OUSA Queer Support has encouraged everyone to keep an eye out for their 2025 plans, having recently boasted on their socials that they’re “back, baby!” But a keen-eyed Critic Te Ārohi questioned Student Support about how “back” they really are considering failed promises to update an outdated website in the first semester last year. This is the story of how nagging sort of works – they’ve now updated the website.
Critic Te Ārohi hit up Queer Support last year while conducting research for queer-related content in the magazine, during which it had been difficult to ascertain who the Queer Support coordinator was. The closest to this role at the time was Queer-Focused Advocate Rachel Shaw, who told Critic that the change in roles and terminology occurred in 2022.
OUSA told Critic that the change was to ensure that “general advocacy” was provided to any student who walked through the purple door of Student Support. Non-queer specific support for things like academics and tenancy was also on-hand for queer folk, they said. “However, the focus of the role is still dedicated to support for queer students and training for University staff.”
Student Support acknowledged that the website needed to be updated to reflect this. In fact, they told Critic that they were in the process of doing so: “This updated website will be launching later this semester.” That was in the first semester last year. But when Critic checked this year, the terminology and workshops were still stuck in 2021.
Following Critic’s hitting ‘em up again and nipping at their heels, Student Support Manager* Dwaine said that the website had been immediately updated. Better late than never! The workshops page was also updated to include an email for future bookings as opposed to expressions of interest for TBC 2021 dates – get with the times, babes. “We have been actively working on overhauling the queer support web pages to better serve our community. Unfortunately, these efforts have been met with financial constraints, which have impacted our progress.”
The website saga fortunately doesn’t seem to have materially impacted the training and mahi the Queer Support team offers. “Many of the referrals that walk through our doors come from several sources and not necessarily our online presence,” Dwaine assured (maybe Critic is just chronically online). “We are fortunate enough to have strong relationships with other student services on campus that referrals often originate from.”
One student, Brad, told Critic Te Ārohi that he just hoped that the decision to switch from a Queer Support Coordinator to a Queer-Focused Advocate was backed by “evidence, and not driven by financial issues.” He expressed concern about a shift toward “unspecified advocacy,” that had the potential to put Student Support advocates in a position where they were spread too thin. “It seems as if there’s no committed advocacy [to queer folk], and like the financial bottom line is coming out.” He explained he felt disappointed by the immediate rectification of the website – proving it was “that easy” despite letting it sit outdated for four years. “Why isn’t it a priority [to get the terminology right]?”
Student Support’s individual queer support advocate meetings have “increased significantly since the beginning of the year.” That’s likely thanks to newcomer Queer-Focused Advocate Tess King who has “hit the ground running,” according to Dwaine. Part of this has been providing Queer 101 training to staff and students (with sessions already completed for residential colleges and local leaders), as well as Queer Support presentations and panels to the Business School and Otago Polytech. She also managed the O-Week Pride on the Lawn event and is making ongoing efforts to stay connected with organisations such as Dunedin Pride, Dunedin Fringe, Intersex Aotearoa, and The Burnett Foundation.
All's well that ends well, but it’s probably safest to check out Queer Support on Instagram and Facebook instead of their website – at least until OUSA can afford to give a bit more love to their tech team.
*The online version of this article has been amended to correct factual inaccuracies. The original title 'The Queer Support Coordinator That Didn't Exist for 4 Years' implied that the previous person in that role was absent in her duties, which was corrected to 'The Queer Support Website that Was Stuck in 2021'. Dwaine was described as the Student Support Coordinator, which was corrected to Student Support Manager.