and students with relevant backgrounds, experiences, and commitments to allyship. To express interest in joining the LGBTIQA+ advisory group, or any of our other advisory groups, please contact EDI@murdoch.edu.au.
How to get involved:
To learn more about the LGBTIQA+ Staff Network, please visit our Intranet Site (accessible to current staff).
Connect with the Murdoch Queer Collective on their social media platforms, or at Orientation and Guild Market Events on campus.
The Murdoch Guild Council also has a Queer Representative that sits on council. Find out more.
Initiatives and projects
All our support services at Murdoch will care for your academic progression and wellbeing. We support you to show up as your full self when studying or accessing support at Murdoch.
Many services at Murdoch also have some specialised supports for the LGBTIQA+ community, which you can access on our Diverse Sex, Sexuality, and Gender Student Page.
The AWEI is a national benchmark for LGBTIQA+ inclusion in workplaces across Australia. In 2024, Murdoch received our first AWEI accreditation, scoring Bronze in our foundational submission.
Some of the initiatives that formed Murdoch’s Bronze Employer accreditation included developing and offering Ally Training, LGBTIQA+ Inclusive policy updates, the development of the LGBTIQA+ Staff Network, Inclusive language resources, and the LGBTIQA+ elements of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Sub-Strategy.
In 2025, Murdoch was awarded our first Silver AWEI Accreditation in the advanced submission.
Some of the initiatives that contributed to Murdoch’s recognition as a Silver Employer included a state-of-the-art Gender Affirmation Leave provision for trans and gender diverse staff, commitments to representing intersectional members of the LGBTIQA+ community, providing all-gender bathrooms, supporting community Pride events and offering support to LGBTIQA+ community organisations, and public advocacy from members of our Senior Leadership Team.
At the 2025 LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards, Pro Vice-Chancellor Associate Professor Rebecca Bennett was also awarded the Executive of the Year award for her advocacy and leadership.
Many of these events are held in November during Western Australia’s Pride Month. Murdoch University has had a presence at the Pride WA Pride Parade since 2018, often walking with over 90 members of the Murdoch University community, to celebrate LGBTIQA+ inclusion and commemorate the 1989 Protest March for LGBTIQA+ Law Reform in Western Australia, which was then legislated in 1990.
Murdoch University also houses WA’s first Pride Crossing and fly the Progress Pride Flag at the entrance to our campus. We host regular events for both the internal Murdoch University and wider Perth community, including talks, panels, workshops, and social gatherings.
To learn about upcoming Pride Initiatives or to propose a collaboration, please contact EDI@murdoch.edu.au
WestPride Archives, formerly the Gay and Lesbian Archives of Western Australia, was formed in the mid-1990’s and incorporated in 1998. Its aim is to collect and protect various materials produced by and for the LGBTQIA+ community in Western Australia. The collection consists of street press, newsletters, magazines, organisational documents, photographs, newspaper clippings, manuscripts (published and unpublished), posters, costumes, and the Lespar Library of Women’s Liberation, along with many other items.
To learn more about the WestPride Archives, please visit the Murdoch University Special Collections.
Gender Affirmation at Murdoch
At Murdoch, we are committed to empowering staff and students to affirm their gender identity.
In support of trans and gender diverse members of the Murdoch community, we have curated a guide to updating your details with us as a staff member or student.
Staff: You can update your first name in Workday, under the Personal Tab of your Profile. This change will flow through to Microsoft Teams and may take about 48 hours to sync. You will need to manually update your personal email address. No evidence is required for this change.
Staff: You can update your title in Workday, under the Personal Tab of your Profile. No evidence is required for this change.
Staff: You can update your legal name in Workday, in the Personal Tab of your Profile. Please note that if you update your legal name and still have a preferred or chosen name, Workday will still reflect the preferred or chosen name. Please attach legal documentation, and make sure to update any ID documentation you have previously provided as you receive new identification, such as a Working with Children Check or Driver’s Licence.
Staff: You can add your pronouns in Workday, under the Personal Tab of your Profile, which will be displayed to your line manager and members of People and Culture. To indicate your pronouns to others, you can add your pronouns in Microsoft Teams, include your pronouns on your email signature, and order a name badge which has your pronouns displayed.
Staff: You can update your gender identity in Workday, under the Personal Tab of your Profile. No evidence is required for this change.
Staff: You can return your old ID card for a new one with your preferred, chosen, or new legal name, alongside a new photo free of charge at Student Central.
Staff: You can request an update to your email attribute on the Murdoch University Support Portal. You need to provide a justification for your request, which will not be unreasonably refused. You do not need evidence for this request.
A replacement Testamur can be obtained in the future after a legal name change and updating your USI (an application for replacement and fees are required).
This information will be enclosed in the documentation you receive at graduation. However, your chosen or preferred name can be read out at graduation.
Once you are confirmed for a graduation ceremony, please contact graduations@murdoch.edu.au with your student number, graduation ceremony details, and your chosen name and pronunciation of your name to be read out by the Head of School on the day and they will gladly assist. You must make this request at least two weeks before your graduation date.
LGBTIQA+ Allies at Murdoch
At Murdoch we recognise that a welcoming environment in which people can be their full selves is created through our people. We support the LGBTIQA+ community through our Ally program.
Ally Training: Many Murdoch staff and students complete the Ally Training and may choose to become a part of the visible network of advocates for the LGBTIQA+ community, contributing to an affirming and welcoming culture. The training is open to anyone who is interested in increasing their own awareness and fostering a diverse, inclusive, and safe environment for LGBTIQA+ people at Murdoch University.
Staff who have completed the training can join the Ally Network.
Ally Network: The Ally Network is a collective of staff across Murdoch University who are allies of LGBTIQA+ Staff and Students. After completing Allyship Training, the group works to create inclusion for people of diverse sex, sexuality, and gender; with a strong understanding of the strength in community, they aim to support the rights of LGBTIQA+ people on and off campus.
You can contact a Murdoch Ally to ask about LGBTIQA+ inclusion initiatives, programs and policies on campus, to get support, or for a catch up and welcoming conversation. There are Murdoch Allies all over the South Street and Mandurah Campuses.
You can access the Murdoch Ally Representatives list with a Murdoch log-in.
