Prof Sandy O’Sullivan (Wiradjuri, trans they/them)

I always remember Prof Kath Butler from Newy talking about her childhood and recounting when a teacher asked her what her mob ate, and she replied ‘fish’. And her teachers goes ‘fish aren’t an Aboriginal food’. Kath was a smart arse back then and goes ‘Captain Cook didn’t bring them all over’.

It's almost as though us experiencing racism is normalised in this colony, or something.

Devastating statistics on racism in universities in Australia.

FWIW I wish it said 'Indigiphobia' (or something) instead of 'experience' to describe racism against mob. Less mollifying terms are needed in a title that also describes Islamaphobia and Antisemitism.

humanrights.gov.au/resource-hub...

I hear ya. I remember someone asking me about my arthritic fingers when I had a bit of a flareup and they said can you still play guitar? My answer was yes sort of, but in all honesty my brain was working out my dexterity on the basis of whether I can pick my nose?

I was asked today what I wish for trans people right now. I wish others would stop insisting we express joy in a way that shames those of us living through a lot right now. I wish that instead of insisting on our joy, they insisted on our housing, our security, and on our capacity to have life-saving medical care. I wish they insisted that others support us in experiencing the full range of emotions. I wish they afforded us dignity, instead of expecting performance. I wish they’d check in with trans people, not tell us how to feel.

With all respect to it’s historical relevance I’m not sure #Auspol really exists anymore.

Oh God, of course

Aboriginal people across the continent have been shouting out the hypocrisy of the media and govt for not talking about the explosive device thrown into a group of Invasion Day protesters in Boorloo/Perth. 1st I heard about it was from Tarneen Onus Browne. Politicians still haven’t brought it up.

Yep. But you’ll always get a white man to argue the point with you.

Do you reckon that might be because it’s an American film made in America by Americans?

The responses have just been incredibly interesting. I always say you don’t run a survey unless you don’t know what people are gonna say. And people have just been incredibly honest about what they expect and want.

Have thoughts about queer museums, queerness in museums, or just plain being queer in museums? We'd love to hear from you. Early findings are turning out to be amazing, and we hope it helps museums do better. mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... @alanaaaab.bsky.social
#Queer #Museums #QueerMuseums

Have thoughts about queer museums, queerness in museums, or just plain being queer in museums? We'd love to hear from you. Early findings are turning out to be amazing, and we hope it helps museums do better. mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... @alanaaaab.bsky.social
#Queer #Museums #QueerMuseums

Racism is off the charts this January. I guess we get to have new charts.

Meanwhile here I am posting about gender affirming surgery and turning 60 and lots of amazing support and then nonsense racism that means we have read it and deal with it. Because other people don’t need to read that stuff.

I’ve just had a friend of mine suggest that I take off the quote capacity. Look, I know that this gets used by bad actors, who cares they can mock as much as they want. In the end, they’re bloody awful people. But I think it’s really important that we keep experiences visible for people who need it.

Thanks so much, Sean. It’s a thing hey? I think I imagined because of my weight it would be a major issue and I’ve been lucky enough to be on the medications to lose weight and I’ve hit under a BMI that they’ll consider. Bloody ageing bodies hey?

Yes!

This year I’m turning 60. I’ve made the decision that in the next two or so years – work commitments dependent – I’ll be getting gender-affirming surgery.

Nothing’s a done deal but things will be changing and I guess I just wanted to say I’m really excited about it and really grateful.

Thanks Prof

Today would have been my sister Gina‘s 63rd birthday. Gina was an amazing person and I miss her terribly.

Last year it was obvious that some people were annoyed with me, resulting in real-space derision and some (on reflection) hilariously obvious exclusion. I found that a struggle and my not-great response was to shut down posts and stop posting much at a time that I actually needed support. lives.

This is a really important public facing work by Dr Tamika Worrell who works in my centre. Read the work that Tamika has been doing for people who are thinking about cultural appropriation. In our same centre, we have Dr Innez Haua and Distinguished Prof Bronwyn Carlson all writing across this!

The alternative: say #NoAI, and yes to real First Nations voices:
@letterscentral.bsky.social @firstnationscen.bsky.social @robertarnol.bsky.social @big-tony.bsky.social @drtracywesterman.bsky.social @sandyosullivan.bsky.social
🖤💛❤️

I think it might be one of the few photos that I’ve seen where we actually really look alike. I love it.

Close photo of a 30 year old Wiradjuri woman with black hair, smiling.

Next Sunday would have been my sister Gina’s 63rd birthday. I found this lovely picture of her from a few decades ago. It’s such an evocative photo; I really miss her.

*I’ve always done weekly lead ups to birthdays of my family. So this continues, hey.

Haha do it!

It’s been wild this Christmas, hasn’t it?

Merry Christmas!!!!

Merry Christmas Mark!

Look, lots of fun things for Christmas catching up online with my sister. Lots of lovely pressies. And a beautiful day outside with birds singing, to be fair mostly squawking, and just a nice relaxing time.